1979 UK Championship (snooker)

1979 UK Championship (snooker)

The 1979 Coral UK Championship took place at the Guildhall, Preston in November/December 1979.

John Virgo, 33, confounded those who doubted his ability to win on the big occasion by defeating Terry Griffiths, the reigning world champion, by the odd frame in the final. Virgo won despite the fact that Griffiths was awarded two frames to penalise Virgo's late arrival for the last session.

The general pattern of results indicated a new generation about to emerge to take over from most of the players who had dominated the 1970s. Of the quarter-finalists, only Ray Edmonds, himself a relatively new professional, was over 35. Steve Davis, at 22, was the youngest, playing in his first major quarter-final.

Canadian Bill Werbeniuk played in the competition as a UK citizen and made it to the semi-finals where he lost 3–9 to Terry Griffiths.

The BBC covered the event again, but the final session was not broadcast due to a technician's strike.