View source for Cliff Thorburn

{{Short description|Canadian snooker player (born 1948)}}
{{Featured article}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox snooker player
|name                = Cliff Thorburn
|honorific_suffix    = {{post-nominals|size=100|country=CAN|CM}}
|image               = Cliff-Thorburn-2010 (cropped 2).jpg
|caption             = Thorburn in 2010
|alt                 = Photograph of a smiling Thorburn
|image_size          =
|birth_date          = {{birth date and age|1948|01|16|df=y}}
|birth_place         = [[Victoria, British Columbia]], Canada
|Sport country       = {{CAN}}
|Professional        = 1972–1996
|High ranking        = '''[[List of world number one snooker players|1]]''' ([[Snooker world rankings 1981/1982|1981/82]])
|Official maximums = 2
|Ranking wins      = 2
|World champ       = [[World Snooker Championship 1980|1980]]
}}

'''Clifford Charles Devlin Thorburn''' (born 16 January 1948) is a Canadian retired professional [[snooker]] player. Nicknamed "The Grinder" because of his slow, determined style of play, he won the [[1980 World Snooker Championship|World Snooker Championship in 1980]], defeating [[Alex Higgins]] 18–16 in the final. He is generally recognised as the sport's first world champion from outside the United Kingdom—since Australian [[Horace Lindrum]]'s [[1952 World Snooker Championship|1952]] title is usually disregarded—and he remains the only world champion from the [[Americas]]. He was runner-up in two other world championships, losing 21–25 to [[John Spencer (snooker player)|John Spencer]] in the [[1977 World Snooker Championship|1977 final]] and 6–18 to [[Steve Davis]] in the [[1983 World Snooker Championship|1983 final]]. At the 1983 tournament, Thorburn became the first player to make a [[maximum break]] in a World Championship match, achieving the feat in his second-round encounter with [[Terry Griffiths]].

Ranked [[List of world number one snooker players|world number one]] during the [[1981–82 snooker season|1981–82 season]], Thorburn was the first non-British player to top the [[snooker world rankings]]. He won the invitational [[Masters (snooker)|Masters]] in [[1983 Masters (snooker)|1983]], [[1985 Masters (snooker)|1985]], and [[1986 Masters (snooker)|1986]], making him the first player to win the tournament three times and the first to retain the title. He retired from the main professional tour in 1996. Inducted into [[Canada's Sports Hall of Fame]] in 2001 and the Snooker Hall of Fame in 2014, he competed later in his career in [[Snooker Legends]] events and on the [[World Seniors Tour]], winning the [[2018 Seniors Masters]] at the [[Crucible Theatre]] at age 70. He retired from competitive snooker after the [[2022 UK Seniors Championship]].

==Early life==
Thorburn was born on 16 January 1948 in [[Victoria, British Columbia]].<ref name="CANEN">{{cite web |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/clifford-charles-devlin-thorburn |title=Clifford Charles Devlin Thorburn |last=Duncan |first=Graham |date=26 March 2014 |website=The Canadian Encyclopedia |publisher=Historica Canada |access-date=29 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190609040610/https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/clifford-charles-devlin-thorburn |archive-date=9 June 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>{{sfn|Morrison|1988|pages=107–110}} His parents separated when he was eighteen months old.{{sfn|Williams|Gadsby|2005|pages=103–111}}{{rp|104}} He was abandoned by his mother, and after spending about two years in an orphanage during a custody dispute, was raised by his father and his paternal grandmother. He was told that his mother had died, but, aged twenty, learnt that she was still alive.{{sfn|Everton|2012|p=89}}<ref>{{cite news |last=Everton |first=Clive |title=Hard grind and hard knocks |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |date=16 April 1994 |page=17}}</ref>

He played [[Pool (cue sports)|pool]] and [[lacrosse]] in his youth,{{sfn|Morrison|1988|pages=107–110}} and set a one-game scoring record of ten goals in the Greater Victoria Minor Lacrosse Association "midget division" in 1958.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=24 June 1958 |title=Thorburn sets scoring record in midget ranks |newspaper=Times Colonist |location=Victoria |page=8 }}</ref> He left school at the age of 16, and travelled across Canada playing pool and [[snooker]] money matches, taking jobs as a dishwasher and working on a garbage truck to help earn money for his stakes. In 1968 he entered his first tournaments, and won the Toronto City Championship. He spent time with [[Fred Davis (snooker player)|Fred Davis]] and [[Rex Williams]] when they toured Canada in 1970, and afterwards became a resident professional at the House of Champions club in Toronto.{{sfn|Williams|Gadsby|2005|pages=103–111}}

In July 1970, he reportedly made a [[maximum break]] of 147 in a non-competitive game against Fred Hardwick.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=17 July 1970 |title=Pool shark runs 147 |newspaper=The Ottawa Journal |location=Ottawa |page=18 }}</ref><ref>{{ cite magazine |title=Untitled article |magazine=Billiards and Snooker |publisher=Billiards Association and Control Council |location=London |date=September 1970 |page=14}}</ref> He made six [[century break]]s in winning the North American Amateur Championship in 1971, equalling the record, jointly held by [[Joe Davis]] and [[George Chenier]], for most century breaks in a single tournament.<ref name="NA71" />

==Early professional career==
Thorburn played [[John Spencer (snooker player)|John Spencer]] in a series of three exhibition matches in 1971; although he lost all three,{{sfn|Morrison|1988|pages=107–110}} he was recommended by Spencer to the [[World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association]],{{sfn|Williams|Gadsby|2005|pages=103–111}} and he was accepted as a professional in 1972.<ref>{{cite web |title=Cliff Thorburn |url=https://wst.tv/players/cliff-thorburn/ |website=World Snooker Tour |access-date=4 May 2022 |archive-date=5 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201205055754/https://wst.tv/players/cliff-thorburn/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Thorburn travelled to England in 1973, and on the day of his arrival, the reigning world snooker champion [[Alex Higgins]] offered to play him for £5 a frame. Thorburn, receiving 28 points start in each frame, claims to have beaten Higgins in every frame they played, and that Higgins refused to pay up.{{sfn|Everton|2012|page=87}}

At the [[1973 World Snooker Championship]], his first major tournament on the professional snooker circuit, Thorburn defeated [[Dennis Taylor]] 9–8 in the first round then lost 15–16 to Williams in the second round. Later that year, he had a 4–0 win over [[Pat Houlihan]] at the [[1973 Norwich Union Open]] before losing 2–4 to Higgins in the quarter-final. In the [[1974 World Snooker Championship]] he defeated Alex McDonald 8–3 in qualifying then lost 4–8 to [[Paddy Morgan]] in the first round. He started the [[1974–75 snooker season]] with a victory in the [[1974 Canadian Open]], knocking out [[Willie Thorne]] and [[Graham Miles]] to reach the final, where he won 8–6 against Taylor.{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}} He reached the quarter-finals of the [[1975 World Snooker Championship]] with wins over Morgan and Miles, losing the quarter-final 12–19 to [[Eddie Charlton]], and, the following year, was eliminated 14–15 by Higgins in the first round of the [[1976 World Snooker Championship]].{{sfn|Everton|1985|page=59}}

The [[1977 World Snooker Championship]] was the first to be held at the [[Crucible Theatre]] in [[Sheffield]]. Thorburn became the first Canadian world snooker championship finalist. He [[whitewash (sport)|whitewash]]ed Chris Ross 11–0 in qualifying, then recorded a 13–6 win over Williams. In the quarter-final, he won in the deciding frame, 13–12, against Charlton.{{sfn|Everton|1985|page=60}} He overcame Taylor 18–16 in the semi-final, and twelve hours later was facing Spencer in the final. Spencer built a 4–2 lead at the end of the first {{cuegloss|session}}, but Thorburn won four of the next six frames and they finished the second session level at 6–6. Thorburn took the first two frames of the third session, and it finished with them level again, at 9–9. Thorburn built a 13–11 lead during the fourth session, and extended it to 15–11 before Spencer won four consecutive frames to make it 15–15; the next session again saw them share the frames, finishing at 18–18. Spencer won three frames in a row to lead 21–18, and Thorburn took the next two to trail by a single frame. Spencer took the last frame of the session, leading 22–20. In the last session, Thorburn again narrowed the gap to one frame, but then Spencer won three in a row to achieve victory at 25–21.{{sfn|Morrison|1989|pp=33–34}}

Thorburn reached the final of the [[1978 Masters (snooker)|1978 Masters]] with wins over [[Doug Mountjoy]] and Spencer, losing 5–7 to Higgins in the final. He was knocked out of the [[1978 World Snooker Championship]] by Charlton, 12–13 in the quarter-finals.{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}} In the [[1978–79 snooker season]] he defeated [[Tony Meo]] 17–15 in the final to win the [[1978 Canadian Open]] after having trailed 6–10 at the end of the first day of the final,{{sfn|Everton|1985|page=61}} but lost his opening matches in both the [[1979 Masters (snooker)|Masters]] (4–5 to [[Perrie Mans]]) and the [[1979 World Snooker Championship|World Championship]] (10–13 to [[John Virgo]]).{{sfn|Hale|1987|page=169}} He retained his Canadian Open title in [[1979 Canadian Open|1979]], taking a 10–3 lead over [[Terry Griffiths]] before winning the match in the deciding frame, at 17–16.{{sfn|Everton|1985|page=63}}

==1980s==
===1980 world snooker champion===
Thorburn had defeated Virgo 6–1 in the round robin phase of the [[1980 Bombay International]], but lost 7–13 to him in the final.{{sfn|Everton|1985|page=63}} He won 5–3 against Virgo in the first round of the [[1980 Masters (snooker)|1980 Masters]], then lost 3–5 to Griffiths in the quarter-final.{{sfn|Everton|1985|page=64}} In advance of the [[1980 World Snooker Championship|1980 World Championship]], he practiced at a club near the Crucible that was owned by a friend, and gave up smoking and drinking alcohol for a week before the tournament. His first match was against Mountjoy, Thorburn finishing their first session behind 3–5. In the evening, he played cards and drank alcohol with friends until 5:00{{spaces}}am, resuming the match the next day by winning the first five frames in succession. Thorburn won the match 13–10.{{sfn|Williams|Gadsby|2005|pages=103–111}} In the quarter-final, he beat [[Jim Wych]] 13–6, having led 5–3, and 10–6.<ref>{{cite news |last=Everton |first=Clive |author-link=Clive Everton |date=1 May 1980 |title=Reardon goes out |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |page=20 }}</ref> He led [[David Taylor (snooker player)|David Taylor]] 5–3 after their first semi-final session, and 11–4 at the end of the second.<ref>{{cite news |last=Everton |first=Clive |author-link=Clive Everton |date=3 May 1980 |title=Thorburn is so thorough |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |page=22 }}</ref> In the last session of the match, Thorburn extended his lead to 15–7 by the mid-session interval, then won 16–7 with a break of 114 in the 23rd frame,<ref>{{cite news |last=Hale |first=Janice |date=4 May 1980 |title=Professor Higgins's lesson |newspaper=The Observer |location=London |page=31}}</ref> becoming the first player to reach a second final at the Crucible.{{sfn|Morrison|1989|p=35}}

