Scottish Open (snooker)

snooker tournament

The Scottish Open is a snooker tournament. The tournament was once called: International Open, Matchroom Trophy and Players Championship. It was first played from 1981 until 2004.

Scottish Open
Tournament information
LocationEdinburgh
CountryScotland
Established1981
Organisation(s)World Snooker Tour
FormatRanking event
Total prize fund£427,000
Recent edition2023
Current champion(s) Gary Wilson (ENG)

On 29 April 2015, Barry Hearn announced it would return to the main tour in 2016. It would be as part of the new Home Nations Series.[1][2] The winner of the Scottish Open is awarded the Stephen Hendry Trophy. The latest champion is Gary Wilson, who won the event in 2022 and 2023.

History change

The tournament was first played in 1981 as the International Open. It was at the Assembly Rooms in Derby. The event moved to the Eldon Square in Newcastle upon Tyne. Until 1984 the event was sponsored by Jameson Whiskey.[3] In 1985 the event moved to the Trentham Gardens in Stoke-on-Trent and was called the Matchroom Trophy. The International Open name returned the following year. After 1989 the event went on a two-year hiatus.[3]

The event returned in 1993 with the sponsorship of Sky Sports. The event was moved to the second half of the season and was played at the Plymouth Pavilions. The event was moved again in 1994, this time to the Bournemouth International Centre. After an unsponsored year Sweater Shop took over for 1995 and 1996. In 1997 the event was moved to the Aberdeen Exhibition Centre and it was sponsored by Highland Spring.[3] In 1998 the event was called the Scottish Open.[3][4] In 2003 the event was moved to Royal Highland Centre in Edinburgh. The event than was titled the Players Championship for 2004.[5] The event returned as a minor-ranking tournament and was known as the Scottish Open in 2012. It was held at Ravenscraig as the fifth event of the European Tour.[6]

In 2015 Barry Hearn announced that the tournament would return as part of the Home Nations Series events.[7]

Steve Davis won the event the most. He went to eight finals. He won six of those tournaments. This included a 9–0 whitewash of Dennis Taylor in the 1981 final. There have been eight maximum breaks.[4][8]

