1979 Castle Open

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1979 Castle Open
Tournament information
DatesDecember 1978–22 January 1979
VenueCastle Snooker Club
CitySouthampton
CountryEngland
OrganisationBernard Bennett
Total prize fund£3,500
Winner's share£750
Final
Champion Alex Higgins (NIR)
Runner-up Fred Davis (ENG)
Score5–1

The 1979 Castle Open was a pro-am snooker tournament held from late 1978 to January 1979 at the Castle Snooker Club.[1][2] It was won by Alex Higgins, who defeated Fred Davis 5–1 in the final.[3]

The promoter, snooker professional Bernard Bennett, who owned the Castle Club, provided a prize fund of £3,500,[1] including a first prize of £750.[2] Almost all of the professional snooker players who were in the country at the time participated, alongside many of the leading amateurs.[1] All matches were played on level terms; no handicaps were applied.[1]

The tournament was played across two blocks.[1] The earlier rounds featured amateurs and lower-ranked professionals, with higher-ranked professionals joining in the second block,[1] held from 19 to 21 January 1979.[4] Only two amateurs progressed to the second block: 16-year-old Jimmy White and 19-year-old Tony Meo.[1] White defeated professionals Jack Karnehm and David Taylor, and Meo eliminated eight-time world champion John Pulman.[1][5]

Terry Griffiths, who had turned professional that season,[6] later wrote that, "The matches were short and the prize money not all that much but because the proprietor, Bernard Bennett, is a professional who is well liked in the snooker world, there was a good turn-out of professionals to support his tournament."[7]

Fred Davis reached the final at the age of 65, having eliminated Willie Thorne and Cliff Thorburn during the tournament.[8] He won the first frame, but lost 1–5 to Alex Higgins.[9][10][11]

Main Draw[edit]

Results from the sixth round onwards are shown below.[2]

Sixth round Quarter-finals Semi-finals Final
 Ray Reardon (WAL) 3
 Cliff Thorburn (CAN) 4  Cliff Thorburn (CAN) 4
 Terry Griffiths (WAL) 2  Cliff Thorburn (CAN) 4
 Fred Davis (ENG) 1
 Fred Davis (ENG) 4
 Eddie Charlton (AUS) 1  Willie Thorne (ENG) 3
 Willie Thorne (ENG) 4  Fred Davis (ENG) 1
 Alex Higgins (NIR) 5
 Alex Higgins (NIR) 4
 Perrie Mans (RSA) 4  Perrie Mans (RSA) 0
 Dennis Taylor (NIR) 2  Alex Higgins (NIR) 4
 Doug Mountjoy (WAL) 3
 John Spencer (ENG) 2
 Doug Mountjoy (WAL) 4  Doug Mountjoy (WAL) 4
 Graham Miles (ENG) 2

Earlier rounds[edit]

