Hong Kong Open (Snooker)

Hong Kong Open 1989
Tournament type:	World ranking tournament
Attendees:	126
Venue:	Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center , Hong Kong , Hong Kong
Opening:	August 7, 1989
Endgame:	August 13, 1989
Winner:	Mike Hallett
Finalist:	Dene O'Kane
Highest Break:	135 ( Mike Hallett )

The Hong Kong Open 1989 was the first snooker world ranking tournament of the 1989/90 season . They were held from August 7th to 13th, 1989 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center in Hong Kong . The winner of the only edition of the tournament was the Englishman Mike Hallett , who defeated the New Zealander Dene O'Kane 9: 8 in the final. At the same time, Hallett played the highest break of the tournament with a 135 break.

prehistory

The Hong Kong Open should originally take place under the name "Australian Open" in Australia, whereby it would have been the first world ranking tournament in Australia (whereby the snooker world championship held in Australia in 1975 influenced the seeding list of the snooker season 1975/76 ). However, it had to be moved to Hong Kong at short notice and thus became the first world ranking tournament in Asia, which was actually supposed to be the 1989 Asian Open, which was held in the same month .

The reigning world champion and world number one Steve Davis did not take part in the tournament.

Prize money

Although the tournament had no sponsor, the total prize pool was £ 200,000 , with one fifth going to the winner.

	Prize money
winner	£ 40,000
finalist	£ 22,500
Semi-finalist	£ 12,000
Quarter finalist	£ 6,000
Round of 16	£ 3,750
Last 32	£ 2,500
Last 64	£ 500
Highest break (qualification / main round)	£ 1,000 £ 2,500
All in all	£ 200,000

Tournament course

The top 32 of the world rankings were set for the tournament, and 32 players qualified on lower world rankings. Up to and including the semi-finals, the game was played in the best of 9 frames mode , and the winner was then played out in the best of 17 frames mode.

	Round of the last 64 best of 9 frames					Round of the last 32 best of 9 frames					Round of 16 best of 9 frames					Quarterfinals Best of 9 Frames					Semi-final Best of 9 frames					Final Best of 17 frames
	2	John Parrott	5
	112	Matt Gibson	3
						2	John Parrott	2
						19th	Steve Newbury	5
	19th	Steve Newbury	5
	49	Ray Edmonds	4th
											19th	Steve Newbury	1
											39	Gary Wilkinson	5
	12	Tony Knowles	2
	39	Gary Wilkinson	5
						39	Gary Wilkinson	5
						139	Barry Pinches	4th
	23	Silvino Francisco	4th
	139	Barry Pinches	5
																39	Gary Wilkinson	5
																8th	Dennis Taylor	3
	8th	Dennis Taylor	5
	48	Colin Roscoe	3
						8th	Dennis Taylor	5
						139	Brady Gollan	4th
	27	Eugene Hughes	3
	139	Brady Gollan	5
											8th	Dennis Taylor	5
											17th	Martin Clark	3
	17th	Martin Clark	5
	77	Robby Foldvari	4th
						17th	Martin Clark	5
						29	Bob chaperone	2
	29	Bob chaperone	5
	45	Murdo MacLeod	3
																					39	Gary Wilkinson	4th
																					28	Dene O'Kane	5
	5	Terry Griffiths	5
	116	Gino Rigitano	3
						5	Terry Griffiths	4th
						28	Dene O'Kane	5
	28	Dene O'Kane	5
	56	Dave Martin	1
											28	Dene O'Kane	5
											24	Alex Higgins	2
	14th	Tony Meo	5
	81	Pat Houlihan	0
						14th	Tony Meo	4th
						24	Alex Higgins	5
	24	Alex Higgins	5
	38	John Spencer	2
																28	Dene O'Kane	5
																59	Ian Graham	1
	7th	Cliff Thorburn	2
	62	Tony Jones	5
						62	Tony Jones	5
						26th	David Roe	1
	26th	David Roe	5
	90	Mick Price	4th
											62	Tony Jones	3
											59	Ian Graham	5
	16	Steve James	5
	99	Mark Rowing	1
						16	Steve James	3
						59	Ian Graham	5
	32	Rex Williams	1
	59	Ian Graham	5
																									28	Dene O'Kane	8th
																										6th	Mike Hallett	9
	3	Stephen Hendry	5
	67	Jon Wright	4th
						3	Stephen Hendry	5
						35	Alain Robidoux	4th
	25th	Peter Francisco	3
	35	Alain Robidoux	5
											3	Stephen Hendry	5
											65	Les Dodd	3
	11	Joe Johnson	0
	65	Les Dodd	5
						65	Les Dodd	5
						139	Brian Morgan	2
	33	David Taylor	4th
	139	Brian Morgan	5
																3	Stephen Hendry	4th
																6th	Mike Hallett	5
	6th	Mike Hallett	5
	36	Danny Fowler	2
						6th	Mike Hallett	5
						21st	Barry West	4th
	21st	Barry West	5
	66	John Rea	4th
											6th	Mike Hallett	5
											13	John Virgo	1
	13	John Virgo	5
	37	Jim Wych	4th
						13	John Virgo	5
						68	Marcel Gauvreau	2
	30th	Tony Drago	0
	68	Marcel Gauvreau	5
																				6th	Mike Hallett	5
																					4th	Jimmy White	2
	4th	Jimmy White	5
	58	Jack McLaughlin	2
						4th	Jimmy White	5
						22nd	Eddie Charlton	2
	22nd	Eddie Charlton	5
	63	Dave Gilbert	2
											4th	Jimmy White	5
											10	Doug Mountjoy	3
	10	Doug Mountjoy	5
	61	Roger Bales	0
						10	Doug Mountjoy	kl.
						18th	Cliff Wilson
	18th	Cliff Wilson	5
	43	Steve Duggan	4th
																4th	Jimmy White	5
																20th	Neal Foulds	2
	9	Willie Thorne	5
	139	Ian Brumby	3
						9	Willie Thorne	5
						31	Wayne Jones	1
	32	Wayne Jones	5
	55	Warren King	1
											9	Willie Thorne	1
											20th	Neal Foulds	5
	20th	Neal Foulds	5
	139	Nigel Bond	2
						20th	Neal Foulds	5
						60	Jim Chambers	0
	15th	Dean Reynolds	4th
	60	Jim Chambers	5

