Classic 1989

Classic 1989 Mercantile Credit Snooker Classic 1989
Tournament type:	Ranking tournament
Venue:	Norbreck Castle Hotel , Blackpool , England
Opening:	January 1, 1989
Endgame:	January 15, 1989
Winner:	Doug Mountjoy
Finalist:	Wayne Jones
Highest Break:	143 ( Nigel Gilbert )
← 1988   1990 →

The Mercantile Credit Snooker Classic 1989 was a professional snooker world ranking tournament during the 1988/89 season . It was held from January 1st to 15th, 1989 for the third time in a row at the Norbreck Castle Hotel in Blackpool , England . The winner in an all-Welsh final was Doug Mountjoy , who defeated qualifier Wayne Jones 13:11 in the final. The highest break of the tournament was played by Englishman Nigel Gilbert with a 143 break during qualification.

Prize money

The total prize money increased by just under £ 25,000 to £ 275,995, of which just under a fifth went to the winner.

	Prize money
winner	55,000 ₤
finalist	33,000 ₤
Semi-finalist	16,500 ₤
Quarter finalist	8,250 ₤
Round of 16	4,125 ₤
Last 32	2,664 ₤
Last 64	1,203 ₤
Highest break (qualification / main round)	1,375 ₤ 5,500 ₤
All in all	274,995 ₤

Tournament course

The mode remained the same compared to previous years. The best 32 players in the world rankings were seeded for the main round, and 32 players were also able to qualify for the first main round through one or two qualifying rounds. Up to the quarter-finals, the tournament was played in the best of 9 frames mode , in the semifinals in the best of 17 frames mode and in the semifinals in the best of 25 frames mode .

	Last 64 best of 9 frames					Last 32 best of 9 frames					Round of 16 best of 9 frames					Quarterfinals Best of 9 Frames					Semi-final best of 17 frames					Final Best of 25 frames
	1	Steve Davis	3
	51	Tony Chappel	5
						51	Tony Chappel	5
						116	Anthony Harris	1
	26th	Barry West	4th
	116	Anthony Harris	5
											51	Tony Chappel	1
											54	Paddy Browne	5
	9	Mike Hallett	2
	54	Paddy Browne	5
						54	Paddy Browne	5
						32	Steve James	4th
	32	Steve James	5
	45	Gary Wilkinson	1
																54	Paddy Browne	3
																24	Doug Mountjoy	5
	8th	Tony Knowles	5
	67	Colin Roscoe	4th
						8th	Tony Knowles	5
						22nd	Dean Reynolds	4th
	22nd	Dean Reynolds	5
	59	Steve Duggan	1
											8th	Tony Knowles	4th
											24	Doug Mountjoy	5
	14th	Peter Francisco	4th
	132	Nick Terry	5
						132	Nick Terry	4th
						24	Doug Mountjoy	5
	24	Doug Mountjoy	5
	111	Dennis Hughes	0
																					24	Doug Mountjoy	9
																					6th	Cliff Thorburn	5
	4th	Stephen Hendry	5
	42	Tommy Murphy	2
						4th	Stephen Hendry	5
						40	Ray Reardon	4th
	19th	Eddie Charlton	1
	40	Ray Reardon	5
											4th	Stephen Hendry	5
											25th	Steve Newbury	1
	10	Dennis Taylor	5
	43	Danny Fowler	3
						10	Dennis Taylor	4th
						25th	Steve Newbury	5
	25th	Steve Newbury	5
	75	Malcolm Bradley	3
																4th	Stephen Hendry	4th
																6th	Cliff Thorburn	5
	6th	Cliff Thorburn	5
	95	Glen Wilkinson	2
						6th	Cliff Thorburn	5
						46	Graham Cripsey	1
	30th	Steve Longworth	3
	46	Graham Cripsey	5
											6th	Cliff Thorburn	5
											15th	John Virgo	3
	15th	John Virgo	5
	62	Les Dodd	2
						15th	John Virgo	5
						29	Bob chaperone	1
	29	Bob chaperone	5
	64	Jack McLaughlin	3
																									24	Doug Mountjoy	13
																										34	Wayne Jones	11
	2	Jimmy White	3
	34	Wayne Jones	5
						34	Wayne Jones	5
						21st	Eugene Hughes	1
	21st	Eugene Hughes	5
	65	Graham Miles	2
											34	Wayne Jones	5
											28	David Taylor	3
	16	Cliff Wilson	5
	132	Steve Campbell	3
						16	Cliff Wilson	3
						28	David Taylor	5
	28	David Taylor	5
	100	Mike Darrington	2
																34	Wayne Jones	5
																7th	John Parrott	4th
	7th	John Parrott	5
	39	David Roe	2
						7th	John Parrott	5
						61	Jon Wright	2
	18th	Rex Williams	0
	61	Jon Wright	5
											7th	John Parrott	5
											12	Silvino Francisco	1
	12	Silvino Francisco	kl.
	47	Bill Werbeniuk
						12	Silvino Francisco	5
						31	Tony Meo	1
	31	Tony Meo	5
	37	Kirk Stevens	3
																				34	Wayne Jones	9
																					13	Willie Thorne	4th
	3	Neal Foulds	5
	36	Dave Martin	1
						3	Neal Foulds	4th
						41	Martin Clark	5
	27	John Spencer	2
	41	Martin Clark	5
											41	Martin Clark	5
											11	Joe Johnson	3
	11	Joe Johnson	5
	115	Dessie Sheehan	2
						11	Joe Johnson	5
						17th	Alex Higgins	0
	17th	Alex Higgins	5
	48	Murdo MacLeod	2
																41	Martin Clark	4th
																13	Willie Thorne	5
	5	Terry Griffiths	5
	44	Warren King	2
						5	Terry Griffiths	5
						20th	Tony Drago	0
	20th	Tony Drago	5
	119	Robert Marshall	1
											5	Terry Griffiths	1
											13	Willie Thorne	5
	13	Willie Thorne	5
	118	Jason Smith	1
						13	Willie Thorne	5
						23	Dene O'Kane	3
	23	Dene O'Kane	5
	56	Nigel Gilbert	2

