By Elliott West
“We are delighted to bring back the British Open which has a fantastic history”.
Steve Dawson, Chairman of the World Snooker Tour
Introduction
With the great news that the British Open will return to next season’s snooker calendar after a seventeen-year absence, it is only fitting that we take a trip down memory lane and reminisce about this iconic tournament from its conception until the last time it was held. An event that was held in multiple locations and had various name changes and sponsors.
The Early Years
First conceived by Mike Watterson, the man who brought the World Championship to the Crucible Theatre in 1977, the tournament was first held in 1980 where it was named the British Gold Cup. Originally a non-ranking event, on its first airing, it was won by Alex Higgins after he defeated Ray Reardon 5-1 in the final at the Assembly Rooms in Derby. This name for the event was short-lived and when it returned the following year in 1981, it adopted a new title, thanks to a different sponsor and was named the Yamaha Organs Trophy where it was won by Steve Davis after beating David Taylor 9-6.
Rather like a chameleon, this tournament was prone to new guises and in 1982, the tournament became the International Masters. Steve Davis was again victorious this year, overcoming a close battle in the final with Terry Griffiths, winning 9-7. He won again in 1984 in a round-Robin format, defeating Dave Martin. In 1983, Jimmy White reached the final but was faced by Ray Reardon. Reardon, who was beginning to suffer from eyesight problems, managed to quell the Whirlwind on this occasion, defeating him 9-6.
The British Open
Still being held at the Assembly Rooms in Derby, 1985 was the first year that the tournament was called The British Open. Sponsored by Dulux after Yahamha withdrew its sponsorship, the event had a £250,000 prize fund with £50,000 going to the winner. Alex Higgins got the highest tournament break of 142 and the final was between South Africa’s Silvino Francisco and Canada’s Kirk Stevens. Silvino won on this occasion, capturing his only ranking UK title, the victor 12-9.
The event went on for a long and illustrious time in the tournament calendar and was moved from the Derby Assembly Rooms to the Plymouth Pavilions in 1994, the Telewest Arena in Newcastle in 2001, the Telford International Centre in 2002 and the Brighton Centre for 2003-2004. John Higgins won it in the final year of play, beating Stephen Maguire 9-6.
The tournament had a plethora of winners including Tony Meo in. 1989, Bob Chaperon in 1990, Jimmy White in 1987 and 1992, Nigel Bond in 1996 and Fergal O’Brien in 1999. Ronnie O’Sullivan won it in 1994, Stephen Hendry in 1988, 1991, 1999 and 2003. John Higgins was also very successful in this tournament, victorious in 1995, 1998, 2001 and 2004. Steve Davis won it a further two times in this incarnation in 1986 and 1993 and Mark Williams in 1997.
The event had a multitude of sponsors after Dulux, including Britannia Unit Trusts, Anglia Windows, Pearl Assurance, Wickes Home Improvements and Stan James. The event also had six maximum breaks in its history, the first being by James Wattana in 1992 in the last 16 stage, Stephen Hendry in 1999 and John Higgins in 2003.
Summary
The British Open in its various incarnations was a very successful event in its time and so it is great to see with a new chairman at the helm of WST, Steve Dawson, that the tournament is being brought back to the main tour after a seventeen-year hiatus. Yet to have a venue confirmed, it would be great if the event could be staged at one of the old venues. Running from August 16-22, the tournament will be open to all 128 players and will be the second-ranking event of the 2021/22 season. This jewel in the snooker crown is one of the new events that Steve Dawson has pulled out of his hat and joins the Turkish Masters and possibly a few others formulations when the snooker calendar is finalised for the next season. The British Open lives again and long may it reign!
