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| Australian Events |
| Invitation and Ranking Events |
Brief History of Major Events in Australia
Apart from hosting the 1971 and 1975 World Championship and the one-off World Professional Matchplay event in 1976, the only event to attract the top players to Australia for many years was the Australian Masters. There was an ranking event scheduled to be held there in 1989 but due to lack of support that event was moved to Hong Kong and it was to be another 22 years before they finally got a ranking event of their own.
The Australian Masters or Winfield Masters as it was originally known, began life as a television event run along the same lines as the BBC’s Pot Black. Like it’s English counterpart it was played on a single frame basis with the final decided on aggregate score over three frames. It was played in the Channel 10 TV studios in Sydney.
In 1983 the format was changed to a 16-man straight knockout and in 1984 it moved to the Paramatta Club, still in Sydney. Tony Meo was the only player to win on more than one occasion and Ian Anderson, in the very first year, was the only home winner.
With the expansion of the professional circuit it became difficult to attract the star players and the tournament was discontinued after 1987.
The name Australian Masters was used again in 1995/96 when the WPBSA organised a worldwide tour of non-ranking events but this was an entirely different event. It is however included here as it was under the same name. Anthony Hamilton was the winner on that occasion.
Neil Robertson winning the 2010 World Championship was the inspiration needed to finally bring a world ranking event to Australia and the Australian Goldfields Open was set for July 2011 in Bendigo, Victoria.
İChris Turner 2011
Roll of Honour Australian Masters
| Year |
Venue |
Sponsor |
Winner |
Runner Up |
Score |
1st Prize |
| 1979 |
Channel 10 TV Studios, Sydney |
Winfield |
Ian Anderson |
Perrie Mans |
* |
n/a |
| 1980 |
Channel 10 TV Studios, Sydney |
Winfield |
John Spencer |
Dennis Taylor |
* |
n/a |
| 1981 |
Channel 10 TV Studios, Sydney |
Winfield |
Tony Meo |
John Spencer |
* |
n/a |
| 1982 |
Channel 10 TV Studios, Sydney |
Winfield |
Steve Davis |
Eddie Charlton |
* |
n/a |
| 1983 |
Channel 10 TV Studios, Sydney |
Winfield |
Cliff Thorburn |
Bill Werbeniuk |
7-3 |
n/a |
| 1984 |
Parmatta Club, Sydney |
Winfield |
Tony Knowles |
John Virgo |
7-3 |
£11,760 |
| 1985 |
Parmatta Club, Sydney |
Winfield |
Tony Meo |
John Campbell |
3-2 |
£10,000 |
| 1986 |
Parmatta Club, Sydney |
Winfield |
Dennis Taylor |
Steve Davis |
3-2 |
£16,000 |
| 1987 |
Parmatta Club, Sydney |
Winfield |
Stephen Hendry |
Mike Hallett |
371-226* |
£22,222 |
| 1995 |
Bentleigh Club, Melbourne |
none |
Anthony Hamilton |
Chris Small |
8-6 |
£4000 |
*From 1979 - 1982 the final was decided on a aggregate score over 3 frames (score not available). In 1987 it was by
aggregate score over five frames.
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Australian Goldfields Open
| Year |
Venue |
Sponsor |
Winner |
Runner Up |
Score |
1st Prize |
| 2011 |
Bendigo Stadium |
none |
Stuart Bingham |
Mark J. Williams |
9-8 |
A$60,000 |
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