# 1979 Canadian Open

The 1979 Canadian Open was the sixth edition of the snooker tournament the Canadian Open, which took place in September 1979.
Cliff Thorburn won the title for the fourth time, beating Terry Griffiths 17–16 in the final.

## Summary

The event was held at the Canadian National Exhibition Stadium and was open to any player who paid the $30 entry fee. The top eight seeds were placed into the seventh round.
Thorburn led Griffiths 10–3 in the final, before winning in the deciding frame, 17–16. Thorburn received $6,000 as winner, with Griffiths taking $2,000 as runner-up.

## Main draw

Results from the later rounds are shown below.
| Round 6 Best of 17 frames | Round 6 Best of 17 frames | Round 6 Best of 17 frames | Round 7 Best of 17 frames | Round 7 Best of 17 frames | Round 7 Best of 17 frames | Quarter-finals Best of 17 frames | Quarter-finals Best of 17 frames | Quarter-finals Best of 17 frames | Semi-finals Best of 17 frames | Semi-finals Best of 17 frames | Semi-finals Best of 17 frames | Final Best of 33 frames | Final Best of 33 frames | Final Best of 33 frames |
| | | | Cliff Thorburn | Cliff Thorburn | 9 | | | | | | | |
| Gordon Tekatch | Gordon Tekatch | 9 | Gordon Tekatch | Gordon Tekatch | 1 | | | | | | | |
| Gordon Tekatch | Gordon Tekatch | 9 | Gordon Tekatch | Gordon Tekatch | 1 | Cliff Thorburn | Cliff Thorburn | 9 | | | | |
| Ken Shea | Ken Shea | 5 | | | | Cliff Thorburn | Cliff Thorburn | 9 | | | | |
| Ken Shea | Ken Shea | 5 | | | | Steve Davis | Steve Davis | 6 | | | | |
| | | | Steve Davis | Steve Davis | 9 | Steve Davis | Steve Davis | 6 | | | | |
| Jimmy White | Jimmy White | 9 | Jimmy White | Jimmy White | 3 | | | | | | | |
| Jimmy White | Jimmy White | 9 | Jimmy White | Jimmy White | 3 | | | | Cliff Thorburn | Cliff Thorburn | 9 | |
| Tony Knowles | Tony Knowles | 5 | | | | | | | Cliff Thorburn | Cliff Thorburn | 9 | |
| Tony Knowles | Tony Knowles | 5 | | | | | | | Alex Higgins | Alex Higgins | 6 | |
| | | | Alex Higgins | Alex Higgins | 9 | | | | Alex Higgins | Alex Higgins | 6 | |
| Kevin Robitaille | Kevin Robitaille | 9 | Kevin Robitaille | Kevin Robitaille | 0 | | | | | | | |
| Kevin Robitaille | Kevin Robitaille | 9 | Kevin Robitaille | Kevin Robitaille | 0 | Alex Higgins | Alex Higgins | 9 | | | | |
| D Ireland | D Ireland | 5 | | | | Alex Higgins | Alex Higgins | 9 | | | | |
| D Ireland | D Ireland | 5 | | | | Bill Werbeniuk | Bill Werbeniuk | 5 | | | | |
| | | | Bill Werbeniuk | Bill Werbeniuk | 9 | Bill Werbeniuk | Bill Werbeniuk | 5 | | | | |
| Paul Thornley | Paul Thornley | 9 | Paul Thornley | Paul Thornley | 8 | | | | | | | | | |
| Paul Thornley | Paul Thornley | 9 | Paul Thornley | Paul Thornley | 8 | | | | | | | Cliff Thorburn | Cliff Thorburn | 17 |
| Jim Whittaker | Jim Whittaker | 2 | | | | | | | | | | Cliff Thorburn | Cliff Thorburn | 17 |
| Jim Whittaker | Jim Whittaker | 2 | | | | | | | | | | Terry Griffiths | Terry Griffiths | 16 |
| | | | Terry Griffiths | Terry Griffiths | 9 | | | | | | | Terry Griffiths | Terry Griffiths | 16 |
| Derek Norris | Derek Norris | 9 | Derek Norris | Derek Norris | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| Derek Norris | Derek Norris | 9 | Derek Norris | Derek Norris | 6 | Terry Griffiths | Terry Griffiths | 9 | | | | | | |
| Bernard Bennett | Bernard Bennett | 7 | | | | Terry Griffiths | Terry Griffiths | 9 | | | | | | |
| Bernard Bennett | Bernard Bennett | 7 | | | | Jim Wych | Jim Wych | 2 | | | | | | |
| | | | Jim Wych | Jim Wych | 9 | Jim Wych | Jim Wych | 2 | | | | | | |
| Jim Wych | Jim Wych | 9 | Tony Meo | Tony Meo | 8 | | | | | | | | | |
| Jim Wych | Jim Wych | 9 | Tony Meo | Tony Meo | 8 | | | | Terry Griffiths | Terry Griffiths | 9 | | | |
| Mario Morra | Mario Morra | 7 | | | | | | | Terry Griffiths | Terry Griffiths | 9 | | | |
| Mario Morra | Mario Morra | 7 | | | | | | | Kirk Stevens | Kirk Stevens | 8 | | | |
| | | | Kirk Stevens | Kirk Stevens | 9 | | | | Kirk Stevens | Kirk Stevens | 8 | | | |
| Joe Johnson | Joe Johnson | 9 | Joe Johnson | Joe Johnson | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| Joe Johnson | Joe Johnson | 9 | Joe Johnson | Joe Johnson | 2 | Kirk Stevens | Kirk Stevens | 9 | | | | | | |
| John Bear | John Bear | 7 | | | | Kirk Stevens | Kirk Stevens | 9 | | | | | | |
| John Bear | John Bear | 7 | | | | Dennis Taylor | Dennis Taylor | 3 | | | | | | |
| | | | Dennis Taylor | Dennis Taylor | 9 | Dennis Taylor | Dennis Taylor | 3 | | | | | | |
| Kari Elovaara | Kari Elovaara | 9 | Kari Elovaara | Kari Elovaara | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| Tom Regina | Tom Regina | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | |

## Other events

There were two additional events run alongside the main snooker tournament.
* Women's snooker: Natalie Stelmach won the tournament by defeating Ann Johnson 4–3 in the final.
* English billiards: There were 16 entrants. Joe Johnson defeated Ian Williamson 500–284 in the final.