In 1981 Eric Bristow won the Winmau World Masters for the third time. In the Wembley Conference center The Crafty Cockney beat John Lowe in the final.
The British dominated the edition of 1981. Bristow, Lowe and Whitcombe were all in the semi-finals. The Swede Stefan Lord was the fourth semi-finalist. He lost to John Lowe.
The English / Dutchman Patrick McGorrigan lost in the last 32 to Welshman Ceri Morgan and Belgian Dirk van der Eycken had to leave the victory to Cliff Lazarenko.