final

Despite his professional career, which has been going on since 1979, the Englishman Mike Hallett had only reached the final of a ranking tournament once: at the British Open in 1988 he was defeated by the Scottish Stephen Hendry with 2:13. Hallett had eliminated this at the Hong Kong Open in the quarterfinals and moved into his second ranking tournament final after beating Jimmy White in the semifinals , where he met Dene O'Kane , who was the only New Zealander on the tour and for the first time in the final of a Main Tour tournament.

O'Kane got off to a better start and took the lead 1-0 and 2-1. But Hallett managed to turn the game around and took the lead 3-2 and 4-3. Now it was the 26-year-old New Zealander who turned the game in his favor so that he took the lead 4-5 and 5-6. After Hallett equalized again, O'Kane was able to break away with a 100 break and one frame later took the lead 6-8. But Hallett won the next frame and saved himself with a break in 92 in the decider . Hallett was able to win this with just 61:40, so that he snatched the tournament victory from the New Zealander. It should be the only victory in a ranked tournament for Hallett, as well as the only tournament final on the Main Tour for O'Kane.

Final: Best of 17 Frames Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center ,  Hong Kong , Hong Kong , August 13, 1989
Dene O'Kane	8: 9	Mike Hallett
73 : 53; 29: 80 ; 53 : 42, 54: 60 ; 29: 62 ; 60 : 46; 9: 86 ; 53:43 ; 106 : 21; 27: 90 ; 65:31 ; 24: 62 ; 100 : 0 (100); 63:20 ; 36: 68 ; 15: 92 (92); 40: 61
100	Highest break	92
1	Century breaks	-
1	50+ breaks	1

qualification

All players from and including world number 34 could take part in the qualification. In the first round, all players from place 67 and up thirty-two players played out, who in round 2 met the rest of the field. In round two, 32 players were determined who were allowed to take part in the first main round.

