1981 UK Championship

The 1981 UK Championship (officially the 1981 Coral UK Championship) was a professional non-ranking snooker tournament that took place at the Guild Hall in Preston, England, between 22 November and 5 December 1981. This was the fifth edition of the UK Championship, the fourth staging of the competition in Preston, and the fourth consecutive UK Championship to be sponsored by Coral. The televised stages were shown on the BBC from the quarter-finals on 28 November through to the end of the championship.

1981 Coral UK Championship

Tournament information
Dates	22 November – 5 December 1981 (1981-11-22 – 1981-12-05)
Venue	Preston Guild Hall
City	Preston
Country	England
Organisation	WPBSA
Format	Non-ranking event
Total prize fund	£40,000
Winner's share	£10,000
Highest break	Terry Griffiths (131)
Final
Champion	Steve Davis
Runner-up	Terry Griffiths
Score	16–3
← 1980 1982 →

Tournament summary

• Steve Davis retained the first of his major titles by defeating Terry Griffiths 16–3 in the final.
• Jimmy White, fresh from his success in the Langs Scottish Masters and Northern Ireland Classic, which took place earlier in the season, beat Clive Everton, John Virgo, Dennis Taylor and Ray Reardon, in reaching the semi-finals at his first attempt, but then was whitewashed 0–9 by the reigning World and UK Champion Steve Davis.
• Two other young players, Tony Knowles and Tony Meo, also enhanced their reputations: Knowles by beating Fred Davis and Doug Mountjoy in reaching the quarter-finals, and Meo by defeating Rex Williams, Cliff Thorburn and Alex Higgins in reaching the semi-finals.

Main draw

	Last 24 Best of 17 frames					Last 16 Best of 17 frames					Quarter-finals Best of 17 frames					Semi-finals Best of 17 frames					Final Best of 31 frames
						Steve Davis		9
	Willie Thorne		9			Willie Thorne		2
											Steve Davis		9
	Ray Edmonds		4
											Bill Werbeniuk		5
						Bill Werbeniuk		9
	Kirk Stevens		9			Kirk Stevens		7
																Steve Davis		9
	Mike Hallett		4
																Jimmy White		0
						Dennis Taylor		5
	Jimmy White		9			Jimmy White		9
											Jimmy White		9
	John Virgo		6
											Ray Reardon		8
						Ray Reardon		9
	Joe Johnson		9			Joe Johnson		7
																					Steve Davis		16
	John Spencer		5
																					Terry Griffiths		3
						Terry Griffiths		9
	Graham Miles		9			Graham Miles		4
											Terry Griffiths		9
	Pat Houlihan		5
											Tony Knowles		5
						Doug Mountjoy		6
	Tony Knowles		9			Tony Knowles		9
																Terry Griffiths		9
	Fred Davis		6
																Tony Meo		3
						David Taylor		5
	Alex Higgins		9			Alex Higgins		9
											Alex Higgins		4
	Dave Martin		4
											Tony Meo		9
						Cliff Thorburn		6
	Tony Meo		9			Tony Meo		9
	Rex Williams		8

Final

Final: Best of 31 frames. Referee: The Guild Hall, Preston, England, 4 and 5 December 1981.
Steve Davis England	16–3	Terry Griffiths Wales
First session: 28–60, 102–13 (87), 74–12, 76–24, 72–1 (65), 69–20, 75–45 (63) Second session: 84–37 (58), 116–1 (56), 73–62 (54), 0–127 (96), 111–8, 64–44, 57–32, 27–77 (77) Third session: 90–22, 113–9 (52), 81–26 (59), 54–37
87	Highest break	96
0	Century breaks	0
8	50+ breaks	2

Qualifying

Best of 17 frames

Winner	Score	Competitor
Group 1
Paul Medati	9–6	Eddie McLaughlin
Paul Medati	9–7	Jim Donnelly
Group 2
Mike Hallett	9–4	Vic Harris
Mike Hallett	9–6	Dennis Hughes
Group 3
Matt Gibson	9–6	Jack Fitzmaurice
Clive Everton	9–6	Matt Gibson
Group 4
Joe Johnson	9–6	Tommy Murphy
Mike Watterson	9–4	Bernard Bennett
Joe Johnson	9–3	Mike Watterson

Winner	Score	Competitor
Group 5
Pat Houlihan	9–1	Kingsley Kennerley
Pat Houlihan	9–4	Ian Black
Group 6
Geoff Foulds	9–7	Billy Kelly
Group 7
Eddie Sinclair	9–6	Mark Wildman
Eddie Sinclair	9–0	Sid Hood
Group 8
Rex Williams	9–3	Doug French
Colin Roscoe	9–7	Murdo MacLeod
Rex Williams	9–4	Colin Roscoe

Winner	Score	Competitor
Round of 32 Best of 17 frames.
Willie Thorne	9–6	Paul Medati
Mike Hallett	9–5	Patsy Fagan
Jimmy White	9–4	Clive Everton
Joe Johnson	9–5	Cliff Wilson
Pat Houlihan	9–4	Jim Meadowcroft
Tony Knowles	9–1	Geoff Foulds
Dave Martin	9–7	Eddie Sinclair
Rex Williams	9–4	John Dunning

Century breaks

• 131 – Terry Griffiths
• 126 – Willie Thorne
• 120, 105 – Steve Davis
• 120 – Alex Higgins
• 120 – Kirk Stevens
• 107 – Tony Meo
• 103 – Rex Williams
• 102 – Tony Knowles