After Dinner Speakers: Mark Williams, Engelbert Humperdinck, Judas Priest

WHEN Mark Williams won the 1996 Regal Welsh Open on home turf, TV pundit Willie Thorne said live on air that he thought the talented Welshman would be a one-hit wonder. The Great WT has been forced to eat his words time and again as Williams has established himself as the top name in snooker. His rise up the world rankings was nothing short of meteoric. In just four seasons, he climbed from 119th to 4th. Williams started the 1999/2000 season as the provisional No.1, but was made to fight for the top spot. However, victories at the UK Championship and the Thailand Masters helped him to secure the dream No.1 slot before the world championship. In winning the Embassy World Championship, he became the first Welshman to claim the title in 20 years, and the first ever left-handed world professional champion.