Welsh Professional Championship facts for kids
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Venue | Newport Centre |
| Location | Cardiff (1922) Caerphilly (1977) Ebbw Vale (1980-1984) Abertillery (1985-1986) Newport (1987-1991) |
| Country | Wales |
| Established | 1977 |
| Format | Non-ranking event |
| Final year | 1991 |
| Final champion(s) |  Darren Morgan |
The Welsh Professional Championship was a special snooker tournament. Only snooker players from Wales could take part in it. It was the first of the four "home countries" (like England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland) to bring back its own national snooker championship regularly.
Contents
History of the Championship
How it Started
The Welsh Professional Championship first happened way back in 1922. But then, it took over 50 years for it to return! In 1977, two famous Welsh snooker players, Ray Reardon and Doug Mountjoy, played for an "unofficial" Welsh title. Ray Reardon won that match. Even though a company called William Hill helped pay for it, the event wasn't very popular. So, it didn't happen again until 1980.
The Main Tournament Years
The first official championship after the break was held in 1980. It took place at the Ebbw Vale Leisure Centre. This centre hosted the championship every year until 1984. A cider company called H. P. Bulmer sponsored the event. They used their Woodpecker brand from 1980 to 1983. Then, in 1984, they used their Strongbow brand.
In 1985 and 1986, the tournament moved to the Abertillery Leisure Centre. Different companies sponsored it during these years. BCE was the sponsor in 1985, and Zetters sponsored it in 1986.
Moving to Newport
From 1987 until its final year in 1991, the event was held at the Newport Centre. In these last five years, three different companies sponsored the championship:
- Matchroom in 1987
- Senator Windows from 1988 to 1990
- Regal in 1991
Why it Ended
After the 1991 tournament, Regal stopped sponsoring the Welsh Professional Championship. Instead, they started to sponsor a new, bigger snooker event called the Welsh Open. This new tournament was a "ranking" event, meaning players could earn points for their world ranking. The Welsh Open was also held at the same venue, the Newport Centre. Because of this, the Welsh Professional Championship hasn't been held since 1991.
Winners
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Final score | Season | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Challenge matches | |||||
| 1922 | J.S Nicholls |
W. Davies |
1032–777 | ||
| 1977 | Ray Reardon |
Doug Mountjoy |
12–8 | 1976/77 | |
| Knockout tournaments | |||||
| 1980 | Doug Mountjoy |
Ray Reardon |
9–6 | 1979/80 | |
| 1981 | Ray Reardon |
Cliff Wilson |
9–6 | 1980/81 | |
| 1982 | Doug Mountjoy |
Terry Griffiths |
9–8 | 1981/82 | |
| 1983 | Ray Reardon |
Doug Mountjoy |
9–1 | 1982/83 | |
| 1984 | Doug Mountjoy |
Cliff Wilson |
9–3 | 1983/84 | |
| 1985 | Terry Griffiths |
Doug Mountjoy |
9–4 | 1984/85 | |
| 1986 | Terry Griffiths |
Doug Mountjoy |
9–3 | 1985/86 | |
| 1987 | Doug Mountjoy |
Steve Newbury |
9–7 | 1986/87 | |
| 1988 | Terry Griffiths |
Wayne Jones |
9–3 | 1987/88 | |
| 1989 | Doug Mountjoy |
Terry Griffiths |
9–6 | 1988/89 | |
| 1990 | Darren Morgan |
Doug Mountjoy |
9–7 | 1989/90 | |
| 1991 | Darren Morgan |
Mark Bennett |
9–3 | 1990/91 | |
See also
In Spanish: Campeonato Profesional de Gales para niños