final

The Welshman Doug Mountjoy , vice world champion 1981, had made it to the final despite number 24 in the world rankings, also thanks to the early elimination of several players from the top 16 in the world rankings. In the semifinals he had defeated the world number 6 Cliff Thorburn and was in his second ranking tournament final after the UK Championship . He met his compatriot Wayne Jones , who was ranked 34th in the world. only had to go through qualification to reach the main round. Jones had defeated Willie Thorne 9: 4 in the semifinals , so that he was in a final of a ranking tournament for the first time (and also for the last time) in his career.

After a 0-1 lead from Jones, Mountjoy turned the game around. Jones was able to equalize, but his opponent immediately took the lead again. As a result, Jones turned the game to 3: 4, then Mountjoy to 5: 4 and Jones again in his favor, so that it was 5: 6. After an equalizer from Mountjoy Jones took the lead again, but now Mountjoy should turn the game back in his favor. But Wayne Jones struck back and soon took the lead again, 8: 9. After an equalizer from Mountjoy, he extended his lead to 9:11, but it should not help him. Mountjoy managed the turnaround with two breaks in the 50s and only equalized before finally winning the tournament after 24 frames with 13:11.

Final: Best of 25 Frames Norbreck Castle Hotel ,  Blackpool , England , January 14th and 15th, 1989
Doug Mountjoy	13 : 11	Wayne Jones
4: 125 (52); 71:14 ; 49:35 ; 14: 71 ; 58:46 ; 23: 72 ; 31: 58 ; 99 : 13 (58); 72 : 53; 33: 71 ; 54: 64 ; 96 : 0 (96); 50: 63 ; 78 : 36 (56); 72:35 ; 46: 56 ; 36: 67 (52); 96 : 83 (74); 42: 74 ; 11: 82 (75); 114 : 12 (54, 60); 64:24 ; 81 : 8 (67); 71 : 11
96	Highest break	75
-	Century breaks	-
7th	50+ breaks	3

qualification

In the first qualifying round, the players on world number 65 or lower including those on the shared world number 132 competed against each other in the knockout system . The 32 winners met in the second round on the rest of the field from 33rd place, so that in the end 32 players could qualify for the main round.

