Jack McLaughlin (born 29 January 1959) is a Northern Irish former professional snooker and billiards player from Lurgan. McLaughlin is most notable for winning the 1988 Irish Professional Championship.
Career McLaughlin turned professional in 1985 at the age of 26 after being Northern Ireland Amateur Champion in 1983 and 1984. McLaughlin's most notable moment came in the 1988 Irish Professional Championship in Antrim when he was the surprise winner of the tournament. After defeating Pascal Burke, Paul Watchorn and Joe O'Boye, he faced 1985 World Snooker Champion Dennis Taylor in the final. Despite being a huge underdog, McLaughlin won the match 9–4 to become the first winner other than Taylor or Alex Higgins in sixteen years. The following season he came close to defending his title, but lost 7–9 to Higgins.
Outside of this win, McLaughlin's best ranking finish as a professional was reaching the quarter-final of the 1989 Dubai Classic where he was defeated 5-1 by Danny Fowler.
McLaughlin left the professional game in 1995. After continuing to play amateur snooker he took up billiards in 2011, most notably reaching the final of the UK Seniors event in 2014.
Now working as a prison governor, he plays golf in his spare time as a leisure pursuit with his wife Lynne.
Performance and rankings timeline Tournament 1984/85 1985/86 1986/87 1987/88 1988/89 1989/90 1990/91 1991/92 1992/93 1993/94 1994/95 RankingNew players on the Main Tour do not have a ranking.69715064584949545877 Ranking tournaments Dubai Classic Tournament Not HeldNRQF1RLQLQLQLQ Grand Prix1R1R2R1R3R1RLQLQLQLQLQ UK Championship1R1R1RLQ1R1RLQLQ1RLQLQ European Open Tournament Not Held1R1R2R2RLQLQLQ Welsh Open Tournament Not HeldLQ1RLQLQ International OpenThe event ran under different names such as the Matchroom Trophy (1985/1986).LQLQ1RLQ1R1R Not HeldLQ1RLQ Thailand OpenThe event ran under different names such as Asian Open (1991/1992 to 1992/1993) and Thailand Open (1993/1994 to 1994/1995). Non-Ranking Event Not Held1R3RLQ1RLQLQ British OpenLQ1R2RLQLQLQ1RLQLQLQLQ World ChampionshipWDLQLQLQLQLQLQLQLQLQLQ Non-ranking tournaments The MastersAAAAAALQLQLQLQLQ Former ranking tournaments Canadian Masters Tournament Not HeldLQ Tournament Not Held Hong Kong Open Tournament Not Held1R Tournament Not Held ClassicLQ1R1R1R1R2R1R2R Not Held Strachan Open Tournament Not Held1R Not Held Former non-ranking tournaments Irish Masters Tournament Not Held1R Tournament Not Held Shoot-Out Tournament Not Held1R Tournament Not Held World Masters Tournament Not HeldLQ Tournament Not Held LQQF1RWFNot HeldQFQFNot Held
Performance table legendLQ lost in the qualifying draw#R lost in the early rounds of the tournament(WR = Wildcard round, RR = Round robin)QF lost in the quarter-finalsSF lost in the semi–finalsF lost in the finalW won the tournamentDNQ did not qualify for the tournamentA did not participate in the tournamentWD withdrew from the tournament NH / Not Held means an event was not held.NR / Non-Ranking Event means an event is/was no longer a ranking event.R / Ranking Event means an event is/was a ranking event.MR / Minor-Ranking Event means an event is/was a minor-ranking event.
Career finals Non-ranking finals: 2 (1 title) OutcomeNo.YearChampionshipOpponent in the finalScoreWinner 1. 1988 Irish Professional Championship 9–4Runner-up 1. 1989 Irish Professional Championship 7–9
Amateur finals: 2 (2 titles) OutcomeNo.YearChampionshipOpponent in the finalScoreWinner 1. 1983 Northern Ireland Amateur Championship John McIntyre10–4Winner 2. 1984 Northern Ireland Amateur Championship (2) Harry Morgan10–3
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