His opponent in the final was Higgins, the [[1972 World Snooker Championship|1972]] champion.{{sfn|Morrison|1989|p=35}} Thorburn won the first frame, and Higgins won the next five. Thorburn won the seventh to make it 5–2, Higgins complaining after the frame that Thorburn had been standing in his line of sight, a claim that author and sports statistician Ian Morrison called "unfounded".{{sfn|Morrison|1989|p=35}} Higgins led 6–3 at the end of the first session, extending this to 9–5 before Thorburn levelled the match at 9–9.{{sfn|Morrison|1989|p=35}} Writing in ''The Times'', Sydney Friskin described the match to this point as a contrast of styles: "the shrewd cumulative processes of Thorburn against the explosive break-building of Higgins". He also noted that each player had accused the other of distracting them during the match.<ref name="06MAYT">{{cite news |last=Friskin |first=Sydney |date=6 May 1980 |title=Thorburn recovers useful ground in the 'cold war' |newspaper=The Times |location=London |page=12}}</ref> Thorburn won the 19th and 20th frames, Higgins taking the following two to level at 11–11.{{sfn|Morrison|1989|p=35}} Thorburn went ahead at 12–11 and 13–12, Higgins levelling the match both times, and the third session ending 13–13.<ref>{{cite news |last=Everton |first=Clive |author-link=Clive Everton |date=6 May 1980 |title=Thorburn pots the title |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |page=22 }}</ref>

In the final session, Higgins won the first frame then Thorburn won the next two, before Higgins equalized at 15–15. Thorburn led 16–15, and missed an easy {{cuegloss|brown ball}} that let Higgins in to make it 16–16.{{sfn|Morrison|1989|p=35}} With a break of 119, Thorburn moved within a frame of victory at 17–16. In the 34th frame, leading 45–9 in points, he laid a {{cuegloss|snooker}} for Higgins, and made a 51 break after that to win the title.{{sfn|Morrison|1989|p=35}} The [[BBC]]'s television coverage of the final had been interrupted by the broadcast of live footage of the [[Iranian Embassy Siege]].<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=1980: Thorburn outguns Higgins |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/snooker/world_champs_2002/1921222.stm |website=BBC Sport |date=12 April 2002 |access-date=30 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030403094538/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/snooker/world_champs_2002/1921222.stm |archive-date=3 April 2003 |url-status=live }}</ref> The conclusion of the final was watched by 14.5{{spaces}}million television viewers.{{sfn|Everton|1985|page=66}} Thorburn is generally regarded as the first player from outside the United Kingdom to win the world championship, [[Horace Lindrum]]'s victory in the [[1952 World Snooker Championship]] usually being disregarded.{{efn|Following a dispute over money between professional players and the [[Billiards Association and Control Council]] (BA&CC), the players decided to organize the [[1952 World Professional Match-play Championship]]. The only players to enter the BA&CC's [[1952 World Snooker Championship]] were Lindrum and [[Clark McConachy]]. According to [[Clive Everton]], it was the World Professional Match-play Championship that was "recognised by the public as the genuine article".{{sfn|Everton|2012|page=32}}}}<ref>
* {{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=John Higgins eyes more crucible titles |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/snooker/5276218/John-Higgins-eyes-more-Crucible-titles.html |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |location=London |date=5 May 2009 |access-date=13 April 2020 |url-access=registration |quote="the modern era, which began in 1969 when the World Championship became a knockout event" |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100430020307/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/snooker/5276218/John-Higgins-eyes-more-Crucible-titles.html |archive-date=30 April 2010 |url-status=live }}
* {{cite news |last=Pitt |first=Nick |title=Snooker: Pocket man O'Sullivan eager to chalk up another title: The champion is in irresistible form as he starts his defence at the Crucible |newspaper=The Sunday Times |location=London |date=20 April 2014 |page=13 |quote="in the modern era since 1969" }}</ref>{{sfn|Williams|Gadsby|2005|pages=103–111}} After the match, Higgins said of Thorburn "he's a grinder",<ref>{{cite news |last=Everton |first=Clive |author-link=Clive Everton |date=7 May 1980 |title=Thoroughly thriving Thorburn |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |page=25 }}</ref> and the nickname "The Grinder" was subsequently associated with Thorburn, seen as apt for his slow, determined style of play.{{sfn|Williams|Gadsby|2005|pages=103–111}} Thorburn has aspired to be known by the nickname "Champagne Cliff", but admitted later that it never caught on.<ref>{{cite news |last=Sanderson |first=Peter |title=Cliff hangs on past memories |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/in_depth/2001/world_snooker_championship/1313514.stm |website=BBC Sport |date=4 May 2001 |access-date=30 June 2022 |archive-date=17 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201117173043/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/in_depth/2001/world_snooker_championship/1313514.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>

He won the Canadian Open for a third successive year in [[1980 Canadian Open|1980]], defeating Griffiths 17–10 in the final,{{sfn|Everton|1985|page=65}} and was part of the Canada Team that reached the final of the [[1980 World Challenge Cup]], where they lost 5–8 to Wales.{{sfn|Morrison|1987|pages=137–140}} He led Higgins 5–1 in the semi-final of the [[1981 Masters (snooker)|1981 Masters]], but lost the match 5–6.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Brinkman Alex |newspaper=Sunday Mirror |location=London |date=1 February 1981 |page=44 |ref=none}}</ref> At the [[1981 World Snooker Championship|1981 World Championship]], as defending champion, he reached the semi-final where he lost 10–16 to [[Steve Davis]].<ref name="MJOYREC">{{cite news |last=Everton |first=Clive |author-link=Clive Everton |date=20 April 1981 |title=Mountjoy recovers from demoralising start |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |page=15 |ref=none}}</ref> Following a 4–10 loss to [[Jimmy White]] in the first round of the [[1982 World Snooker Championship]], Thorburn decided to return to Canada.{{sfn|Williams|Gadsby|2005|pages=103–111}} Thorburn had been number two in the [[Snooker world rankings 1980/1981|1980/1981 world rankings]], and reached number one in the [[Snooker world rankings 1981/1982|1981/1982 rankings]]. He won the [[1983 Masters (snooker)|1983 Masters]], recovering from 2–5 against Charlton to win 6–5 in the semi-final, and defeating [[Ray Reardon]] 9–7 in the final.{{sfn|Everton|1985|page=73}}

===1983 world championship maximum break===
In 1983, Thorburn became the first player to make a maximum break at the [[World Snooker Championship|World Championship]],<ref name="GRAUN147" /> during the fourth frame of his second-round match against Griffiths,{{sfn|Williams|Gadsby|2005|pages=103–111}} and only the second player to make an official maximum in professional competition (after Davis at the [[1982 Classic (snooker)|1982 Classic]]).{{sfn|Morrison|1987|p=78}}<ref name="147S">{{cite web |url=https://wst.tv/wpbsa/official-147s/ |title=Official 147s |author=<!--Not stated--> |website=World Snooker Tour |access-date=2 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200722103149/https://wst.tv/wpbsa/official-147s/ |archive-date=22 July 2020 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Thorburn started the break by {{cuegloss|fluke|fluking}} a {{cuegloss|red ball|red}}. While he was completing the break, play stopped on the tournament's second [[billiard table|table]] because his friend and fellow Canadian [[Bill Werbeniuk]] wanted to watch.<ref name="GRAUN147">{{cite news |last1=Murray |first1=Scott |last2=Burnton |first2=Simon |last3=Glendenning |first3=Barry |author-link3=Barry Glendenning |date=23 August 2013 |title=The Joy of Six: sporting flukes |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2013/aug/23/the-joy-of-six-flukes |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |access-date=1 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170305184001/https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2013/aug/23/the-joy-of-six-flukes |archive-date=5 March 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> The match against Griffiths ended at 3:51{{spaces}}am, Thorburn emerging as the winner, 13–12. He then defeated [[Kirk Stevens]] 13–12 (from 10–12) in the quarter-final, and [[Tony Knowles (snooker player)|Tony Knowles]] 16–15 (from 13–15) in the semi-final.<ref name="BBC83">{{cite news |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=7 April 2004 |title=1983: Davis' title but Thorburn's 147 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/snooker/3557625.stm |website=BBC Sport |access-date=30 June 2022 |archive-date=18 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200918142016/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/snooker/3557625.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> During the semi-final, which finished at 12:45{{spaces}}am,{{sfn|Morrison|1988|pages=107–110}} Thorburn learnt that his wife Barbara had suffered a [[miscarriage]] on the day of his maximum break.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Childs |first1=Steve |last2=Watson |first2=Jeremy |date=June 1983 |title=Embassy world professional championship |magazine=Cue World |location=Sheffield |publisher=Transworld Publications |pages=23–32}}</ref> He played Steve Davis in the final. From 2–2 after the first four frames, Davis won four in a row to leave Thorburn behind 2–6, extending this to 2–9 at the start of the second session, and 5–12 at the end of the first day. Davis wrapped up victory on the second day, at 18–6, this being the first final at the Crucible to be completed in only three sessions.{{sfn|Morrison|1989|p=39}} Commenting on Thorburn's performance in the final, snooker historian [[Clive Everton]] observed that the long matches he had played in reaching the final had "left him so drained{{spaces}}... that he was able to offer only token resistance."{{sfn|Everton|1985|page=75}}

===1984 to 1989===
Thorburn enjoyed a resurgence in form during the [[1984–85 snooker season|1984–85 season]].{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|page=22}} He reached the final of the [[1984 Grand Prix (snooker)|Grand Prix]], where he lost to Dennis Taylor 2–10. In the semi-final, Thorburn had defeated the reigning world champion Steve Davis 9–7.<ref>{{cite news |last=Everton |first=Clive |author-link=Clive Everton |date=29 October 1983 |title=Taylor pockets prize at last |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |page=25}}</ref> He also reached the final of the [[1985 Classic (snooker)|Classic]] in January 1985, where he met Thorne, the latter winning five frames in a row to win 13–8 after the pair had been tied at 8–8.<ref>{{cite news |last=Everton |first=Clive |author-link=Clive Everton |date=14 January 1985 |title=Thorne breaks into the elite at last |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |page=23 |ref=none}}</ref> Thorburn was again runner-up in the [[1986 Classic (snooker)|1986 Classic]], this time losing to Jimmy White in the final 12–13. Thorburn fluked a pot on the {{cuegloss|green ball}} in the deciding frame, to leave White requiring snookers to win. White potted the brown and {{cuegloss|blue ball|blue}}, then laid a snooker on the {{cuegloss|pink ball|pink}}. Thorburn failed to hit the pink, which gave White the points he needed, and White then potted the pink and black to win the title.<ref>{{cite news |last=Everton |first=Clive |author-link=Clive Everton |date=13 January 1986 |title=White nips in on last black |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |page=27}}</ref>

