CARMARTHENSHIRE County Council Leader Cllr Darren Price has paid tribute to one of Llanelli’s greatest sons and a giant of world snooker, Terry Griffiths OBE who has sadly died.
A proud Welshman, Terry Griffiths won the World Championship in 1979 and the Masters in 1980 before completing snooker’s ‘Triple Crown’ in 1982 by winning the UK Championship.
He was also crowned BBC Wales Sport’s Personality of the Year in 1979.
After retiring as a professional player in 1997, Griffiths turned his hand to coaching and mentored many icons of the game, including Stephen Hendry, Mark Williams, Ronnie O’Sullivan and many more.
He was also a successful snooker commentator and was admired by snooker fans in Wales and across the world.
Cllr Darren Price, speaking on behalf of the Council, said: “Terry Griffiths will be remembered as a true snooker legend, whose battles with the likes of Alex Higgins, Dennis Taylor and Steve Davis inspired generations of snooker fans across the world.
“There was no doubting Terry’s pride in his hometown of Llanelli – his amazing accomplishments put Llanelli, Carmarthenshire and Wales on the map.
“Whilst working as a commentator and pundit, his strong Llanelli accent was an informative, intelligent and warm expert guide to millions of snooker viewers, whilst his love for the town was evident by his establishing the Terry Griffiths Matchroom in Llanelli during the height of his playing career.
“Our deepest condolences are extended to Terry’s family and friends following his passing.”