Winners change

Year Winner Runner-up Final score Venue City Season
International Open (non-ranking, 1981)[3][9]
1981   Steve Davis (ENG)   Dennis Taylor (NIR) 9–0 Assembly Rooms Derby, England 1981/82
International Open (ranking, 1982–1984)[3][9]
1982   Tony Knowles (ENG)   David Taylor (ENG) 9–6 Assembly Rooms Derby, England 1982/83
1983   Steve Davis (ENG)   Cliff Thorburn (CAN) 9–4 Eldon Square Recreation Centre Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England 1983/84
1984   Steve Davis (ENG)   Tony Knowles (ENG) 9–2 1984/85
Matchroom Trophy (ranking, 1985)[3][9]
1985   Cliff Thorburn (CAN)   Jimmy White (ENG) 12–10 Trentham Gardens Stoke-on-Trent, England 1985/86
International Open (ranking, 1986–1997)[3][9]
1986   Neal Foulds (ENG)   Cliff Thorburn (CAN) 12–9 Trentham Gardens Stoke-on-Trent, England 1986/87
1987   Steve Davis (ENG)   Cliff Thorburn (CAN) 12–5 1987/88
1988   Steve Davis (ENG)   Jimmy White (ENG) 12–6 1988/89
1989   Steve Davis (ENG)   Stephen Hendry (SCO) 9–4 1989/90
1993   Stephen Hendry (SCO)   Steve Davis (ENG) 10–6 Plymouth Pavilions Plymouth, England 1992/93
1994   John Parrott (ENG)   James Wattana (THA) 9–5 Bournemouth International Centre Bournemouth, England 1993/94
1995   John Higgins (SCO)   Steve Davis (ENG) 9–5 1994/95
1996   John Higgins (SCO)   Rod Lawler (ENG) 9–3 Link Centre Swindon, England 1995/96
1997   Stephen Hendry (SCO)   Tony Drago (MLT) 9–1 Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre Aberdeen, Scotland 1996/97
Scottish Open (ranking, 1998–2003)[4][9]
1998   Ronnie O'Sullivan (ENG)   John Higgins (SCO) 9–5 Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre Aberdeen, Scotland 1997/98
1999   Stephen Hendry (SCO)   Graeme Dott (SCO) 9–1 1998/99
2000   Ronnie O'Sullivan (ENG)   Mark Williams (WAL) 9–1 1999/00
2001   Peter Ebdon (ENG)   Ken Doherty (IRL) 9–7 2000/01
2002   Stephen Lee (ENG)   David Gray (ENG) 9–2 2001/02
2003   David Gray (ENG)   Mark Selby (ENG) 9–7 Royal Highland Centre Edinburgh, Scotland 2002/03
Players Championship (ranking, 2004)[5]
2004   Jimmy White (ENG)   Paul Hunter (ENG) 9–7 Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre Glasgow, Scotland 2003/04
Scottish Open (minor-ranking, 2012)
2012[10]   Ding Junhui (CHN)   Anthony McGill (SCO) 4–2 Ravenscraig Regional Sports Facility Ravenscraig, Scotland 2012/13
Scottish Open (ranking, 2016–present)
2016[11]   Marco Fu (HKG)   John Higgins (SCO) 9–4 Commonwealth Arena and Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome Glasgow, Scotland 2016/17
2017[12]   Neil Robertson (AUS)   Cao Yupeng (CHN) 9–8 2017/18
2018[13]   Mark Allen (NIR)   Shaun Murphy (ENG) 9–7 2018/19
2019   Mark Selby (ENG)   Jack Lisowski (ENG) 9–6 2019/20
2020   Mark Selby (ENG)   Ronnie O'Sullivan (ENG) 9–3 Marshall Arena Milton Keynes, England 2020/21
2021   Luca Brecel (BEL)   John Higgins (SCO) 9–5 Venue Cymru Llandudno, Wales 2021/22
2022   Gary Wilson (ENG)   Joe O'Connor (ENG) 9–2 Meadowbank Sports Centre Edinburgh, Scotland 2022/23
2023   Gary Wilson (ENG)   Noppon Saengkham (THA) 9–5 2023/24

References change

  1. "World Championship: Snooker tour to be revamped in 2016". BBC. 29 April 2015. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  2. "Hearn Announces New Five-Year Plan – World Snooker". worldsnooker.com. 29 April 2015. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 Turner, Chris. "International Open, Goya Matchroom Trophy". cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk. Chris Turner's Snooker Archive. Archived from the original on 16 February 2012. Retrieved 4 November 2011.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 Turner, Chris. "Scottish Open". cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk. Chris Turner's Snooker Archive. Archived from the original on 16 February 2012. Retrieved 4 November 2011.
  5. 5.0 5.1 Turner, Chris. "Players Championship". cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk. Chris Turner's Snooker Archive. Archived from the original on 16 February 2012. Retrieved 4 November 2011.
  6. "Betfair Sponsor New European Tour". worldsnooker.com. World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
  7. "Barry Hearn announces big changes to snooker schedule and prizes". skysports.com. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  8. Turner, Chris. "Maximum breaks". cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk. Chris Turner's Snooker Archive. Archived from the original on 10 February 2013. Retrieved 4 November 2011.
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 "Scottish Open Finals". Snooker.org. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
  10. "European Tour Event Five (2012)". Snooker.org. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
  11. "Coral Scottish Open (2016)". Snooker.org. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  12. "Dafabet Scottish Open (2017)". Snooker.org. Retrieved 18 December 2017.
  13. "BetVictor Scottish Open (2018)". Snooker.org. Retrieved 17 December 2018.