He won further Masters titles by defeating Mountjoy 9–6 in [[1985 Masters (snooker)|1985]], and White 9–5 in [[1986 Masters (snooker)|1986]].{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}} He became the first player ever to retain the Masters title, and the first to win it three times.{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|page=29}} Thorburn experienced success in the Scottish Masters, an invitational event which opened the snooker season, in [[1985 Scottish Masters|1985]] and [[1986 Scottish Masters|1986]]. He defeated Thorne 9–7 in the 1985 final, and Alex Higgins 9–8 the following year.{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}} He won the opening ranking event in the [[1985–86 snooker season|1985–86 snooker calendar]], the [[1985 Matchroom Trophy|Matchroom Trophy]], where he beat Jimmy White in the final 12–10, having trailed 0–7.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=7 October 1985 |title=Rainbow wins Arc |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |page=1}}</ref> He was then runner-up in the corresponding event the following two seasons, 9–12 to [[Neal Foulds]] in [[1986 International Open|1986]], and 5–12 to Davis in [[1987 International Open|1987]].{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}

In 1988 Thorburn was fined £10,000, had two ranking points deducted, and was banned for two ranking tournaments, by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. The Association's disciplinary committee had decided that Thorburn had brought the sport into disrepute, as a drug test that he took at the [[1988 British Open]] showed that he had "minute traces of cocaine in his urine sample".<ref>{{cite news |last=Acteson |first=Steve |date=13 May 1988 |title=Thorburn sentence ridiculed as lenient |newspaper=The Times |location=London |page=44}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=10 April 1998 |title=Snooker: Three players fail drug tests but remain anonymous |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/snooker-three-players-fail-drug-tests-but-remain-anonymous-1155528.html |newspaper=The Independent |location=London |access-date=29 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190416152110/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/snooker-three-players-fail-drug-tests-but-remain-anonymous-1155528.html |archive-date=16 April 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> He compiled another maximum break in the [[1989 Matchroom League]], during a match against White.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=10 March 1989 |title=Snooker record for Thorburn |newspaper=Star-Phoenix |location=Saskatoon|page=48}}</ref>

==Later years==
[[File:Cliff Thorburn.jpg|thumb|alt=Thorburn playing a shot at a snooker table|Thorburn in 2007]]

Thorburn last qualified for the World Championship in [[1994 World Snooker Championship|1994]],{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}} where he faced [[Nigel Bond]] in the first round. Thorburn led by 9–2 but eventually lost 9–10.<ref>{{cite news |last=Everton |first=Clive |author-link=Clive Everton |date=23 April 1994 |title=Hendry battles on with broken arm |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |page=20}}</ref> At the [[1995 Thailand Open]], ranked 54th, he defeated three players from the top 16, including second-ranked Steve Davis, to reach the semi-finals. It was the first time he had reached this stage of a major event since the [[1991 European Open (snooker)|1991 European Open]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Sport digest: Cliff-hanger |newspaper=The Birmingham Post |location=Birmingham |date=17 March 1995 |page=21 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Everton |first=Clive |title=Thorburn grinds down Davis |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |date=15 March 1995 |page=21}}</ref> He lost the semi-final 0–5 to [[Ronnie O'Sullivan]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Snooker: O'Sullivan in a hurry |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |location=London |date=18 March 1995 |page=33}}</ref>

Thorburn effectively retired from the professional tournament circuit after the [[1995–96 snooker season|1995–96 season]].{{sfn|Williams|Gadsby|2005|pages=103–111}} Ranked 91st, and having not entered for any ranking tournaments in the [[1996–97 snooker season|1996–97 season]], he was quoted as saying that when he realized he would have to take part in tournament qualifying rounds for several weeks, "I just couldn't accept that{{spaces}}... When you've played at all of the major venues in front of capacity crowds, it's hard to focus and get motivated playing with just one man and a dog watching."<ref>{{cite news |title=Thorburn 'retires' |newspaper=The Independent |location=London |date=20 May 1996 |page=64}}</ref> He played for Canada in the [[1996 World Cup (snooker)|1996 World Cup]], where his team reached the quarter-finals.<ref>{{cite news |title=Snooker: Canada, Thorburn bow out |newspaper=Toronto Sun |location=Toronto |date=7 November 1996 |page=106}}</ref>

Thorburn won over one million pounds in prize money during the course of his professional career.<ref>{{cite magazine |author=<!--not stated--> |title=Snooker's all time earners |magazine=Snooker Scene |publisher=Everton's News Agency |location=Birmingham |date=June 2002 |page=34}}</ref> Playing as an amateur again, he won the [[Canadian Amateur Championship (snooker)|Canadian Amateur Championship]] in 2001; he had previously won the tournament in 1974, 1975, 1976, and 1977.<ref name="cbsa.ca">{{cite web|url=https://www.cbsa.ca/cbsa-champions-list.php |title=CBSA Champions & Runners-up |year=2009 |website=Canadian Billiards & Snooker Association |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090715130006/https://www.cbsa.ca/cbsa-champions-list.php |archive-date=15 July 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref> During the [[2006 World Snooker Championship|2006 World Championship]], he flew to Sheffield to unveil a life-size painting of the maximum break that he made at the tournament in 1983. Painted by the artist Michael Myers, the work is on display at the Macdonald St. Paul's Hotel in Sheffield.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thestar.co.uk/whats-on/artist-puts-a-perfect-frame-on-the-map-1-267992|title=Artist puts a perfect frame on the map ...|date=15 April 2006|website=Sheffield Star |location=Sheffield|access-date=27 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190427164844/https://www.thestar.co.uk/whats-on/artist-puts-a-perfect-frame-on-the-map-1-267992|archive-date=27 April 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref> Thorburn competed on the inaugural [[Snooker Legends]] Tour in 2010.<ref>{{cite news |title=Snooker star Jimmy White is on the way |url=https://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/theatre-news/snooker-star-jimmy-white-way-4230744 |website=Berkshire Live |location=Reading |date=7 January 2010 |access-date=4 January 2021 |archive-date=5 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210105010540/https://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/theatre-news/snooker-star-jimmy-white-way-4230744 |url-status=live }}</ref>

At the age of 70, Thorburn won the [[2018 Seniors Masters]] at the Crucible Theatre, defeating Jonathan Bagley 2–0 in the final.<ref name="18SENMAS">{{cite web |url=https://seniorsnooker.com/2018/04/13/assetereum-world-seniors-masters-2018-cliff-thorburn-is-your-champion/ |title=Assetereum World Seniors Masters 2018 – Cliff Thorburn is your Champion! |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=13 April 2018 |website=World Seniors Snooker |access-date=31 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190412165331/https://seniorsnooker.com/2018/04/13/assetereum-world-seniors-masters-2018-cliff-thorburn-is-your-champion/ |archive-date=12 April 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref><!--18SENMAS has the wrong score--><ref name="SL18">{{cite AV media |date=12 April 2018 |title=Assetereum Masters Seniors Championship 2018 |medium=video |language=en |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbKQP7T8zCc |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/kbKQP7T8zCc |archive-date=21 December 2021 |url-status=live|via=YouTube |time=4:14:44 |location=Sheffield |publisher=Snooker Legends }}{{cbignore}}</ref><!--Official YouTube channel of Snooker Legends, the tournament organisers--> Shortly before turning 74, he announced that the [[2022 UK Seniors Championship]] would be his last competitive event. Thorburn played his last competitive match on 5 January 2022 against [[Kuldesh Johal]], losing 0–3.<ref>{{Cite web|date=5 January 2022|title=Cliff Thorburn, 73, retires from competitive snooker after defeat to Kuldesh Johal at UK Seniors Championship|url=https://www.eurosport.com/snooker/world-seniors-championship/2021/cliff-thorburn-73-retires-from-competitive-snooker-after-defeat-to-kuldesh-johalin-at-uk-seniors-cha_sto8694058/story.shtml|access-date=6 January 2022|last=Walker-Roberts|first=James|website=Eurosport|language=en|archive-date=5 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220105232544/https://www.eurosport.com/snooker/world-seniors-championship/2021/cliff-thorburn-73-retires-from-competitive-snooker-after-defeat-to-kuldesh-johalin-at-uk-seniors-cha_sto8694058/story.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Thorburn is the father of one son and one daughter,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cliffthorburn.ca/biography/ |title=Biography |last=Thorburn |first=Cliff |website=Cliff Thorburn |access-date=1 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190319073029/http://cliffthorburn.ca/biography/ |archive-date=19 March 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> the latter of whom is transgender.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ivan |date=18 April 2023 |title=Podcast With Cliff Thorburn |url=https://wst.tv/podcast-with-cliff-thorburn/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230418124258/https://wst.tv/podcast-with-cliff-thorburn/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 April 2023 |access-date=18 April 2023 |website=World Snooker |language=en-US}}</ref> Following his World Championship victory, he bought a house in England with the intention of spending more time in Britain.{{sfn|Williams|Gadsby|2005|pages=103–111}} His manager Darryl McKerrow was killed in a hunting accident during the 1984–85 season, and Thorburn was subsequently managed by Robert Windsor, until joining [[Barry Hearn]]'s [[Matchroom Sport]] in January 1988.{{sfn|Morrison |1988|pages=107–110}} Thorburn was made a Member of the [[Order of Canada]] in 1984.<ref name="CANEN" /> He was added to the [[BC Sports Hall of Fame]] in 1995,<ref>{{cite news |title=Thorburn added to B.C. Hall |newspaper=Times Colonist |location=Victoria |date=1 March 1995 |page=23}}</ref> and inducted into [[Canada's Sports Hall of Fame]] in 2001.<ref name="ca">{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/five-enter-canada-s-sports-hall-1.258115|title=Five enter Canada's Sports Hall|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|access-date=18 February 2019|archive-date=17 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201117173044/https://www.cbc.ca/sports/five-enter-canada-s-sports-hall-1.258115|url-status=live}}</ref>

