The 1986 Rothmans Grand Prix was a professional ranking snooker tournament that took place from 18 to 26 October 1986 at the Hexagon Theatre in Reading.
Rex Williams made his first (and only) major final in a professional snooker tournament after being a professional since 1951. He was 53 years and 98 days old, making him the oldest player in a ranking final. He had beaten Jim Bear, Mark Wildman, Alex Higgins, Steve Davis and Neal Foulds before facing Jimmy White in the final. During that match Williams took a 5âÂÂ2 lead which he had made a break of 125 in the 7th frame and 6âÂÂ4 before White took the last 6 frames to win 10âÂÂ6.
Rounds 1 to 3 were played at Redwood Lodge, Bristol, from 17 to 24 September 1986.
Terry Griffiths set a Grand Prix record with a break of 136 against Steve Davis in the fourth round. This was superseded by a break of 137 by Willie Thorne against Neal Foulds in round five. White then made a break of 138 against Silvino Francisco in their semi-final.
The quarter-final between White and 17-year-old Stephen Hendry went to the . Hendry missed potting the in that frame and White went on to win. Williams nearly inflicted the first whitewash of Davis's professional career, taking a four-frame lead but then not potting a that would have meant a 5âÂÂ0 win. After Davis had won the fifth frame, Williams completed his victory with a break of 74 in frame 6.
In the semi-finals, White defeated Francisco 9âÂÂ6, and Williams eliminated Foulds 9âÂÂ8.
Williams led 5âÂÂ3 at the end of the first of the final. White took the first frame of the second session, then Williams won the next frame to lead 6âÂÂ4. White then added six consecutive frames to take the title.
The breakdown of prize money is shown below:
In addition to the prize fund, the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association made contributions of ã150 to 24 of the players who lost in rounds 1 and 2.
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Results from the first two rounds are below.
Round 4 onwards
Rounds 1 to 3