First round best of 9 frames   Second round best of 9 frames                 67   Jon Wright 5   64   Mick Fisher 0 111   Paul Thornley 1   67   Jon Wright 5 97   Mark Wildman kl.   58   Jack McLaughlin 5 100   Terry Whitthread   97   Mark Wildman 1 75   Ken Owers 2   59   Ian Graham 5 139   James Wattana 5   139   James Wattana 4th 71   Tony Wilson 4th   35   Alain Robidoux 5 103   Jimmy van Rensberg 5   103   Jimmy van Rensberg 1 85   Bill Oliver 3   39   Gary Wilkinson 5 104   Jason Smith 5   104   Jason Smith 1 76   Martin Smith 4th   38   John Spencer 5 109   Dessie Sheehan 5   109   Dessie Sheehan 4th 79   Brian Rowswell 5   43   Steve Duggan 5 139   Andrew Cairns 3   79   Brian Rowswell 3 74   Anthony Harris 4th   34   Steve Longworth 3 99   Mark Rowing 5   99   Mark Rowing 5 69   Craig Edwards 3   46   Nigel Gilbert 3 116   Gino Rigitano 5   116   Gino Rigitano 5 90   Mick Price 5   52   Mark Johnston-Allen 1 105   François Ellis 2   90   Mick Price 5 72   Nick Terry 1   47   Mark Bennett 2 139   Barry Pinches 5   139   Barry Pinches 5 73   George Scott 1   41   Tony Chappel 3 139   Brian Morgan 5   139   Brian Morgan 5 84   Jim Donnelly 4th   48   Colin Roscoe 5 107   Steve Meakin 5   107   Steve Meakin 1 87   Malcolm Bradley 2   63   Dave Gilbert 5 115   Jim Meadowcroft 5   115   Jim Meadowcroft 3 86   Mario Morra 2   56   Dave Martin 5 119   Billy Kelly 5   119   Billy Kelly 2 80   Paul Medati 2   55   Warren King 5 120   Greg Jenkins 5   120   Greg Jenkins 4th

First round best of 9 frames   Second round best of 9 frames                 96   Eric Lawlor 1   60   Jim Chambers 5 108   Dennis Hughes 5   108   Dennis Hughes 2 81   Pat Houlihan 5   42   John Campbell 3 101   Tony Kearney 1   81   Pat Houlihan 5 83   Vic Harris 5   36   Danny Fowler 5 114   Paul Watchorn 4th   83   Vic Harris 0 94   Eddie Sinclair 3   51   Graham Cripsey 1 139   Brady Gollan 5   139   Brady Gollan 5 82   Paul Gibson 5   49   Ray Edmonds 5 113   Robbie Grace 3   82   Paul Gibson 2 70   Robert Marshall 1   44   Paddy Browne 3 112   Matt Gibson 5   112   Matt Gibson 5 68   Marcel Gauvreau 5   50   Kirk Stevens 3 117   Jackie Rea 1   68   Marcel Gauvreau 5 77   Robby Foldvari 5   40   Joe O'Boye 0 118   Geoff Foulds 1   77   Robby Foldvari 5 88   Jim Bear   66   John Rea 5 106   Jack Fitzmaurice kl.   106   Jack Fitzmaurice 4th 89   Fred Davis 1   62   Tony Jones 5 139   Nick Dyson 5   139   Nick Dyson 1 95   John Dunning 5   37   Jim Wych 5 139   Stephen Murphy 3   95   John Dunning 1 92   Ian Williamsn 4th   45   Murdo MacLeod 5 102   Mike Darrington 5   102   Mike Darrington 0 98   Steve Campbell 5   61   Roger Bales 5 110   Mike Watterson 0   98   Steve Campbell 2 93   Bob Harris 2   65   Les Dodd 5 139   Duncan Campbell 5   139   Duncan Campbell 4th 78   Graham Miles 3   57   Tommy Murphy 0 139   Ian Brumby 5   139   Ian Brumby 5 91   Glen Wilkinson 1   53   Darren Morgan 2 139   Nigel Bond 5   139   Nigel Bond 5

Century Breaks

A total of 16 Century Breaks were played by twelve different players during the tournament. Three of the 16 Centurys were played in the qualification, the rest is spread over the main round.

qualification

Jimmy van Rensberg 104 Graham Cripsey 103

Jon Wright 100

Main round

Mike Hallett 135 Dennis Taylor 116, 102 Bob chaperone 115 Martin Clark 108, 101 Warren King 106

John Parrott 104, 102 Gary Wilkinson 104 Dene O'Kane 100 (2 ×) Jimmy White 100

Trivia

• The first world ranking tournament to be held in Australia, the Australian Goldfields Open , did not follow until 22 years later.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b c} Ron Florax: 1989 Hong Kong Open. Cuetracker.net, accessed on January 26, 2019 .  
2. ↑ Chris Turner: Other Asia Ranking Events. Chris Turner's Snooker Archive, archived from the original on April 18, 2016 ; accessed on March 25, 2016 (English).  
3. ^ ^{A b} Ron Florax: 1989 Hong Kong Open - Finishes. Cuetracker.net, accessed on January 26, 2019 .  
4. ↑ ^{a b} Ron Florax: Rankings - 1989-1990. Cuetracker.net, accessed on January 27, 2019 .  
5. ↑ Chris Turner: Historical World Rankings. Chris Turner's Snooker Archive, archived from the original on June 8, 2012 ; accessed on January 27, 2019 (English).