His instruction book, ''Cliff Thorburn's Snooker Skills'', was published in 1987 by Hamlyn, and his [[autobiography]], ''Playing for Keeps'', co-written with Everton, was published by Partridge Press in the same year.{{sfn|Clarke|2008|pages=23, 69}}{{sfn|Thorburn|1987}}{{sfn|Thorburn|Everton|1987}} Thorburn is the head coach for cue sports at the Canadian Billiards and Snooker Association,<ref>{{cite web |title=National Head Coach of Cue Sports: Cliff Thorburn |url=http://proimpact.ca/cbsa/blog/national-head-coach-of-cue-sports-cliff-thorburn/ |website=Canadian Billiards and Snooker Association |date=22 February 2018 |access-date=4 May 2022 |archive-date=12 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210812154916/http://proimpact.ca/cbsa/blog/national-head-coach-of-cue-sports-cliff-thorburn/ |url-status=live }}</ref> director of coaching and an ambassador for the Pan American Billiards & Snooker Association,<ref>{{cite web |title=PABSA Team |url=https://www.pabsa.org/pabsa-team/ |website=Pan American Billiards & Snooker Association |access-date=4 May 2022 |archive-date=15 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220115062805/https://www.pabsa.org/pabsa-team/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and a member of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association International Expert Coaching Advisory Panel.<ref>{{cite web |title=Cliff Thorburn Joins WPBSA Coaching Panel |url=https://wpbsa.com/cliff-thorburn-joins-wpbsa-coaching-panel/ |website=World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association |date=12 January 2022 |access-date=4 May 2022 |archive-date=14 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220114174557/https://wpbsa.com/cliff-thorburn-joins-wpbsa-coaching-panel/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Performance and rankings timeline==
<div style="width:auto; overflow:scroll">
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:85%"
! Tournament
! [[1972–73 snooker season|1972/<br />73]]
! [[1973–74 snooker season|1973/<br />74]]
! [[1974–75 snooker season|1974/<br />75]]
! [[1975–76 snooker season|1975/<br />76]]
! [[1976–77 snooker season|1976/<br />77]]
! [[1977–78 snooker season|1977/<br />78]]
! [[1978–79 snooker season|1978/<br />79]]
! [[1979–80 snooker season|1979/<br />80]]
! [[1980–81 snooker season|1980/<br />81]]
! [[1981–82 snooker season|1981/<br />82]]
! [[1982–83 snooker season|1982/<br />83]]
! [[1983–84 snooker season|1983/<br />84]]
! [[1984–85 snooker season|1984/<br />85]]
! [[1985–86 snooker season|1985/<br />86]]
! [[1986–87 snooker season|1986/<br />87]]
! [[1987–88 snooker season|1987/<br />88]]
! [[1988–89 snooker season|1988/<br />89]]
! [[1989–90 snooker season|1989/<br />90]]
! [[1990–91 snooker season|1990/<br />91]]
! [[1991–92 snooker season|1991/<br />92]]
! [[1992–93 snooker season|1992/<br />93]]
! [[1993–94 snooker season|1993/<br />94]]
! [[1994–95 snooker season|1994/<br />95]]
! [[1995–96 snooker season|1995/<br />96]]
! {{abbr|Ref.|Reference}}
|-
| style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[Snooker world rankings|Ranking]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"colspan="4" |No ranking system
| align="center" |[[Snooker world rankings 1976/1977|13]]
| align="center" |[[Snooker world rankings 1977/1978|6]]
| align="center" |[[Snooker world rankings 1978/1979|5]]
| align="center" |[[Snooker world rankings 1979/1980|5]]
| align="center" |[[Snooker world rankings 1980/1981|2]]
| align="center" |[[Snooker world rankings 1981/1982|1]]
| align="center" |[[Snooker world rankings 1982/1983|3]]
| align="center" |[[Snooker world rankings 1983/1984|3]]
| align="center" |[[Snooker world rankings 1984/1985|3]]
| align="center" |[[Snooker world rankings 1985/1986|2]]
| align="center" |[[Snooker world rankings 1986/1987|2]]
| align="center" |[[Snooker world rankings 1987/1988|4]]
| align="center" |[[Snooker world rankings 1988/1989|6]]
| align="center" |[[Snooker world rankings 1989/1990|7]]
| align="center" |[[Snooker world rankings 1990/1991|18]]
| align="center" |[[Snooker world rankings 1991/1992|36]]
| align="center" |[[Snooker world rankings 1992/1993|36]]
| align="center" |[[Snooker world rankings 1993/1994|41]]
| align="center" |[[Snooker world rankings 1994/1995|54]]
| align="center" |[[Snooker world rankings 1995/1996|41]]
| align="center" |<ref name="Ranking history">{{cite web|title=Ranking History|url=http://www.snooker.org/rnk/history.asp|website=Snooker.org|access-date=7 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181219070820/http://www.snooker.org/Rnk/history.asp|archive-date=19 December 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| colspan="26" | '''Ranking tournaments'''
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[Dubai Classic|Thailand Classic]]{{efn|name="DUB"|The event was also called the Dubai Masters (1988/1989) and Dubai Classic (1989/1990–1994/1995).<ref>{{cite web|last=Turner|first=Chris|title=Dubai Classic, Dubai Masters, Bahrain Snooker Championship|url=http://www.cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/mideast.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120107153823/http://www.cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/mideast.html|archive-date=7 January 2012 |website=Chris Turner's Snooker Archive }}</ref>}}
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="16"|Tournament not held
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|NR
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1990 Dubai Classic|1R]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1991 Dubai Classic|1R]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1992 Dubai Classic|1R]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ
| align="center"|{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[World Open (snooker)|Grand Prix]]{{efn|The event was also called the Professional Players Tournament (1982/1983–1983/1984).<ref>{{cite web|last=Turner|first=Chris|title=Professional Players Tournament, Grand Prix, LG Cup|url=http://www.cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/GP.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120216155938/http://www.cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/GP.html|archive-date=16 February 2012|website=Chris Turner's Snooker Archive}}</ref>}}
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="10"|Tournament not held
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1982 Professional Players Tournament|3R]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|[[1983 Professional Players Tournament|QF]]
| style="text-align:center; background:thistle;"|[[1984 Grand Prix (snooker)|F]]
| style="text-align:center; background:yellow;"|[[1985 Grand Prix (snooker)|SF]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1986 Grand Prix (snooker)|1R]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1987 Grand Prix (snooker)|2R]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1989 Grand Prix (snooker)|2R]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1990 Grand Prix (snooker)|1R]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1991 Grand Prix (snooker)|1R]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1994 Grand Prix (snooker)|1R]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ
| align="center"|{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[UK Championship]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="12"|Non-ranking event
| style="text-align:center; background:yellow;"|[[1984 UK Championship (snooker)|SF]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1985 UK Championship (snooker)|3R]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|[[1986 UK Championship (snooker)|QF]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|[[1987 UK Championship (snooker)|QF]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|[[1988 UK Championship (snooker)|QF]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1989 UK Championship (snooker)|2R]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|WD
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1991 UK Championship (snooker)|1R]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ
| align="center"|{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[German Masters|German Open]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="23"|Tournament not held
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ
| align="center"|{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[Welsh Open (snooker)|Welsh Open]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="19"|Tournament not held
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1992 Welsh Open (snooker)|1R]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ
| align="center"|{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[Scottish Open (snooker)|International Open]]{{efn|name="GOYA"|The event was also called the Goya Matchroom Trophy (1985/1986).<ref>{{cite web|last=Turner|first=Chris|title=International Open, Goya Matchroom Trophy|url=http://www.cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/int.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120216155037/http://www.cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/int.html|archive-date=16 February 2012|website=Chris Turner's Snooker Archive}}</ref>}}
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="9"|Tournament not held
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|NR
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1982 International Open|2R]]
| style="text-align:center; background:thistle;"|[[1983 International Open|F]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1984 International Open|1R]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#0f0;"|[[1985 Matchroom Trophy|'''W''']]
| style="text-align:center; background:thistle;"|[[1986 International Open|F]]
| style="text-align:center; background:thistle;"|[[1987 International Open|F]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1989 International Open|1R]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="2"|Not held
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1994 International Open|2R]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1995 International Open|1R]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ
| align="center"|{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[European Open (snooker)|European Open]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="16"|Tournament not held
| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|[[1989 European Open (snooker)|QF]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1990 European Open (snooker)|1R]]
| style="text-align:center; background:yellow;"|[[1991 European Open (snooker)|SF]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1992 European Open (snooker)|2R]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1993 European Open (1992/1993)|1R]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ
| align="center"|{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[Thailand Masters|Thailand Open]]{{efn|name="THAI"|The event was also called the Thailand Masters (1983/1984–1986/1987 & 1991/1992) and the Asian Open (1989/1990–1992/1993).<ref>{{cite web|last=Turner|first=Chris|title=Thailand Open, Thailand Classic, Thailand Masters|url=http://www.cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/Thai.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120216155548/http://www.cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/Thai.html|archive-date=16 February 2012|website=Chris Turner's Snooker Archive}}</ref>}}
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="11"|Tournament not held
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="4"|Non-ranking event
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="2"|Not held
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1989 Asian Open|1R]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1990 Asian Open|1R]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1994 Thailand Open|1R]]
| style="text-align:center; background:yellow;"|[[1995 Thailand Open|SF]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|WD
| align="center"|{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[British Open (snooker)|British Open]]{{efn|name="BO"|The event was also called the British Gold Cup (1979/1980), Yamaha Organs Trophy (1980/1981) and International Masters (1981/1982–1983/1984).<ref>{{cite web|last=Turner|first=Chris|title=British Open Including British Gold Cup, Yamaha Organs Trophy and Yamaha International Masters|url=http://www.cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/brit.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120216155129/http://www.cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/brit.html|archive-date=16 February 2012|website=Chris Turner's Snooker Archive}}</ref>}}
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="7"|Tournament not held
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="5"|Non-ranking event
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1985 British Open|3R]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1986 British Open|3R]]
| style="text-align:center; background:yellow;"|[[1987 British Open|SF]]
| style="text-align:center; background:yellow;"|[[1988 British Open|SF]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1989 British Open|3R]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1990 British Open|1R]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1991 British Open|1R]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1992 British Open|1R]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1994 British Open|1R]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ
| align="center"|{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[World Snooker Championship|World Championship]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|NR
|style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1974 World Snooker Championship|1R]]
|style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|[[1975 World Snooker Championship|QF]]
|style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1976 World Snooker Championship|1R]]
|style="text-align:center; background:#D8BFD8;"|[[1977 World Snooker Championship|F]]
|style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|[[1978 World Snooker Championship|QF]]
|style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1979 World Snooker Championship|1R]]
|style="text-align:center; background:#0f0;"|[[1980 World Snooker Championship|'''W''']]
|style="text-align:center; background:yellow;"|[[1981 World Snooker Championship|SF]]
|style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1982 World Snooker Championship|1R]]
|style="text-align:center; background:#D8BFD8;"|[[1983 World Snooker Championship|F]]
|style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|[[1984 World Snooker Championship|QF]]
|style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|[[1985 World Snooker Championship|QF]]
|style="text-align:center; background:yellow;"|[[1986 World Snooker Championship|SF]]
|style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1987 World Snooker Championship|1R]]
|style="text-align:center; background:yellow;"|[[1988 World Snooker Championship|SF]]
|style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1989 World Snooker Championship|1R]]
|style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|[[1990 World Snooker Championship|QF]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ
|style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1994 World Snooker Championship|1R]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ
| align="center"|{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|-
| colspan="26" | '''Non-ranking tournaments'''
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[Australian Goldfields Open|Australian Masters]]{{efn|name="AUS"|The event was also called the Hong Kong Open (1989/1990) and Australian Open (1994/1995).<ref>{{cite web|last=Turner|first=Chris|title=Australian Masters|website=Chris Turner's Snooker Archive|url=http://www.cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/AustMas.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100930185746/http://www.cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/AustMas.html|archive-date=30 September 2010}}</ref>}}
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="7"|Tournament not held
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1982 Australian Masters|RR]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#0f0;"|[[1983 Australian Masters|'''W''']]
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1984 Australian Masters|1R]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|[[1987 Australian Masters|QF]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|NH
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|R
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="4"|Tournament not held
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| align="center" |<ref name="CWSEP82">{{cite magazine |last=Lowe |first=Ted |author-link=Ted Lowe |title=Ted Lowe reports on Australia's Winfield Masters |magazine=Cue World |publisher=Transworld Snooker |location=Sheffield |date=September 1982 |pages=9–10}}</ref>{{sfn|Hale|1987|page=201}}
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[Scottish Masters]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="9"|Tournament not held
| style="text-align:center; background:thistle;"|[[1981 Scottish Masters|F]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; background:yellow;"|[[1983 Scottish Masters|SF]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|[[1984 Scottish Masters|QF]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#0f0;"|[[1985 Scottish Masters|'''W''']]
| style="text-align:center; background:#0f0;"|[[1986 Scottish Masters|'''W''']]
| style="text-align:center; background:yellow;"|[[1987 Scottish Masters|SF]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|NH
| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|[[1989 Scottish Masters|QF]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| align="center"|{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[Masters (snooker)|The Masters]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="2"|Not held
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1975 Masters (snooker)|1R]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1976 Masters (snooker)|1R]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; background:#D8BFD8;"|[[1978 Masters (snooker)|F]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|[[1979 Masters (snooker)|QF]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|[[1980 Masters (snooker)|QF]]
| style="text-align:center; background:yellow;"|[[1981 Masters (snooker)|SF]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|[[1982 Masters (snooker)|QF]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#0f0;"|[[1983 Masters (snooker)|'''W''']]
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1984 Masters (snooker)|1R]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#0f0;"|[[1985 Masters (snooker)|'''W''']]
| style="text-align:center; background:#0f0;"|[[1986 Masters (snooker)|'''W''']]
| style="text-align:center; background:yellow;"|[[1987 Masters (snooker)|SF]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|[[1988 Masters (snooker)|QF]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|[[1989 Masters (snooker)|QF]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1990 Masters (snooker)|1R]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| align="center"|{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[Irish Masters]]{{efn|The event was also called the Benson & Hedges Ireland Tournament (1974/1975–1976/1977).<ref>{{cite web|last=Turner|first=Chris|title=Irish Masters|url=http://www.cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/irishmast.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120216155735/http://www.cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/irishmast.html|archive-date=16 February 2012|website=Chris Turner's Snooker Archive}}</ref>}}
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="2"|Not held
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1980 Irish Masters|RR]]
| style="text-align:center; background:yellow;"|[[1981 Irish Masters|SF]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|[[1982 Irish Masters|QF]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|[[1984 Irish Masters|QF]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|[[1985 Irish Masters|QF]]
| style="text-align:center; background:yellow;"|[[1986 Irish Masters|SF]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|[[1987 Irish Masters|QF]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|[[1988 Irish Masters|QF]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1989 Irish Masters|1R]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1990 Irish Masters|1R]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| align="center"|{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[Premier League Snooker|European League]]{{efn|The event was also called the Matchroom League (1978/1979–1980/1981).<ref>{{cite web |last=Turner |first=Chris|title=Premier/Matchroom League, Matchroom Championship League|url=http://www.cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/league.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120216154905/http://www.cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/league.html|archive-date=16 February 2012 |website=Chris Turner's Snooker Archive }}</ref>}}
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="11"|Tournament not held
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="2"|Not held
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1987 Matchroom League|RR]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1988 Matchroom League|RR]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1989 Matchroom League|RR]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1990 Matchroom League|RR]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
|align=center|<ref>
* {{cite magazine |author=<!--not stated--> |title=Davis halfway to £150,000 Jackpot |magazine=Snooker Scene |publisher=Everton's News Agency |location=Birmingham |date=July 1987 |page=12}}
* {{cite magazine |title=Second league title for Davis |magazine=Snooker Scene |publisher=Everton's News Agency |location=Birmingham |date=June 1988 |page=19 }}
* {{cite magazine |author=<!--not stated--> |title=International division for Matchroom league |magazine=Snooker Scene |publisher=Everton's News Agency |location=Birmingham |date=June 1989 |page=24}}
* {{cite magazine |author=<!--not stated--> |title=Hendry beats Davis to take second place |magazine=Snooker Scene |publisher=Everton's News Agency |location=Birmingham |date=July 1990|page=8}}</ref>
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[Pontins Professional]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|NH
| style="text-align:center; background:yellow;"|[[1974 Pontins Professional|SF]]
