‘I won the World Snooker Championship and then blew £50,000 on silly buy'
Dennis Taylor splashed out £50,000 on a swanky car following his World Snooker Championship win in 1985. The 76-year-old hailing from Coalisland, Northern Ireland, burst onto the scene in 1972.
He secured his first and only world title 13 years later, narrowly defeating Steve Davis in the famous 18-17 black-ball final at the Crucible. Taylor pocketed a cool £60,000 cash prize for his win.
However, he quickly put a significant dent in his winnings. The vast majority of them went on a sleek dark blue BMW 750, which cost £50k.
Reflecting on his extravagant buy, he said: "I did allow myself one extravagant purchase after I won the world championship. I went and spent £50,000 on a car, and I couldn't believe I did it really.
"When I thought back to when I first moved to England at 17, the first car I bought cost me £15. I often joke about it, it was the same price as a block of new chalk cost.
"To spend £50,000 on a motorcar was a bit silly back then, but I suppose I earned it anyway." Taylor's 1985 World Championship victory wasn't without its trials as he trailed 9-1 against Davis at the Crucible before staging a comeback to clinch victory.
After that memorable night in April four decades ago, he never managed to progress beyond the quarter-finals of the tournament. Davis, during his celebrated career, hoisted six World Championships of his own.
His inaugural win came in 1981 and his final championship in 1989. It comes as Zhao Xintong clinched the 2025 World Championship on Monday evening, overcoming Mark Williams with an 18-12 win in the Crucible finale.
The prodigy from China triumphed in 111 frames across nine matches, spanning a gruelling 29 days, including qualifiers, to lift the title and etch his name in history as the first Asian to claim the prestigious accolade.
Reflecting on his Sheffield success, he told the BBC: "This is like a dream. I can't believe it. There was big pressure and big nerves.
"I knew if I missed he could come back quickly. I was so nervous tonight. Mark is still a top player and put me under so much pressure. He's the best."
With this monumental win, Zhao pocketed a whopping £500,000 prize and catapulted to 11th in the world rankings, setting a robust precedent for the 2025/26 season.
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