| Tournament Name: | 1986 Tennent's UK Championship |
| Venue: | Preston Guild Hall |
| Location: | Preston |
| Country: | England |
| Organisation: | WPBSA |
| Format: | Ranking event |
| Total Prize Fund: | £300,000[1] |
| Winners Share: | £60,000 |
| Highest Break: | (144)[2] |
| Score: | 16–7 |
| Previous: | 1985 |
| Next: | 1987 |
The 1986 UK Championship (officially the 1986 Tennent's UK Championship) was a professional ranking snooker tournament that took place between 22 and 30 November 1986 at the Guild Hall in Preston, England. Scottish brewing company Tennent's took over as sponsors of the UK Championship when Coral withdrew their sponsorship after eight years.[3]
Steve Davis won his fifth UK title by defeating Neal Foulds 16–7 in the final; Foulds had won the International Open two months earlier. Winning the top prize of £60,000, Davis achieved a personal landmark with his victory as it took his career winnings above £1 million.[4] The highest break of the tournament was a 144 made by Jimmy White.
The event is more remembered for Alex Higgins headbutting the Tournament Director Paul Hatherell following his last 16 victory against Mike Hallett. The incident threatening him to be removed from the tournament but he stayed and after defeating Wayne Jones in the quarter finals, he lost 3-9 to Steve Davis in the semi-final. Higgins was later fined £12,000 and banned from five subsequent tournaments.[5]
| Final: Best of 31 frames. Referee: John Street The Guild Hall, Preston, England, 29 and 30 November 1986. | |||
| Steve Davis | 16–7 | Neal Foulds | |
| First session: 20–64 (63), 39–90 (53), 62–19, 79–39, 79–15, 71–59, 53–57 Second session: 104–0 (104), 9–63, 53–43, 82–20 (61), 80–1 (80), 96–38 (65), 123–0 (56, 67) Third session: 18–80 (67), 78–70 (Foulds 56), 110–0 (110), 24–81, 65–28, 76–45 (59), 56–75 Fourth session: 124–0 (124), 75–0 (66) | |||
| 124 | Highest break | 67 | |
| 3 | Century breaks | 0 | |
| 10 | 50+ breaks | 4 | |