 Complete the following phrase:  Williams turned professional in 1992 and finished his first season ranked 119th; three years later, he was ranked in the worlds top 16 for the 199697 season. His first ranking tournament win came in January 1996, when he won the 1996 Welsh Open title, beating John Parrott 93 in the final. After failing to qualify for the 1996 World Championship, he won the first ranking event of the new season in October 1996, the Grand Prix, beating surprise finalist Euan Henderson 95. In April 1997, he went on to win the British Open, beating Stephen Hendry 92 in the final. He also beat Hendry in a thrilling final in February 1998, to take his first Masters title, winning 109 in a black-ball finish in the deciding frame, after recovering from 69 down. At the 1997 World Championship, he was drawn against his coach Terry Griffiths, who was making his last appearance at the Crucible as a player; Williams eventually beat Griffiths 109 on the black, but then lost 813 to Hendry in the last 16. He reached the semi-finals of the 1998 World Championship, losing 1417 to Ken Doherty. The following year, at the 