By Elliott West
Introduction
As we draw close to the start of the Welsh Open at Llandudno, let’s dip into the archive and go back to the beginning. A tournament of different names and locations, this event began its life in 1922 in Cardiff. Originally known as the Welsh Professional Championship and only open to Welsh players, the first final was a ‘Challenge match’ between JS Nichols and W Davies when Nichols was the victor 1032-777.
The Turning Tide
However, you have to then fast forward to 1977 before this was played again. On this occasion, Doug Mountjoy was pitted against Ray Reardon, a Welsh rivalry that was to last for many years to come despite being firm friends off the table. In this ‘unofficial’ Welsh professional title, held at the Club Double Diamond, Caerphilly, Reardon had a convincing victory, winning the match 12-8 despite having a heavy dose of flu. A match that had its own drama after a light bulb smashed after the first session, burning five holes in the table. This was sweet revenge against the man who started the rot by taking Reardon’s Benson and Hedges title earlier in the year. This was Reardon’s first Welsh title since he carried off the amateur championship between 1949-1955. Sponsored by William Hill, unfortunately this version of the tournament didn’t succeed and so Welsh snooker fans had to wait patiently until 1980 before this could happen again.
This tournament could be described as having a history of stutters because when players returned at the Ebbw Vale Leisure Centre it would only be for four years, between 1980-1984. These finals would be fought out between only four players in the final in these years, Terry Griffiths, Doug Mounjoy, Ray Reardon and Cliff Wilson. Reardon won the event in 1981 and 1983, Doug Mountjoy in 1980, 1982 and 1984. Sponsored by the cider company, H.P Bulmer, Woodpecker sponsored the tournament between 1980-1983 and their Strongbow brand in 1984.
In 1985, the Welsh Professional Championship moved to the Abertillery Leisure Centre. Terry Griffiths would reign its two years at the this location with wins over Doug Mountjoy 9-4 and 9-3. It would then move to Newport, thanks to Simon Weaver where it remained firmly cemented until the tournament ended in 1991. He also brought the Mercantile Credit Classic to Blackpool. Simon was responsible for giving the referee, Paul Collier his first spot when he asked him to be a marker/recorder at the Welsh Professional Championship in 1988. Simon Weaver, sadly passed away later in life, far too early from dementia. Sponsored by BCE, Zetters, Matchroom, Senator Windows and Regal in these years, Doug Mountjoy, Terry Griffiths and Darren Morgan were the victors with Steve Newbury making the final in 1987, Wayne Jones in 1988 and Mark Bennett in 1991.
After 1991, the Professional Snooker Championship, folded due mainly to Regal withdrawing their sponsorship. This led to the birth of the tournament in another guise, the Welsh Open. Remaining in Newport, ironically the event has only been won by one Welsh player, Mark Williams in 1996 and 1999 with John Higgins winning five titles, Ronnie O’Sullivan four titles and Stephen Hendry three titles.
Moving between Newport and Cardiff over the years, there have been nine maximum breaks over the years with Ronnie O’Sullivan, Stephen Hendry being a few of the players to make and Kyren Wilson being the most recent in 1990. Now held at the Motorpoint Centre in Cardiff, the pandemic has caused the competition to be prised from its location and has become the first tournament not to be held in Milton Keynes. When it goes ahead in February, the Welsh Open will instead be held at Celtic Manor in Wales. A brave move but fitting for this Celtic championship.
Summary
The Welsh Professional Championship and then the Welsh Open are steeped in tradition with a roll call of winners that would make any snooker fan smile. Wales has been a major impute for the main tour for so many years with the likes of Terry Griffiths, Darren Morgan, Doug Mountjoy, Ray Reardon, Mark Williams and Cliff Wilson being just a few. The country lives and breathes snooker, still producing great, young players such as Jackson Page and Jak Jones and will be a driving force in the sport for many years to come.