| style="text-align:center; background:yellow;"|[[1975 Pontins Professional|SF]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; background:yellow;"|[[1977 Pontins Professional|SF]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1978 Pontins Professional|RR]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| align="center"|{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|-
| colspan="26" | '''Former ranking tournaments'''
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[Canadian Masters (snooker)|Canadian Masters]]{{efn|name="CANO"|The event was also called the Canadian Open (1978/1979–1980/1981).<ref>{{cite web|last=Turner|first=Chris|url=http://www.cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/canmast.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120216155138/http://www.cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/canmast.html|archivedate=16 February 2012|title=Canadian Masters|website=Chris Turner's Snooker Archive}}</ref>}}
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="2"|Not held
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="7"|Non-ranking event
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="4"|Tournament not held
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="3"|Non-ranking event
| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|[[1988 Canadian Masters|QF]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="7"|Tournament not held
| align="center"|{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[Australian Goldfields Open|Hong Kong Open]]{{efn|name="AUS"}}
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="7"|Tournament not held
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="9"|Non-ranking event
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|NH
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="4"|Tournament not held
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="2"|NR
| align="center"|{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[Classic (snooker)|Classic]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="7"|Tournament not held
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="4"|Non-ranking event
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1984 Classic (snooker)|1R]]
| style="text-align:center; background:thistle;"|[[1985 Classic (snooker)|F]]
| style="text-align:center; background:thistle;"|[[1986 Classic (snooker)|F]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1987 Classic (snooker)|2R]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1988 Classic (snooker)|2R]]
| style="text-align:center; background:yellow;"|[[1989 Classic (snooker)|SF]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1990 Classic (snooker)|2R]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1991 Classic (snooker)|1R]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1992 Classic (snooker)|2R]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="4"|Tournament not held
| align="center"|{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[Strachan Open]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="19"|Tournament not held
| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|[[1992 Strachan Open|QF]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|MR
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|NR
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="2"|Not held
| align="center"|{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|-
| colspan="26" | '''Former non-ranking tournaments'''
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[World Snooker Championship|World Championship]]
|style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1973 World Snooker Championship|2R]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="23"|Ranking event
| align="center"|{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[1974 World Masters|World Masters]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="2"|Not held
| style="text-align:center; background:#0f0;"|[[1974 World Masters|'''W''']]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="21"|Tournament not held
| align="center"|<ref name="AGE6JUL">{{cite news |title=Outsider's pot |newspaper=The Age |location= Melbourne |date=6 July 1974 |page=34}}</ref>
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[Norwich Union Open]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|NH
| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|[[1973 Norwich Union Open|QF]]
| style="text-align:center; background:yellow;"|[[1974 Norwich Union Open|SF]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="21"|Tournament not held
| align="center"|{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[World Professional Match-play Championship|World Matchplay Championship]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="4"|Tournament not held
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1976 World Professional Match-play Championship|1R]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="19"|Tournament not held
| align="center"|{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[1979 Holsten Lager International|Holsten Lager International]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="6"|Tournament not held
| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|[[1979 Holsten Lager International|QF]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="17"|Tournament not held
| align="center"|{{sfn|Everton|1981|page=97}}<!--source says Spencer played Thorburn in the quarter-finals; Spencer is listed as a semi-finalist and Thorburn isn't-->
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[1979 Limosin International|Limosin International]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="7"|Tournament not held
| style="text-align:center; background:yellow;"|[[1979 Limosin International|SF]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"colspan="16"|Tournament not held
| align="center"|{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[Bombay International]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="6"|Tournament not held
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1979 Bombay International|RR]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#D8BFD8;"|[[1980 Bombay International|F]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="16"|Tournament not held
| align="center"|{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[1980 Pontins Camber Sands|Pontins Camber Sands]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="7"|Tournament not held
| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|[[1980 Pontins Camber Sands|QF]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="16"|Tournament not held
| align="center"|{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[Champion of Champions (snooker)|Champion of Champions]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="6"|Tournament not held
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|NH
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1980 Champion of Champions|RR]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="15"|Tournament not held
| align="center"|{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[Scottish Open (snooker)|International Open]]{{efn|name="GOYA"}}
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="9"|Tournament not held
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1981 International Open|2R]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="8"|Ranking event
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="2"|Not held
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="4"|Ranking event
| align="center"|{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[Northern Ireland Trophy|Northern Ireland Classic]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="9"|Tournament not held
| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|[[1981 Northern Ireland Classic|QF]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="14"|Tournament not held
| align="center"|{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[UK Championship]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="5"|Tournament not held
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1981 UK Championship (snooker)|2R]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="12"|Ranking event
| align="center"|{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[British Open (snooker)|British Open]]{{efn|name="BO"}}
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="7"|Tournament not held
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1981 Yamaha Organs Trophy|RR]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1982 International Masters|2R]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="12"|Ranking event
| align="center"|{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}{{sfn|Everton|1984|page=30}}
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[Classic (snooker)|Classic]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="7"|Tournament not held
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|[[1980 Classic (1980/1981)|QF]]{{efn|name="QFF"|The quarter-finals were the first round.}}
| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|[[1982 Classic (snooker)|QF]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|[[1983 Classic (snooker)|QF]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="9"|Ranking event
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="4"|Tournament not held
| align="center"|{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}<ref>{{cite web |last=Turner |first=Chris|title=Wilson's Classic, Lada Classic, Mercantile Credit Classic|url=http://www.cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/classic.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120216155206/http://www.cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/classic.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=16 February 2012|website=Chris Turner's Snooker Archive}}</ref><ref name="CLASS80">{{cite news|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Davis beats world champ|date=2 December 1980|newspaper=Newcastle Journal |location=Newcastle|page=14}}</ref>
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[Tolly Cobbold Classic]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="6"|Tournament not held
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; background:#D8BFD8;"|[[1981 Tolly Cobbold Classic|F]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; background:yellow;"|[[1984 Tolly Cobbold Classic|SF]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="12"|Tournament not held
| align="center"|{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[New Zealand Masters (snooker)|New Zealand Masters]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="12"|Tournament not held
| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|[[1984 New Zealand Masters|QF]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="3"|Not held
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="6"|Tournament not held
| align="center" |<ref>{{cite web|title=1984 New Zealand Masters Results|url=http://www.snookerdatabase.co.uk/EventResults.aspx?EventKey=816|website=Snooker Database|access-date=4 January 2021|archive-date=11 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210111015642/https://www.snookerdatabase.co.uk/EventResults.aspx?EventKey=816|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[Fosters Professional|Carlsberg Challenge]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="12"|Tournament not held
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; background:yellow;"|[[1985 Carlsberg Challenge|SF]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="7"|Tournament not held
| align="center"|{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[1985 Kit Kat Break for World Champions|KitKat Break for World Champions]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="13"|Tournament not held
| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|[[1985 Kit Kat Break for World Champions|QF]]{{efn|name="QFF"}}
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="10"|Tournament not held
| align="center"|{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[Pot Black]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1974 Pot Black|RR]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; background:yellow;"|[[1977 Pot Black|SF]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1978 Pot Black|RR]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; background:#0f0;"|[[1981 Pot Black|'''W''']]
| style="text-align:center; background:yellow;"|[[1982 Pot Black|SF]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; background:yellow;"|[[1985 Pot Black|SF]]
| style="text-align:center; background:yellow;"|[[1986 Pot Black|SF]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="6"|Tournament not held
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|NH
| align="center" |{{sfn|Morrison|1987|page=101}}{{sfn|Perrin|1980|page=97}}<ref>
* {{cite web|title=1977 Pot Black Results|url=https://www.snookerdatabase.co.uk/EventResults.aspx?EventKey=802|website=Snooker Database|access-date=4 January 2021|archive-date=5 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210105010540/https://www.snookerdatabase.co.uk/EventResults.aspx?EventKey=802|url-status=live}}
* {{cite web|title=1978 Pot Black Results|url=https://www.snookerdatabase.co.uk/EventResults.aspx?EventKey=470|website=Snooker Database|access-date=4 January 2021|archive-date=5 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210105010540/https://www.snookerdatabase.co.uk/EventResults.aspx?EventKey=470|url-status=live}}
* {{cite web|title=1982 Pot Black Results|url=https://www.snookerdatabase.co.uk/EventResults.aspx?EventKey=806|website=Snooker Database|access-date=4 January 2021|archive-date=5 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210105010626/https://www.snookerdatabase.co.uk/EventResults.aspx?EventKey=806|url-status=live}}
* {{cite web|title=1985 Pot Black Results|url=https://www.snookerdatabase.co.uk/EventResults.aspx?EventKey=809|website=Snooker Database|access-date=4 January 2021|archive-date=6 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210506035945/https://www.snookerdatabase.co.uk/EventResults.aspx?EventKey=809|url-status=live}}
* {{cite web|title=1986 Pot Black Results|url=https://www.snookerdatabase.co.uk/EventResults.aspx?EventKey=472|website=Snooker Database|access-date=4 January 2021|archive-date=5 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210105010541/https://www.snookerdatabase.co.uk/EventResults.aspx?EventKey=472|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[Hong Kong Masters]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="11"|Tournament not held
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|[[1986 Hong Kong Masters|QF]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|[[1987 Hong Kong Masters|QF]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|NH
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="4"|Tournament not held
| align="center" |{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[Canadian Masters (snooker)|Canadian Masters]]{{efn|name="CANO"}}
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="2"|Not held
| style="text-align:center; background:#0f0;"|[[1974 Canadian Open|'''W''']]
| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|[[1975 Canadian Open|QF]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|[[1976 Canadian Open|QF]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|[[1977 Canadian Open|QF]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#0f0;"|[[1978 Canadian Open|'''W''']]
| style="text-align:center; background:#0f0;"|[[1979 Canadian Open|'''W''']]
| style="text-align:center; background:#0f0;"|[[1980 Canadian Open|'''W''']]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="4"|Tournament not held
| style="text-align:center; background:yellow;"|[[1985 Canadian Masters|SF]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|[[1986 Canadian Masters|QF]]
| style="text-align:center; background:yellow;"|[[1987 Canadian Masters|SF]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|R
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="7"|Tournament not held
| align="center" |{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | {{nowrap|[[Canadian Professional Championship]]}}
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="8"|Tournament not held
| style="text-align:center; background:#0f0;"|[[1980 Canadian Professional Championship|'''W''']]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="2"|Not held
| style="text-align:center; background:yellow;"|[[1983 Canadian Professional Championship|SF]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#0f0;"|[[1984 Canadian Professional Championship|'''W''']]
| style="text-align:center; background:#0f0;"|[[1985 Canadian Professional Championship|'''W''']]
| style="text-align:center; background:#0f0;"|[[1986 Canadian Professional Championship|'''W''']]
| style="text-align:center; background:#0f0;"|[[1987 Canadian Professional Championship|'''W''']]
| style="text-align:center; background:yellow;"|[[1988 Canadian Professional Championship|SF]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="7"|Tournament not held
| align="center" |{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|page=150}}{{sfn|Morrison|1989|p=106}}<ref>{{cite web |last=Turner |first=Chris|title=Other National Professional Championship|url=http://www.cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/natpro.html|website=Chris Turner's Snooker Archive|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120107161810/http://www.cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/natpro.html|archive-date=7 January 2012}}</ref>
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[Dubai Classic|Dubai Masters]]{{efn|name="DUB"}}
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="16"|Tournament not held
| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|[[1988 Dubai Masters|QF]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="7"|Ranking event
| align="center" |{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" |{{nowrap|[[Matchroom Professional Championship]]}}
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="14"|Tournament not held
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|[[1988 Matchroom Professional Championship|QF]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="7"|Ranking event
| align="center" |{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[Norwich Union Grand Prix]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="16"|Tournament not held
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1988 Norwich Union Grand Prix|RR]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="5"|Tournament not held
| align="center" |{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[World Matchplay (snooker)|World Matchplay]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="16"|Tournament not held
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1988 World Matchplay (snooker)|1R]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1989 World Matchplay (snooker)|1R]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="3"|Not held
| align="center" |{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[Snooker Shoot-Out|Shoot-Out]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="18"|Tournament not held
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1990 Shoot-Out|3R]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="5"|Tournament not held
| align="center" |<ref name="SHOOT">{{cite magazine |title=International one-frame shoot-out |magazine=Snooker Scene |date=November 1990 |publisher=Everton's News Agency |location=Birmingham |pages=6–7}}</ref>
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[1990 European Grand Masters|European Grand Masters]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="18"|Tournament not held
| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|[[1990 European Grand Masters|QF]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="5"|Tournament not held
| align="center" |<ref>{{cite news|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Thorburn comeback|date=17 December 1990|newspaper=Newcastle Journal |location=Newcastle|page=21}}</ref>
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[World Masters]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="18"|Tournament not held
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1991 World Masters|1R]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="5"|Tournament not held
| align="center" |{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[European Challenge]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="19"|Tournament not held
| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|[[1991 European Challenge|QF]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="3"|Not held
| align="center" |<ref name="SDBEURO91">{{cite web|title=1991 European Challenge Results Grid|url=http://www.snookerdatabase.co.uk/EventResults.aspx?EventKey=759|website=Snooker Database|access-date=31 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180208124253/http://www.snookerdatabase.co.uk/EventResults.aspx?EventKey=759|archive-date=8 February 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[World Seniors Championship]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="19"|Tournament not held
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1991 World Seniors Championship|1R]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="4"|Tournament not held
| align="center" |<ref>{{cite news|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Snooker: World Seniors Championship|date=20 September 1991|newspaper=Irish Independent |location=Dublin|page=22}}</ref>
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:78%;"
|+ Legend
|-
| align="center" style="color:#555555;" width="30"|LQ
| lost in the qualifying draw
| align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|#R
| lost in the early rounds of the tournament<br />(WR = Wildcard round, RR = Round robin)
| align="center" style="background:#ffebcd;"|QF
| lost in the quarter-finals
|-
| align="center" style="background:yellow;"|SF
| lost in the semi-finals
| align="center" style="background:#D8BFD8;"|F
| lost in the final
| align="center" style="background:#00ff00;"|'''W'''
| won the tournament
|-
| align="center" style="color:#555555;" width="30"|DNQ
| did not qualify for the tournament
| align="center" style="color:#555555;" width="30"|A
| did not participate in the tournament
| align="center" style="color:#555555;" width="30"|WD
| withdrew from the tournament
|}
{|class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%"
|-
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="4"|NH / Not held || means an event was not held.
|-
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="4"|NR / Non-ranking event || means an event is/was no longer a ranking event.
|-
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="4"|R / Ranking event || means an event is/was a ranking event.
|}
{{reflist|group=nb}}
</div>