First round best of 9 frames   Second round best of 9 frames                 89   Ian Williamson 5   54   Paddy Browne 5 104   Greg Jenkins 2   89   Ian Williamson 3 95   Glen Wilkinson 5   38   Jim Wych 2 98   Paul Watchorn 3   95   Glen Wilkinson 5 76   Mark Wildman kl.   53   Danny Fowler kl. 106   Frank Jonik   76   Mark Wildman 91   Gino Rigitano 4th   64   Jack McLaughlin 5 108   Mike Watterson 5   108   Mike Watterson 3 81   John Rea 3   52   Mark Bennett 3 132   Nick Terry 5   132   Nick Terry 5 87   Jimmy van Rensberg 4th   60   Roger Bales 1 118   Jason Smith 5   118   Jason Smith 5 85   Eddie Sinclair 5   62   Les Dodd 5 117   Steve Meakin 1   85   Eddie Sinclair 3 83   Fred Davis   58   Mick Fisher 3 115   Dessie Sheehan kl.   115   Dessie Sheehan 5 70   Brian Rowswell 5   34   Wayne Jones 5 105   Pascal Burke 2   70   Brian Rowswell 3 72   Martin Smith 3   44   Warren King 5 132   Mark Rowing 5   132   Mark Rowing 4th 67   Colin Roscoe 5   53   Ken Owers 3 101   Terry Whitthread 3   67   Colin Roscoe 5 77   Bob Harris 1   47   Bill Werbeniuk 5 102   Alain Robidoux 5   102   Alain Robidoux 4th 88   Matt Gibson 3   42   Tommy Murphy 5 99   Jackie Rea 5   99   Jackie Rea 0 71   Vic Harris 3   41   Martin Clark 5 132   Darren Morgan 5   132   Darren Morgan 1 65   Graham Miles 5   63   Marcel Gauvreau 3 97   Bernie Mikkelsen 3   65   Graham Miles 5 68   Paul Medati kl.   45   Gary Wilkinson 5 112   Dave Chalmers   68   Paul Medati 1

First round best of 9 frames   Second round best of 9 frames                 96   Ian Black 0   55   Ray Edmonds 2 119   Robert Marshall 5   119   Robert Marshall 5 80   Tony Kearney 5   46   Graham Cripsey 5 110   Billy Kelly 3   80   Tony Kearney 2 90   George Scott 0   51   Tony Chappel 5 132   Mark Johnston-Allen 5   132   Mark Johnston-Allen 2 69   Paul Gibson   35   Joe O'Boye 1 111   Dennis Hughes kl.   111   Dennis Hughes 5 86   Jim Bear 3   57   Dave Gilbert 4th 116   Anthony Harris 5   116   Anthony Harris 5 79   Robbie Grace 4th   48   Murdo MacLeod 5 132   Ian Graham 5   132   Ian Graham 4th 78   Geoff Foulds 5   61   Jon Wright 5 120   Clive Everton 0   78   Geoff Foulds 4th 66   Robby Foldvari 5   36   Dave Martin 5 132   Tony Wilson 4th   66   Robby Foldvari 2 94   Jim Meadowcroft 2   56   Nigel Gilbert 5 114   Jack Fitzmaurice 5   114   Jack Fitzmaurice 3 74   Jim Donnelly 0   39   David Roe 5 113   François Ellis 5   113   François Ellis 0 93   Eric Lawlor 1   37   Kirk Stevens 5 132   Craig Edwards 5   132   Craig Edwards 4th 92   John Dunning 5   50   Steve Duggan 5 132   Mick Price 3   92   John Dunning 2 82   Mario Morra 2   59   Pat Houlihan 4th 100   Mike Darrington 5   100   Mike Darrington 5 73   Jim Chambers 5   40   Ray Reardon 5 121   Derek Mienie 2   73   Jim Chambers 4th 84   Bill Oliver 4th   33   John Campbell 2 132   Steve Campbell 5   132   Steve Campbell 5 75   Malcolm Bradley 5   49   Tony Jones 4th 103   Patsy Fagan 3   75   Malcolm Bradley 5

Century Breaks

During the tournament and qualification, fifteen century breaks were played by fourteen players, nine of them in the main round.

qualification

Nigel Gilbert 143 Marcel Gauvreau 127 Mark Johnston-Allen 109

Tony Chappel 109 Les Dodd 104

Main round

Tony Knowles 138 Wayne Jones 137 Willie Thorne 134 Malcolm Bradley 127 Jimmy White 121

Graham Cripsey 121 Cliff Thorburn 116, 105 John Parrott 105 Dene O'Kane 100

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b c d} Ron Florax: 1989 Classic. Cuetracker.net, accessed on January 2, 2019 .  
2. ↑ ^{a b} Ron Florax: 1989 Classic - Finishes. Cuetracker.net, accessed on January 2, 2019 .  
3. ↑ Chris Turner: Historical World Rankings. Chris Turner's Snooker Archive, archived from the original on June 8, 2012 ; accessed on January 2, 2019 .  
4. ↑ ^{a b} Ron Florax: Rankings - 1988-1989. Cuetracker.net, accessed on January 2, 2019 .