New Delhi, December 2 , 2024 (Navroze Bureau) – Former snooker world champion Terry Griffiths died on Monday aged 77 after a long battle with dementia.
Wayne, Griffiths’ son, shared the news on Facebook, writing, “Terry Griffiths OBE died peacefully on December 1 after a long battle with dementia. He was surrounded by his family in his beloved hometown in South Wales.
“A proud Welshman, Terry was born in Llanelli, brought pride to Llanelli, and now finds peace in Llanelli. He wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Griffiths achieved world fame in 1979 when he became the first qualifier to win the World Snooker Championship, beating Dennis Taylor 24–16 and marking a turning point in the game’s history.
Griffiths completed snooker’s prestigious ‘Triple Crown’, adding the 1980 Masters and 1982 UK Championships to his trophy cabinet. At the peak of his career, he reached a world ranking of number three and was awarded an OBE in 2007 for his services to snooker.
After his retirement in 1997, he transitioned into coaching, where his influence was equally profound. He became a mentor to some of the greats of the game including Stephen Hendry, Mark Williams and Mark Allen.