==Career finals==
===Ranking finals: 10 (2 titles)===
Thorburn's record in [[Snooker world rankings|ranking]] tournament finals is shown below.{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Legend
|- style="background:#e5d1cb;"
| [[World Snooker Championship|World Championship]] (1–2)
|- bgcolor=
| Other (1–6)
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!scope="col"|Outcome
!scope="col"|No.
!scope="col"|Year
!scope="col"|Championship
!scope="col"|Opponent in the final
!scope="col" class=unsortable|Score
|- style="background:#e5d1cb;"
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up
| 1.
| [[1977 World Snooker Championship|1977]]
| [[World Snooker Championship]]
| {{flagathlete|[[John Spencer (snooker player)|John Spencer]]|ENG}}
| align="center"|21–25
|- style="background:#e5d1cb;"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Winner
| 1.
| [[1980 World Snooker Championship|1980]]
| [[World Snooker Championship]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Alex Higgins]]|NIR}}
| align="center"|18–16
|- style="background:#e5d1cb;"
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up
| 2.
| [[1983 World Snooker Championship|1983]]
| [[World Snooker Championship]] (2)
| {{flagathlete|[[Steve Davis]]|ENG}}
| align="center"|6–18
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up
| 3.
| [[1983 International Open|1983]]
| [[Scottish Open (snooker)|International Open]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Steve Davis]]|ENG}}
| align="center"|4–9
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up
| 4.
| [[1984 Grand Prix (snooker)|1984]]
| [[World Open (snooker)|Grand Prix]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Dennis Taylor]]|NIR}}
| align="center"|2–10
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up
| 5.
| [[1985 Classic (snooker)|1985]]
| [[Classic (snooker)|The Classic]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Willie Thorne]]|ENG}}
| align="center"|8–13
|-
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Winner
| 2.
| [[1985 Matchroom Trophy|1985]]
| [[Scottish Open (snooker)|Matchroom Trophy]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Jimmy White]]|ENG}}
| align="center"|12–10
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up
| 6.
| [[1986 Classic (snooker)|1986]]
| [[Classic (snooker)|The Classic]] (2)
| {{flagathlete|[[Jimmy White]]|ENG}}
| align="center"|12–13
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up
| 7.
| [[1986 International Open|1986]]
| [[Scottish Open (snooker)|International Open]] (2)
| {{flagathlete|[[Neal Foulds]]|ENG}}
| align="center"|9–12
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up
| 8.
| [[1987 International Open|1987]]
| [[Scottish Open (snooker)|International Open]] (3)
| {{flagathlete|[[Steve Davis]]|ENG}}
| align="center"|5–12
|}

