Pontins Open


The Pontins Open events were a series of pro–am snooker tournaments which ran from 1974 until 2011.

History

From the early 1970s, top professionals had supplemented their income entertaining and coaching holiday makers on the holiday camp circuit and at Pontin's in particular. That organisation organised several Snooker Festivals at which ordinary members of the public could join with top amateurs and the best professionals in open tournaments.

The first of these events was held in 1974 and eight top professionals were invited to take part in the Pontins Professional while many others joined them in the Open event where up to 1000 hopefuls would set out with the chance to meet one of their idols in the later rounds. The most important of these festivals was the Pontins Spring Open held at Prestatyn, Wales. A similar Open event, the Pontins Autumn Open was held later in the year and attracted almost as many top names as the spring event.

The professionals had to concede up to 25 points per frame to the amateurs and this format meant that many of the star names fell to good amateurs. In the earlier years nearly all the top players took part but as the number of tour events increased very few entered in later years.

The Autumn Open ended in 2009 and the Spring Open ended in 2011 and the festival in later years also hosted the final Challenge Tour event where players battle for places on the main tour in the following season.
A later event which began in 2006, the Pontins World Series consisted of six qualifying events, open to amateurs and main tour professionals and was played in the summer and autumn. Points were awarded for each event with the best five results counting towards a merit table. The leading 64 players qualified to play in the series final. This tournament ran for four editions ending in 2009.

Finals

Pontins Spring Open

YearWinnerRunner-upFinal scoreSeason
1974 Doug Mountjoy John Spencer7–41973/74
1975 Ray Reardon John Virgo7–11974/75
1976 Doug Mountjoy Lance Pibworth7–11975/76
1977 Alex Higgins Terry Griffiths7–41976/77
1978 Steve Davis Tony Meo7–61977/78
1979 Steve Davis Jimmy White7–31978/79
1980 Willie Thorne Cliff Wilson7–31979/80
1981 John Hargreaves Cliff Wilson7–21980/81
1982 John Parrott Ray Reardon7–41981/82
1983 Terry Griffiths Ray Reardon7–31982/83
1984 Neal Foulds Doug Mountjoy7–41983/84
1985 Jim Chambers John Parrott7–61984/85
1986 John Parrott Tony Putnam7–61985/86
1987 Stefan Mazrocis Barry Pinches7–21986/87
1988 Ken Doherty Colin Morton7–51987/88
1989 Peter Ebdon Ken Doherty7–41988/89
1990 Tony Rampello Paul Davies7–31989/90
1991 Mike Hallett Wayne Brown7–51990/91
1992 Declan Hughes Steve James7–21991/92
1993 Mike Hallett Steve James7–61992/93
1994 Wayne Brown Graeme Dott7–31993/94
1995 Mark Williams Peter Ebdon7–41994/95
1996 Ken Doherty Darren Morgan7–31995/96
1997 Ken Doherty Paul Bunyard7–61996/97
1998 James McGouran Neal Foulds7–01997/98
1999 John Gallagher Luke Simmonds7–41998/99
2000 Ian Preece Scott MacKenzie7–41999/00
2001 Luke Simmonds Brian Morgan7–52000/01
2002 Paul Sweeny Scott MacKenzie4–32001/02
2003 Judd Trump Mike Hallett4–22002/03
2004 Stuart Bingham Wayne Cooper5–32003/04
2005 Jamie Cope Mike Finn5–02004/05
2006 Stuart Bingham Tom Harris5–22005/06
2007 Leo Fernandez Daniel Wells5–22006/07
2008 David Grace Nigel Bond5–12007/08
2009 Stuart Bingham Matthew Couch5–12008/09
2010 Nigel Bond Stephen Craigie5–22009/10
2011 Leo Fernandez Sydney Wilson5–12010/11

Pontins Autumn Open

YearWinnerRunner-upFinal scoreSeason
1981 Bill Oliver Ian Williamson7–51981/82
1982 Steve Duggan Kevin Lowndes7–31982/83
1983 Roger Bales Gary Filtness7–01983/84
1984 Barry West Gary Hancock7–31984/85
1985 Gary Bray Mark Johnston-Allen7–51985/86
1986 Tony Wilson Craig Edwards5–41986/87
1987 Nick Terry Mark Johnston-Allen5–41987/88
1988 Jason Ferguson Jonathan Birch5–21988/89
1989 Jonathan Birch Drew Henry5–41989/90
1990 Anthony Hamilton Joe Swail5–11990/91
1991 Drew Henry John Read5–21991/92
1992 Nick Walker Anthony Harris5–31992/93
1993 Peter Lines Andrew Hannah5–11993/94
1994 John Read Craig Edwards5–21994/95
1995 Graeme Dott Stephen Lee5–11995/96
1996 Matthew Couch Gary Ponting5–41996/97
1997 James McGouran Matthew Couch5–31997/98
1998 Matthew Couch Brian Salmon5–11998/99
1999 Craig Butler Matthew Farrant5–41999/00
2000 Kuldesh Johal Colin Morton5–32000/01
2001 Sean O'Neill Rodney Goggins5–12001/02
2002 Tim English Brendan O'Donoghue5–42002/03
2003 Mark King Craig Butler5–42003/04
2004 Stuart Bingham Mark Davis4–22004/05
2005 Joe Swail Dave Harold5–32005/06
2006 Ryan Day Jamie Cope5–22006/07
2007 Jamie Cope Lee Page5–02007/08
2008 Craig Steadman Leo Fernandez5–02008/09
2009 Michael Georgiou David Donovan5–22009/10
2010 Rob James Michael Holt5–42010/11

Pontins World Series

YearWinnerRunner-upFinal scoreSeason
2006 Ken Doherty Ricky Walden4–22006/07
2007 Joe Perry Ricky Walden4–22007/08
2008 Jamie Cope Craig Steadman4–12008/09
2009 Stuart Bingham Ken Doherty3–12009/10