Oldest player to win their first ranking title ?

[Neil Taperell]

Watching Joe Perry last week winning his 1st ranking event at 40 got me wondering .

Who and what age is the oldest winner of their maiden ranking tournament ?

[Byrom]

I thought this was Patsy Fagan who won the UK but it was not a ranking title when it was first held - Ray Reardon won something aged 45 but it was not his first so I think maybe Doug Mountjoy?

[DeanH]

Oldest player to win their first ranking title ?

my first thought was Doug as well

[Byrom]

Ah but he said who was the oldest winner of a maiden ranking tournament

Reardon is the oldest at 50 but had won things before 1982 - eight years earlier in fact in 1974 when he was 42 - Mountjoy was 46 when he won his first ranking event - so he might be the oldest to win a maiden ranking event - unless there are others?

Special mention to Terry Davidson who was 186 when he won his first pro am

[fredkite]

Terry Griffiths?

[Byrom]

Terry Griffiths?

He was in his early 30s when he won the world in 1979 - though he looked older

[Dozza19792]

Ah but he said who was the oldest winner of a maiden ranking tournament

Reardon is the oldest at 50 but had won things before 1982 - eight years earlier in fact in 1974 when he was 42 - Mountjoy was 46 when he won his first ranking event - so he might be the oldest to win a maiden ranking event - unless there are others?

Special mention to Terry Davidson who was 186 when he won his first pro am

You didn't answer either.....you spanner!

[DeanH]

Ah but he said who was the oldest winner of a maiden ranking tournament

Reardon is the oldest at 50 but had won things before 1982 - eight years earlier in fact in 1974 when he was 42 - Mountjoy was 46 when he won his first ranking event - so he might be the oldest to win a maiden ranking event - unless there are others?

Special mention to Terry Davidson who was 186 when he won his first pro am

You didn't answer either.....you spanner!

hmmm, I think he did and also in his first reply?

[Dozza19792]

He was in his early 30s when he won the world in 1979 - though he looked older

I searched for a good while on t'interweb.....all that kept coming up was oldest ever.....

So maybe Jo Perry is?
I'm more impressed by how he can play snooker and be the lead guitarist for Aerosmith at the same time.....amazing!

[guernseygooner]

I think it might be Perry. Technically it is Mountjoy at 46 for the UK even though he won it earlier when it wasn't a ranking title.

There are plenty of one hit wonders. I thought maybe Silvino Francisco, but he was 38 when he won the British Open.

[Odrl]

When we say "ranking title" I always assume we mean the kind of tournament all ranking events used to be, with matches of at least medium length and a two-session final. Perry has still never won one of those, but if we take any tournament that actually counts towards the rankings, then he won his first title in 2013, when he was just short of 39.

The 1974 World Championship was the the first event to contribute towards the rankings, although the ranking system came in place after the event was actually played. That would make Ray Reardon 41 when he won his first ranking title.

John Spencer was also 41 when he won his first, and Doug Mountjoy was 46, as has been mentioned. In the 90s and the 00s no one came even close to that sort of age.

In the more recent times, since the PTCs were introduced, Barry Pinches won one at the age of 40, Marcus Campbell at 38 and Rod Lawler at 41, but as I said, I don't think those events are what people have in mind when they talk about ranking titles. :wink:

[Neil Taperell]

Cheers for the replies .

So the answer looks like Doug Mountjoy

[Cyril]

Patsy Fagan was a rookie Pro when he won the non ranking UK in '77. He would only have been mid-20's at the time.

[Cyril]

Worthy of note as well - Doug won the very next ranking tournament after his '88 UK title - the Mercantile Credit Classic in January of '89.

[guernseygooner]

Worthy of note as well - Doug won the very next ranking tournament after his '88 UK title - the Mercantile Credit Classic in January of '89.

I remember that. He won both after Frank Callan started coaching him I believe.