===Non-ranking finals: 26 (19 titles)===
[[World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association]], the governing body for professional [[snooker]], first published official [[Snooker world rankings|world rankings]] for players on the [[World Snooker Tour|main tour]] for the [[1976–77 snooker season|1976–77 season]].<ref name="SCENE76">{{cite magazine |title=Official rankings |magazine=Snooker Scene |publisher=Everton's News Agency |date=August 1976 |location=Birmingham |page=10}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Turner|first=Chris|title=Historical World Rankings 1975/76 to 1989/90|url=http://www.cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/HistoricRank1.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120608214119/http://www.cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/HistoricRank1.html|archivedate=8 June 2012|website=Chris Turner's Snooker Archive|accessdate=26 February 2011}}</ref> Thorburn's record in non-ranking tournament finals is shown below.
{| class="wikitable"
! Legend
|- style="background:#ffc;"
| The Masters (3–1)
|-
| Other (16–6)
|}

{| class="wikitable sortable"
!scope=col|Outcome
!scope=col|No.
!scope=col|Year
!scope=col|Championship
!scope=col|Opponent in the final
!scope="col" class=unsortable|Score
!scope="col" class=unsortable|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference(s)}}
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up
| 1.
| 1972
| Championship Plate
| {{flagathlete|[[John Pulman]]|ENG}}
| align="center"|13–16
|{{sfn|Kobylecky|2019|pages=198–200}}{{efn|Thorburn's entry for the 1972 World Snooker Championship arrived too late for him to be included in the main draw. He was placed in the plate competition.}}
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up
| 2.
| 1973
| Championship Plate
| {{flagathlete|[[John Pulman]]|ENG}}
| align="center"|12–16
|{{sfn|Kobylecky|2019|pages=198–200}}
|-
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Winner
| 1.
| [[1974 World Masters|1974]]
| [[1974 World Masters|World Masters]]
| {{flagathlete|[[John Spencer (snooker player)|John Spencer]]|ENG}}
| align="center"|160–67{{efn|Aggregate points score across two frames<ref name="SHWM">{{cite news |title=Snooker win to Thorburn |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |location=Sydney |date=6 July 1974 |page=63}}</ref>}}
|<ref name="AGE6JUL"/>
|-
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Winner
| 2.
| [[1974 Canadian Open|1974]]
| [[Canadian Open (snooker)|Canadian Open]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Dennis Taylor]]|NIR}}
| align="center"|8–6
| {{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|-
|- style="background:#ffc;"
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up
| 3.
| [[1978 Masters (snooker)|1978]]
| [[Masters (snooker)|The Masters]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Alex Higgins]]|NIR}}
| align="center"|5–7
| {{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|-
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Winner
| 3.
| [[1978 Canadian Open|1978]]
| [[Canadian Open (snooker)|Canadian Open]] (2)
| {{flagathlete|[[Tony Meo]]|ENG}}
| align="center"|17–15
| {{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|-
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Winner
| 4.
| [[1979 Canadian Open|1979]]
| [[Canadian Open (snooker)|Canadian Open]] (3)
| {{flagathlete|[[Terry Griffiths]]|WAL}}
| align="center"|17–16
| {{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up
| 4.
| [[1980 Bombay International|1980]]
| [[Bombay International]]
| {{flagathlete|[[John Virgo]]|ENG}}
| align="center"|7–13
| {{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|-
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Winner
| 5.
| [[1980 Canadian Professional Championship|1980]]
| [[Canadian Professional Championship]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Jim Wych]]|CAN}}
| align="center"|9–6
|<ref>{{cite web |last=Turner |first=Chris|url=https://www.cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/natpro.html |title=Other National Professional Championships – Canadian Professional Championship |website=Chris Turner's Snooker Archive |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720030317/https://www.cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/natpro.html |archive-date=20 July 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Winner
| 6.
| [[1980 Canadian Open|1980]]
| [[Canadian Open (snooker)|Canadian Open]] (4)
| {{flagathlete|[[Terry Griffiths]]|WAL}}
| align="center"|17–10
| {{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|-
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Winner
| 7.
| [[1981 Pot Black|1981]]
| [[Pot Black]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Jim Wych]]|CAN}}
| align="center"|2–0
|{{sfn|Morrison|1987|page=101}}
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up
| 5.
| [[1981 Tolly Cobbold Classic|1981]]
| [[Tolly Cobbold Classic]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Graham Miles]]|ENG}}
| align="center"|1–5
| {{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|-
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Winner
| 8.
| 1981
| Classic Tournament
| {{flagathlete|[[Kirk Stevens]]|CAN}}
| align="center"|6–2
|<ref>{{cite magazine |magazine=Snooker Scene |date=April 1981|pages=20–21 |title=Thorburn wins Lada Classic |publisher=Everton's News Agency |location=Birmingham }}</ref>
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up
| 6.
| [[1981 Scottish Masters|1981]]
| [[Scottish Masters]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Jimmy White]]|ENG}}
| align="center"|4–9
| {{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|- style="background:#ffc;"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Winner
| 9.
| [[1983 Masters (snooker)|1983]]
| [[Masters (snooker)|The Masters]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Ray Reardon]]|WAL}}
| align="center"|9–7
|{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|-
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Winner
| 10.
| [[1983 Australian Masters|1983]]
| [[Australian Masters (snooker)|Australian Masters]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Bill Werbeniuk]]|CAN}}
| align="center"|7–3
| {{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|-
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Winner
| 11.
| [[1984 Canadian Professional Championship|1984]]
| [[Canadian Professional Championship]] (2)
| {{flagathlete|[[Mario Morra (pool player)|Mario Morra]]|CAN}}
| align="center"|9–2
|{{sfn|Morrison|1989|p=106}}
|- style="background:#ffc;"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Winner
| 12.
| [[1985 Masters (snooker)|1985]]
| [[Masters (snooker)|The Masters]] (2)
| {{flagathlete|[[Doug Mountjoy]]|WAL}}
| align="center"|9–6
|{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|-
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Winner
| 13.
| [[1985 Canadian Professional Championship|1985]]
| [[Canadian Professional Championship]] (3)
| {{flagathlete|[[Bob Chaperon]]|CAN}}
| align="center"|6–4
|{{sfn|Morrison|1989|p=106}}
|-
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Winner
| 14.
| [[1985 Scottish Masters|1985]]
| [[Scottish Masters]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Willie Thorne]]|ENG}}
| align="center"|9–7
|{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|- style="background:#ffc;"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Winner
| 15.
| [[1986 Masters (snooker)|1986]]
| [[Masters (snooker)|The Masters]] (3)
| {{flagathlete|[[Jimmy White]]|ENG}}
| align="center"|9–5
|{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|-
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Winner
| 16.
| [[1986 Canadian Professional Championship|1986]]
| [[Canadian Professional Championship]] (4)
| {{flagathlete|[[Jim Wych]]|CAN}}
| align="center"|6–2
|{{sfn|Morrison|1989|p=106}}
|-
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Winner
| 17.
| [[1986 Scottish Masters|1986]]
| [[Scottish Masters]] (2)
| {{flagathlete|[[Alex Higgins]]|NIR}}
| align="center"|9–8
|{{sfn|Hayton|Dee|2004|pages=949–952}}
|-
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Winner
| 18.
| [[1987 Canadian Professional Championship|1987]]
| [[Canadian Professional Championship]] (5)
| {{flagathlete|Jim Bear|CAN}}
| align="center"|8–4
|{{sfn|Morrison|1989|p=106}}
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a"|Runner-up
| 7.
| [[2000 World Seniors Masters|2000]]
| [[World Seniors Masters]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Willie Thorne]]|ENG}}
| align="center"|0–1{{efn|8–84 points<ref name="2000MAS" />}}
|<ref name="2000MAS">{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Thorne wins |newspaper=Evening Herald |location=Dublin |date=29 May 2000 |page=85 }}</ref>
|-
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Winner
| 19.
| [[2018 Seniors Masters|2018]]
| The Seniors Masters
| {{flagathlete|Jonathan Bagley|ENG}}
| align="center"|2–1
|<ref name="SL18" />
|}

===Team finals: 9 (4 titles)===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!scope=col|Outcome
!scope=col"|No.
!scope=col|Year
!scope=col|Championship
!scope=col|Team/partner
!scope=col|Opponent(s) in the final
!scope="col" class=unsortable|Score
!scope="col" class=unsortable|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference(s)}}
|-
| style="background:#98FB98"|Winner
| 1.
| [[1975 Ladbroke International (snooker)|1975]]
| [[1975 Ladbroke International (snooker)|Ladbroke International]]
| Rest of the World{{efn|The "Rest of the World" team was Thorburn, [[Ray Reardon]] (Wales), [[Eddie Charlton]] (Australia), and [[Alex Higgins]] and [[Jackie Rea]] (both Northern Ireland).<ref name="LINT">{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=ITV London |work=Reading Evening Post |location=Reading|date=5 April 1975 |page=2 }}</ref>}}
| {{flagcountry|ENG}}{{efn|The England team was [[Rex Williams]], [[Fred Davis (snooker player)|Fred Davis]], [[Graham Miles]], [[John Spencer (snooker player)|John Spencer]] and [[John Pulman]].<ref name="LINT"/>}}
| align="center"|+113{{efn|Difference in cumulative points scored}}
|{{sfn|Everton|1976|pages=6–7}}
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up
| 1.
| [[1980 World Challenge Cup|1980]]
| [[World Cup (snooker)|World Challenge Cup]]
| {{flagcountry|CAN}}{{efn|name="CAN1"|The other players were [[Bill Werbeniuk]] and [[Kirk Stevens]].{{sfn|Morrison|1987|pages=137–140}}}}
| {{flagcountry|WAL}}{{efn|The Wales team was [[Ray Reardon]], [[Terry Griffiths]] and [[Doug Mountjoy]]{{sfn|Morrison|1987|pages=137–140}}}}
| align="center"|5–8
|{{sfn|Morrison|1987|pages=137–140}}
|-
| style="background:#98FB98"|Winner
| 2.
| 1981
| World Mixed Doubles Championship
| {{flagathlete|[[Natalie Stelmach]]|CAN}}
| {{flagathlete|[[John Virgo]]|ENG}}<br>{{flagathlete|[[Vera Selby]]|ENG}}
| align="center"|269–239{{efn|Aggregate points across four frames<ref name="CWST" />}}
|<ref name="CWST">{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Canadians win snooker title |newspaper=The Gazette |location=Montreal |date=9 May 1981 |page=34}}</ref>
|-
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Winner
| 3.
| [[1982 World Team Classic|1982]]
| [[World Cup (snooker)|World Team Classic]]
| {{flagcountry|CAN}}{{efn|name="CAN1"}}
| {{flagcountry|ENG}}{{efn|The England team was [[Steve Davis]], [[Jimmy White]] and [[Tony Knowles (snooker player)|Tony Knowles]].{{sfn|Morrison|1987|pages=137–140}}}}
| align="center"|4–2
|{{sfn|Morrison|1987|pages=137–140}}
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up
| 2.
| [[1984 World Doubles Championship|1984]]
| [[World Doubles Championship]] (2)
| {{flagathlete|[[Willie Thorne]]|ENG}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Alex Higgins]]|NIR}}<br>{{flagathlete|[[Jimmy White]]|ENG}}
| align="center"|2–10
|{{sfn|Hale|1987|page=226}}
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up
| 3.
| [[1986 World Cup (snooker)|1986]]
| [[World Cup (snooker)|World Cup]] (2)
| {{flagcountry|CAN}}{{efn|name="CAN1"}}
| Ireland "A"{{efn|name="IRELA"|The Ireland "A" team was [[Dennis Taylor]] and [[Alex Higgins]] from Northern Ireland, and [[Eugene Hughes (snooker player)|Eugene Hughes]] from the Republic of Ireland.<ref>{{cite news |last=Acteson |first=Steve |title=Hughes paid no favours by new format |newspaper=The Times |location=London |date=16 March 1988 |page=47}}</ref>}}
| align="center"|7–9
|{{sfn|Hale|1987|page=243}}
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up
| 4.
| [[1987 World Cup (snooker)|1987]]
| [[World Cup (snooker)|World Cup]] (3)
| {{flagcountry|CAN}}{{efn|name="CAN1"}}
| Ireland "A"{{efn|name="IRELA"}}
| align="center"|2–9
|{{sfn|Hale|1987|page=243}}
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up
| 5.
| [[1987 World Doubles Championship|1987]]
| [[World Doubles Championship]] (2)
| {{flagathlete|[[Dennis Taylor]]|NIR}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Stephen Hendry]]|SCO}}<br>{{flagathlete|[[Mike Hallett]]|ENG}}
| align="center"|8–12
|<ref>{{cite news |last=Acteson |first=Steve |title=Snooker: Favourites fall to a dramatic revival |newspaper=The Times |location=London |date=14 December 1987 |page=33}}</ref>
|-
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Winner
| 4.
| [[1990 World Cup (snooker)|1990]]
| [[World Cup (snooker)|World Cup]] (2)
| {{flagcountry|CAN}}{{efn|The other team members were [[Bob Chaperon]] and [[Alain Robidoux]].<ref name="CAN2"/>}}
| {{flagcountry|NIR}}{{efn|The Northern Ireland team was [[Dennis Taylor]], [[Alex Higgins]] and [[Tommy Murphy (snooker player)|Tommy Murphy]],<ref name="CAN2"/>}}
| align="center"|9–5
|<ref name="CAN2">{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Sport in brief: Canada top |newspaper=The Sunday Times |location=London |date=25 March 1990 |page=B1}}</ref>
|}

