World Snooker Championship 1972

The 1972 World Snooker Championship, between March 1971 to February 1972, took nearly a year to complete. In a preliminary competition eight qualifiers were reduced to two, and they joined the eight other entrants in the competition proper. Those in the qualifying section included Alex Higgins, who became the first champion who played qualifying matches, and four former amateur champions, Ron Gross, Maurice Parkin, Pat Houlihan and Geoffrey Thompson, who all turned professional when well past their prime.

Higgins was not extended until the semi-final when Rex Williams led by six frames before the Irishman got home in an exciting finish by the odd frame in 61. Williams had beaten Ray Reardon 25-23, one of the surprise results of the championship, in a match contested in five different club venues in Scotland.

The final, at Birmingham's Selly Park British Legion, was evenly matched until Higgins struck the front with a 6-0 victory in the Thursday evening session, a gap which John Spencer was never able to close. Higgins' win made him the youngest champion at the age of 22 years and 345 days until Stephen Hendry in 1990.

Prize Money

The prize money was by arrangement with individual promoters. The winner Alex Higgins won £480

The Results

First Round Best of 37 frames

flagicon|England John Pulman 19-7
John Dunning flagicon|England

Round8
Best of 61 frames
flagicon|England John Spencer|31 |flagicon|England Fred Davis|21|
flagicon|Australia Eddie Charlton|31 |flagicon|England David Taylor|25|
flagicon|Northern Ireland Alex Higgins|31|flagicon|England John Pulman|23
Best of 49 frames
flagicon|England Rex Williams|25 |flagicon|Wales Ray Reardon|23
Best of 73 frames
flagicon|England John Spencer|37 |flagicon|Australia Eddie Charlton|32
Best of 61 frames
flagicon|Northern Ireland Alex Higgins|31 |flagicon|England Rex Williams|30
Best of 73 frames
flagicon|England John Spencer |32|flagicon|Northern Ireland Alex Higgins|37