Park Drive 2000

Last updated
Park Drive 2000
Tournament information
LocationVarious
CountryEngland
Established1971
FormatInvitational event
Final year1972
Final champion Flag of England.svg John Spencer

The Park Drive 2000 was a series of invitational snooker tournaments staged between 1971 and 1972. All four editions were sponsored by Park Drive cigarettes. [1] The four invited players played each other in a round-robin, with the top two then contesting a final. The winner of the final received prize money of £750 and the runner up received £550. [2] [3]

Contents

John Spencer won three of the tournaments, with Ray Reardon winning the other. Each final was recorded and shown on BBC Grandstand . [4] The highest break in any of the matches was a 146 compiled by Reardon in the Spring 1972 event. [3]

Winners

[1]

YearWinnerRunner-upFinal scoreSeason
1971 (January) Flag of England.svg John Spencer Flag of England.svg Rex Williams 4–1 1970/71
1971 (October) Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Ray Reardon Flag of England.svg John Spencer 4–3 1971/72
1972 (Spring) Flag of England.svg John Spencer Ulster Banner.svg Alex Higgins 4–3 1971/72
1972 (Autumn) Flag of England.svg John Spencer Ulster Banner.svg Alex Higgins 5–3 1972/73

1971 (January)

The event was played between four invited professionals, as a triple round-robin. Matches were played across 18 club venues, with the final placing below. As the top two players in the round-robin, Spencer and Williams played each other in the final, which was televised by the BBC. Spencer won the final 4–1. [3]

PlayedWonLostPrize money
John Spencer 981£750
Rex Williams 954£550
Gary Owen 954£400
John Pulman 909£300

1971 (October)

The event took place at venues throughout England between 2 and 31 October 1971 and was played between four invited professionals, as a triple round-robin. Ray Reardon, who had not been able to participate in the January event as he had been on a tour of South Africa, was included. As the top two players in the round-robin, Spencer and Reardon played each other in the final which took place at the RAFA Club, Manchester, with Reardon winning 4–3. Reardon had needed Spencer to concede points from a foul shot when only the pink and black were left in the deciding frame, to obtain enough points to win. [3]

PlayedWonLostPrize money
John Spencer 972£550
Ray Reardon 945£750
John Pulman 945£400
Rex Williams 936£300

1972 (Spring)

The event was played between four invited professionals, as a triple round-robin. Reardon made a break of 146 in the round-robin stage, which was the highest-ever break in competitive play until overtaken by Spencer's maximum break at the 1979 Holsten Lager International. Alex Higgins, playing in his first major professional tournament, came second in the round robin rankings and lost 3–4 to Spencer. The following day, the same two players played the start of the week-long final of the 1972 World Snooker Championship. [3]

PlayedWonLostPrize money
John Spencer 963£750
Alex Higgins 954£550
John Pulman 945£400
Ray Reardon 936£300

1972 (Autumn)

The event took place at venues throughout England between 27 September and 29 October 1972 and was played between four invited professionals, as a triple round-robin. Spencer finished behind Higgins in the round-robin standings, but beat him 5–3 in the final. The final was held at Belle Vue, Manchester, in front of 2,000 spectators. [3]

PlayedWonLostPrize money
Alex Higgins 972£550
John Spencer 963£750
Ray Reardon 936£400
John Pulman 927£300

References

  1. 1 2 "Other Non-Ranking and Invitation Events". Chris Turner's Snooker Archive. Archived from the original on 16 February 2012. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
  2. Morrison, Ian (1989). Snooker: records, facts and champions. Guinness Superlatives Ltd. p. 90. ISBN   0851123643.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Everton, Clive (1981). The Guinness Book of Snooker. Guinness Superlatives Ltd. p. 90. ISBN   0851122302.
  4. "The day the Masters was born". BBC. 11 February 2005. Retrieved 12 February 2018.