1981 UK Championship (snooker)

The 1981 UK Championship (also known as the Coral UK Championship for sponsorship purposes) took place at the Guildhall, Preston, from 22 November and TV stages shown on BBC TV took place between 28 November and 5 December 1981.

Notable happenings

• Steve Davis retained the first of his major titles by defeating Terry Griffiths 16–3 in the final.

• Jimmy White, fresh from his success in the Langs Scottish Masters and Northern Ireland Classic, which took place earlier in the season, beat John Virgo, Dennis Taylor and Ray Reardon, in reaching the semi-finals at his first attempt, but then was whitewashed 0–9 by the reigning World Champion Steve Davis.

• Two other young players, Tony Knowles and Tony Meo, also enhanced their reputations: Knowles by beating Fred Davis and Doug Mountjoy in reaching the quarter-finals, and Meo by defeating Rex Williams, Cliff Thorburn and Alex Higgins in reaching the semi-finals.

Prize money

Winner: UK£10,000

Total: £40,000

Main draw

Winner	Score	Competitor
Round of 32 Best of 17 frames.
Willie Thorne	9–6	Paul Medati
Mike Hallett	9–5	Patsy Fagan
Jimmy White	9–4	Clive Everton
Joe Johnson	9–5	Cliff Wilson
Pat Houlihan	9–4	Jim Meadowcroft
Tony Knowles	9–1	Geoff Foulds
Dave Martin	9–7	Eddie Sinclair
Rex Williams	9–4	John Dunning

Winner	Score	Competitor
Round of 24 Best of 17 frames.
Willie Thorne	9–4	Ray Edmonds
Kirk Stevens	9–4	Mike Hallett
Jimmy White	9–6	John Virgo
Joe Johnson	9–5	John Spencer
Graham Miles	9–5	Pat Houlihan
Tony Knowles	9–6	Fred Davis
Alex Higgins	9–7	Dave Martin
Tony Meo	9–8	Rex Williams

	Round of 16				Quarter-finals				Semi-finals				Final
	Steve Davis	9
	Willie Thorne	2
					Steve Davis	9
					Bill Werbeniuk	5
	Bill Werbeniuk	9
	Kirk Stevens	7
									Steve Davis	9
									Jimmy White	0
	Dennis Taylor	5
	Jimmy White	9
					Jimmy White	9
					Ray Reardon	8
	Ray Reardon	9
	Joe Johnson	7
													Steve Davis	16
													Terry Griffiths	3
	Terry Griffiths	9
	Graham Miles	4
					Terry Griffiths	9
					Tony Knowles	5
	Doug Mountjoy	6
	Tony Knowles	9
									Terry Griffiths	9
									Tony Meo	3
	David Taylor	5
	Alex Higgins	9
					Alex Higgins	4
					Tony Meo	9
	Cliff Thorburn	6
	Tony Meo	9

Qualifying

Best of 17 frames

Winner	Score	Competitor
Group 1
Paul Medati	9–6	Eddie McLaughlin
Paul Medati	9–7	Jim Donnelly
Group 2
Mike Hallett	9–4	Vic Harris
Mike Hallett	9–6	Dennis Hughes
Group 3
Matt Gibson	9–6	Jack Fitzmaurice
Clive Everton	9–6	Matt Gibson
Group 4
Joe Johnson	9–6	Tommy Murphy
Mike Watterson	9–4	Bernard Bennett
Joe Johnson	9–3	Mike Watterson

Winner	Score	Competitor
Group 5
Pat Houlihan	9–1	Kingsley Kennerley
Pat Houlihan	9–4	Ian Black
Group 6
Geoff Foulds	9–7	Billy Kelly
Group 7
Eddie Sinclair	9–6	Mark Wildman
Eddie Sinclair	9–0	Sid Hood
Group 8
Rex Williams	9–3	Doug French
Colin Roscoe	9–7	Murdo McLeod
Rex Williams	9–4	Colin Roscoe