First round[1]
Player Score Player
 Tony O'Beirne (ENG) 4–1  T. McCarver (ENG)
 J. Pike (ENG) 4–3  P. Marshall (ENG)
 Steve Newbury (WAL) 4–2  B.Miltell (ENG)
 Geoff Foulds (ENG) 4–2  S. Ross (ENG)
 Vic Spetch (ENG) 4–1  Jack Fitzmaurice (ENG)
 Bob Harris (ENG) 4–3  Mike Watterson (ENG)
 John Beech (ENG) 4–3  O. Gilbert (ENG)
 Ian Williamson (ENG) 4–2  B. Browne (ENG)
 Mike Darrington (ENG) 4–1  Terry Whitthread (ENG)
 Clive Everton (WAL) 4–0  P. Walker (ENG)
 Jimmy White (ENG) 4–0  Wally Broomfield (ENG)
 O. Clark (ENG) 4–1  Stan Haslam (ENG)
 Brian Watson (ENG) 4–0  A. Watson (ENG)
 George Eaton (ENG) 4–1  Nick Fairall (ENG)
Second round[1]
Player Score Player
 Tony O'Beirne (ENG) 4–1  J. Pike (ENG)
 Geoff Foulds (ENG) 4–1  Steve Newbury (WAL)
 Vic Spetch (ENG) 4–2  Bob Harris (ENG)
 Ian Williamson (ENG) 4–0  John Beech (ENG)
 Mike Darrington (ENG) 4–3  Clive Everton (WAL)
 Jimmy White (ENG) 4–3  O. Clark (ENG)
 Brian Watson (ENG) 4–0  D. Edwards (ENG)
 Tony Meo (ENG) 4–0  George Eaton (ENG)
Third round[1]
Player Score Player
 Steve Davis (ENG) 4–3  Tony O'Beirne (ENG)
 Terry Griffiths (WAL) 4–1  Geoff Foulds (ENG)
 Pat Houlihan (ENG) 4–1  Spetch (ENG)
 John Barrie (ENG) 4–1  Ian Williamson (ENG)
 Mike Darrington (ENG) w.o.  David Greaves (ENG)
 Jimmy White (ENG) 4–1  Jack Karnehm (ENG)
 Ray Edmonds (ENG) 4–1  Brian Watson (ENG)
 Tony Meo (ENG) w.o.  Roy Andrewartha (ENG)
Fourth round[1]
Player Score Player
 Steve Davis (ENG) 4–1  Jim Meadowcroft (ENG)
 Terry Griffiths (WAL) 4–1  Bill Werbeniuk (CAN)
 Pat Houlihan (ENG) 4–1  Bernard Bennett (ENG)
 Willie Thorne (ENG) 4– 1  John Barrie (ENG)
 John Virgo (ENG) 4–3  Mike Darrington (ENG)
 Jimmy White (ENG) 4–2  David Taylor (ENG)
 Ray Edmonds (ENG) 4–2  John Dunning (ENG)
 Tony Meo (ENG) 4–0  John Pulman (ENG)
Fifth round
Player Score Player
 Cliff Thorburn (CAN) 4–3  Steve Davis (ENG)
 Terry Griffiths (WAL) 4–3  Rex Williams (ENG)
 Eddie Charlton (AUS) 4–3  Pat Houlihan (ENG)
 Willie Thorne (ENG) 4–1  Patsy Fagan (IRE)
 Perrie Mans (RSA) 4–2  John Virgo (ENG)
 Dennis Taylor (NIR) 4–0  Jimmy White (ENG)
 Doug Mountjoy (WAL) 4–2  Ray Edmonds (ENG)
 Graham Miles (ENG) 4–3  Tony Meo (ENG)

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Meo and White beat pros in Castle prelims". Snooker Scene. February 1979. p. 19.
  2. ^ a b c Eaton, Richard (March 1979). "Alex Higgins still king of the Castle". Snooker Scene. pp. 10–11.
  3. ^ "Hurricane too strong for battling Fred". Daily Mirror. 22 January 1979. p. 23.
  4. ^ Everton, Clive (13 January 1979). "top=spin weeks for tournament professionals". The Guardian. p. 13.
  5. ^ "Hall of Fame". World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  6. ^ "New professionals". Snooker Scene. June 1978. p. 27.
  7. ^ Griffiths, Terry (1981). Championship Snooker. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 66. ISBN 978-0-3620-0543-1.
  8. ^ Morrison, Ian (1987). The Hamlyn Encyclopedia of Snooker (Revised ed.). Twickenham: Hamlyn Publishing Group. p. 95. ISBN 978-0-600-55604-6.
  9. ^ "Higgins is Castle champion". The Birmingham Post. 22 January 1979. p. 12.
  10. ^ "Snooker: Castle pro-am tournament". Daily Mirror. 22 January 1979. p. 23.
  11. ^ "Fred shows the old style". Sports Argus. 27 January 1979. p. 4.
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