===Amateur finals: 12 (7 titles)===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!scope=col|Outcome
!scope=col|No.
!scope=col|Year
!scope=col|Championship
!scope=col|Opponent in the final
!scope="col" class=unsortable|Score
!scope="col" class=unsortable|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference(s)}}
|-
| style="background:#98FB98"|Winner
| 1.
| 1971
| North American Amateur Championship
| {{flagathlete|Kenny Shea|CAN}}
| align="center"|36–15
|<ref name="NA71">{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=7 December 1971 |title=Cliff Thorburn wins snooker championship |newspaper=The Ottawa Journal |location=Ottawa |page=28 }}</ref>
|-
| style="background:#98FB98"|Winner
| 2.
| 1972
| [[Canadian Amateur Championship (snooker)|Canadian Amateur Championship]]
| 
|
|<ref name="OJ74">{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=10 October 1974 |title=$4,300 purse for snooker tourney players |newspaper=The Ottawa Journal |location=Ottawa |page=30}}</ref>
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up
| 1.
| 1973
| North American Amateur Championship
| {{flagathlete|[[Bill Werbeniuk]]|CAN}}
| align="center"|22–26
|<ref name="NA73">{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=15 February 1973 |title=New champ |newspaper=Ottawa Citizen |location=Ottawa |page=21}}</ref>
|-
| style="background:#98FB98"|Winner
| 3.
| 1974
| [[Canadian Amateur Championship (snooker)|Canadian Amateur Championship]] (2)
| {{flagathlete|Julien St Dennis|CAN}}
| align="center"|13–11
|<ref name="cbsa.ca"/><ref name="OJ74A">{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=21 October 1974 |title=Thorburn wins snooker crown |newspaper=The Ottawa Journal |location=Ottawa |page=21}}</ref>
|-
| style="background:#98FB98"|Winner
| 4.
| 1975
| [[Canadian Amateur Championship (snooker)|Canadian Amateur Championship]] (3)
| {{flagathlete|[[Bill Werbeniuk]]|CAN}}
| align="center"|11–1
|<ref name="OJ75">{{cite news |last=Ferguson |first=Bob |date=27 October 1975 |title=Snooker title to Thorburn |newspaper=The Ottawa Journal |location=Ottawa |page=18}}</ref>
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up
| 2.
| 1975
| North American Amateur Championship (2)
| {{flagathlete|[[Bill Werbeniuk]]|CAN}}
| align="center"|9–11
|<ref name="C76">{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=4 October 1976 |title=Cue crown to Thorburn |newspaper=Ottawa Citizen |location=Ottawa |page=48 }}</ref>
|-
| style="background:#98FB98"|Winner
| 5.
| 1976
| [[Canadian Amateur Championship (snooker)|Canadian Amateur Championship]] (4)
| {{flagathlete|[[Bill Werbeniuk]]|CAN}}
| align="center"|9–2
|<ref name="C76" />
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up
| 3.
| 1976
| North American Amateur Championship (3)
| {{flagathlete|[[Bill Werbeniuk]]|CAN}}
| align="center"|10–11
|<ref name="C76">{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=4 October 1976 |title=Cue crown to Thorburn |newspaper=Ottawa Citizen |location=Ottawa |page=48 }}</ref>
|-
| style="background:#98FB98"|Winner
| 6.
| 1977
| [[Canadian Amateur Championship (snooker)|Canadian Amateur Championship]] (5)
| {{flagathlete|Robert Paquette|CAN}}
| align="center"|10–6
|<ref name="OJ77">{{cite news |last=MacCabe |first=Colleen |date=26 September 1977 |title=Thorburn reigns as snooker's king |newspaper=The Ottawa Journal |location=Ottawa |page=14}}</ref>
|-
| style="background:#98FB98"|Winner
| 7.
| 2001
| [[Canadian Amateur Championship (snooker)|Canadian Amateur Championship]] (6)
| {{flagathlete|Tom Finstad|CAN}}
| align="center"| 4–3
|<ref name="cbsa.ca"/><ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=20 June 2001 |title=Minor/Amateur results |newspaper=The Record |location=Kitchener |page=C05 }}</ref>
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up
| 4.
| 2002
| [[Canadian Amateur Championship (snooker)|Canadian Amateur Championship]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Kirk Stevens]]|CAN}}
| align="center"| 1–6
|<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Stevens beats Thorburn for Canadian title |magazine=Snooker Scene |publisher=Everton's News Agency |location=Birmingham |date=October 2002 |page=27 }}</ref>
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up
| 5.
| 2003
| [[Canadian Amateur Championship (snooker)|Canadian Amateur Championship]] (2)
| {{flagathlete|[[Alain Robidoux]]|CAN}}
| align="center"| 2–6
|<ref name="cbsa.ca"/>
|}

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
'''Citations'''
{{Reflist}}

'''Sources'''
{{refbegin|30em}}
* {{cite book|first=Gary |last=Clarke|title=A Billiards and Snooker Compendium|year=2008|publisher=Paragon Publishing|isbn=978-1-899820-46-7|pages=23, 69}}
* {{cite book |last=Everton |first=Clive |author-link=Clive Everton |year=1976 |title=The Ladbroke Snooker International Handbook |publisher=Ladbrokes Leisure|isbn=978-0-905606-00-2}}
* {{cite book |last=Everton |first=Clive |author-link=Clive Everton |year=1981 |title=The Guinness Book of Snooker |publisher=Guinness Superlatives Ltd |isbn=978-0-85112-230-4}}
* {{cite book |editor-first=Clive |editor-last=Everton |editor-link=Clive Everton |year=1984 |title=Benson and Hedges Snooker Year |location=London|publisher=Virgin Books |isbn=978-0-86369-051-8|edition=First }}
* {{cite book |last=Everton |first=Clive |author-link=Clive Everton |year=1985 |title=Snooker – The Records |publisher=Guinness Superlatives |isbn=978-0-85112-448-3}}
* {{cite book |last=Everton |first=Clive |author-link=Clive Everton |year=2012 |title=Black Farce and Cue Ball Wizards |publisher=Mainstream |location=Edinburgh |isbn=978-1-78057-568-1}}
* {{cite book |last=Hale |first=Janice |year=1987 |title=Rothmans Snooker Yearbook 1987–88 |location=Aylesbury |publisher=Queen Anne Press |isbn=978-0-356-14690-4 }}
* {{cite book |last1=Hayton |first1=Eric |last2=Dee |first2=John |year=2004 |title=The CueSport Book of Professional Snooker: The Complete Record & History |publisher=Rose Villa Publications |location=Lowestoft |isbn=978-0-9548549-0-4}}
* {{cite book |last=Kobylecky |first=John |year=2019 |title=The Complete International Directory of Snooker Players – 1927 to 2018 |publisher=Kobyhadrian Books|isbn=978-0-9931433-1-1 }}
* {{cite book |last=Morrison |first=Ian |date=1987 |title=The Hamlyn Encyclopedia of Snooker |location=Twickenham |publisher=Hamlyn |isbn=978-0-600-55604-6}}
* {{cite book |last=Morrison |first=Ian |date=1988 |title=Hamlyn Who's Who in Snooker |location=London |publisher=Hamlyn |isbn=978-0-600-55713-5 }}
* {{cite book |last=Morrison|first=Ian |date=1989 |title=Snooker: records, facts and champions |publisher=Guinness Superlatives |isbn=978-0-85112-364-6}}
* {{cite book |last=Perrin |first=Reg |title=Pot Black |publisher=BBC Books |year=1980 |isbn=978-0-563-17789-0 }}
* {{cite book |first=Cliff |last=Thorburn|title=Cliff Thorburn's Snooker Skills |publisher=Hamlyn |location=London |year=1987 |isbn=978-0-600-55210-9}}
* {{cite book |title=Playing for Keeps |first1=Cliff |last1=Thorburn |first2=Clive |last2=Everton |date=1987 |publisher=Partridge Press |isbn=978-1-85225-011-9 }}
* {{cite book |last1=Williams |first1=Luke |last2=Gadsby |first2=Paul |date=2005 |title=Masters of the Baize |location=Edinburgh |publisher=Mainstream |isbn=978-1-84018-872-1}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{portal|Cue sports}}
{{Commons category}}
* {{WST player|cliff-thorburn|archive=20231207213623}}
* {{snooker.org player}}

{{World snooker champions}}
{{Masters winners}}
{{Snooker world number ones}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thorburn, Cliff}}
[[Category:1948 births]]
[[Category:Canadian autobiographers]]
[[Category:Canadian snooker players]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Masters (snooker) champions]]
[[Category:Members of the Order of Canada]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Victoria, British Columbia]]
[[Category:Winners of the professional snooker world championship]]
[[Category:World number one snooker players]]