Doug Mountjoy

Douglas James Mountjoy (8 June 1942 – 14 February 2021) was a Welsh snooker player. He was a member of the professional snooker circuit from the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s, and remained within the top 16 of the world rankings for 11 consecutive years. He began his professional snooker career by taking the 1977 Masters, which he entered as a reserve player. He won both the 1978 UK Championship and the 1979 Irish Masters. Mountjoy reached the final of the 1981 World Snooker Championship where he was defeated by Steve Davis. He was also runner-up at the 1985 Masters losing to Cliff Thorburn, but by 1988 he had dropped out of the top 16.

Mountjoy enjoyed a resurgence in his 40s, and at the age of 46 he defeated Stephen Hendry in the final of the 1988 UK Championship. He followed up by also winning the next ranking event, the 1989 Classic, and by the end of the 1988–89 season he was back in the top 16, where he remained until 1992. His world ranking peaked at number five in 1990–1991. He also won five Welsh Professional Championship titles during his career.

Diagnosed with lung cancer in 1993, Mountjoy qualified for the World Championship at the age of 50, just weeks before having a lung surgically removed. He continued to play professionally until 1997, and he was coach to the United Arab Emirates snooker association between 1997 and 1999 and appeared sporadically at the World Snooker Championship until 2002. Mountjoy died in February 2021 after a stroke.

Early life Mountjoy was born on 8 June 1942, in Tir-y-Berth, Gelligaer, Glamorgan, Wales. He was brought up just outside Ebbw Vale and worked for some years as a coal miner, playing snooker in his spare time.

Career Mountjoy's first professional tournament, which he entered as a late replacement, was the 1977 Masters at the New London Theatre.

At the 1977 World Championship a couple of months later, he defeated Higgins again in the first round but lost to Dennis Taylor in the quarter-final 11–13. He won the title at the 1978 UK Championship, however, beating David Taylor 15–9, and he defeated Ray Reardon in the same season to win the Irish Masters 6–5. Mountjoy also won the 1978 Pot Black event. Davis was favourite to win his first world title, and appeared to be racing to an easy victory by winning the first six frames of the match. However, Mountjoy recovered and came close to drawing level on several occasions. Trailing 11–13, and with the score at 60–63 in the 25th frame, he looked certain to cut Davis's lead to one frame but missed a simple blue from its spot; Davis went on to clear the colours, the final black. Mountjoy won only one more frame as Davis won the match 18–12.

After that run at the World Championship, he had only a short run of titles; he won the Welsh Professional Championship in 1982 Mountjoy also reclaimed the Pot Black title in March that year.

He won another Welsh title in 1987 but otherwise struggled to regain his previous form, including a 1–9 defeat to Steve Longworth in the first round of the 1986 UK Championship. In the 1988–89 snooker season, however, he reached the final of the 1988 UK Championship where he met Stephen Hendry. He won 16–12 and gained his first ranking tournament victory, having at one stage scored centuries in three consecutive frames. In January 1989 he won the Classic, beating fellow Welshman Wayne Jones in the final, to win consecutive ranking titles. This was enough for him to return to the top 16 the next season, and by 1990 he was number five in the world. He remained in the top 16 until 1992.

Mountjoy was diagnosed with lung cancer in 1993, having been a smoker for many years. but did appear in qualifying for the 2002 World Snooker Championship.

Personal life and death He married Mary (née Richards), a hairdresser and the couple had two children. He died on 14 February 2021, aged 78, following a stroke.

In a joint statement, World Snooker chairman Barry Hearn and World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association chairman Jason Ferguson said: "Doug was first and foremost a lovely man, who had great friendships with many players on the tour throughout the 1970s and onwards."

Performance and rankings timeline

Performance Table LegendLQ lost in the qualifying draw#R lost in the early rounds of the tournament(WR = Wildcard round, RR = Round robin)QF lost in the quarter-finalsSF lost in the semi-finalsF lost in the finalW won the tournamentDNQ did not qualify for the tournamentA did not participate in the tournamentWD withdrew from the tournament NH / Not Held means an event was not held.NR / Non-Ranking Event means an event is/was no longer a ranking event.R / Ranking Event means an event is/was a ranking event.

Career finals Ranking finals: 4 (2 titles) Legend World Championship (0–1) UK Championship (1–0) Other (1–1)

OutcomeNo.YearChampionshipOpponent in the finalScoreRunner-up 1. 1981 World Snooker Championship Steve Davis 12–18 Winner 1. 1988 UK Championship (2) Stephen Hendry 16–12 Runner-up 2. 1989 Dubai Classic Stephen Hendry 2–9

Non-ranking finals: 28 (15 titles) Legend UK Championship (1–1) The Masters (1–1) Other (13–11)

OutcomeNo.YearChampionshipOpponent in the finalScoreRunner-up 1. 1977 Pot Black Perrie Mans 0–1 Winner 1. 1977 The Masters Ray Reardon 7–6 Runner-up 2. 1977 Welsh Professional Championship Ray Reardon 8–12 Runner-up 3. 1977 UK Championship Patsy Fagan 9–12 Runner-up 4. 1978 Irish Masters John Spencer 3–5 Winner 2. 1978 Pot Black Graham Miles 2–1 Winner 4. 1978 UK Championship David Taylor 15–9 Runner-up 5. 1979 Pot Black Ray Reardon 1–2 Winner 7. 1980 Welsh Professional Championship Ray Reardon 9–6 Winner 9. 1982 Welsh Professional Championship (2) Terry Griffiths 9–8 Runner-up 8. 1983 New Zealand Masters Bill Werbeniuk 0–1 Winner 11. 1983 Hong Kong Masters Terry Griffiths 4–3 Winner 12. 1984 Welsh Professional Championship (3) Cliff Wilson 9–3 Runner-up 11. 1985 Welsh Professional Championship (3) Terry Griffiths 4–9 Winner 2. 1976 Pontins Spring Open (2) Lance Pibworth 7–1 Runner-up 2. 1984 Pontins Spring Open Neal Foulds 4–7 Winner 1. 1980 World Challenge Cup (2) Wales Canada8–5 Runner-up 3. 1983 World Team Classic (2) Wales England2–4 Winner 1. 1968 Welsh Amateur Championship John Terry 6–5