Terry Griffiths
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| Terry Griffiths | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Born | October 16, 1947 Llanelli |
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| Nationality | Welsh | |
| Professional | 1978–1997 | |
| Highest ranking | #3 (1981/82) | |
| Highest break | 139 | |
| Tournament wins | ||
| Ranking events | 1 | |
| Non-ranking events | 13 | |
| World Champion | 1979 | |
Terry Griffiths (born October 16, 1947, Llanelli) is a retired Welsh snooker player. He is a former world champion, and is renowned for his slow, cautious style of play.
A former postman, Griffiths had a long amateur career, winning the Welsh Amateur Championship in 1975 and the English Amateur Championship in 1977 and 1978 before turning professional.
The then virtually unknown Griffiths shot to fame during the 1979 world championships. Interviewed after beating Eddie Charlton in a long semi-final, it suddenly dawned on him what he had done, and he said "I'm in the final now, you know!" in his broad native accent. He went on to beat Dennis Taylor 24-16 in the final, becoming world champion at his first attempt. He later went to on win the inaugeral World Cup of snooker in the same year, teaming up with Ray Reardon and Doug Mountjoy for Wales beating England 14-3 in the final. At the end of 1979, He lost 13-14 in the UK Championship final to John Virgo.
1980 started well for Griffiths as he won the Benson and Hedges Masters beating Alex Higgins 9-5 in front of 2323 spectators at the Wembley Conference Centre to claim his only title at the first attempt. He then won the Benson and Hedges Irish Masters also at the first attempt beating Doug Mountjoy 9-8 before the Crucible Curse struck a year later, as he lost his second-round match (which was then a 'first round' to the top 8 players) to Steve Davis.
He then retained the World Cup later on 1980 for Wales and won the Irish Masters again in 1981 before losing to Steve Davis again in the World Championship who went on to win his first title and he also lost to Davis in the UK Snooker final that year losing 3-16 Davis beat Grifiths in the Masters nearly two months later but he did win the Irish Masters in the same year making the first player to win three titles on the trot.
By the end of 1982, He was back to winning ways again when he won the 1982 beating Alex Higgins in a classic 16-15 but that was the last major tournamemnt he had won but he did take the Pot Black title in 1984 and the Welsh Professional Championship between 1985, 1986 and 1988 before reaching the final of the World Snooker Championship again also in 1988 but lost to old rival Steve Davis who was now a millionaire 11-18. During the final session of the championship, He accidently knocked a globe which was part of the Crucible set off and dented part of it wih his foot. He was then awarded the globe at the end of the match.
By the 1990's he began to struggle in the rankings but he still reached the semi-final of the 1992 World Snooker Championship losing to Stephen Hendry after he won his final match at the Crucible in 1996 against old rival Steve Davis after beating young Scottish player Jamie Burnett in a final frame decider 10-9 in the first round. By that point he announced his retirement from the game but he did play at the Crucible for the last time in 1997 losing to debutian and fellow countryman Mark Williams in another final frame decider 9-10.
After retiring from professional play in 1997, Griffiths is now coach to Marco Fu, Stephen Hendry and, formeley, the man who he lost to in his final World Championship match Mark Williams. He also frequently commentates on snooker for the BBC.
[edit] Tournament wins
- Ranking tournaments
- World Championship (1979)
- Non-ranking tournaments
- Masters (1980)
- Irish Masters (1980–1982)
- Pot Black (1984)
- World Trickshot (1992, 1994)
- UK Championship (1982)
- World Cup with Wales team (1979, 1980)
- Welsh Professional Championship (1985, 1986, 1988)
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