# 1996 Welsh Open (snooker)

The 1996 Welsh Open (officially the 1996 Regal Welsh Open) was a professional ranking snooker tournament that took place between 27 January–3 February 1996 at the Newport Leisure Centre in Newport, Wales.
Steve Davis was the defending champion, but lost in the third round to Drew Henry.
Mark Williams defeated John Parrott 9–3 in the final to win his first ranking title.

## Main draw

| Last 64 Best of 9 frames | Last 64 Best of 9 frames | Last 64 Best of 9 frames | Last 32 Best of 9 frames | Last 32 Best of 9 frames | Last 32 Best of 9 frames | Last 16 Best of 9 frames | Last 16 Best of 9 frames | Last 16 Best of 9 frames | | Quarter-finals Best of 9 frames | Quarter-finals Best of 9 frames | Quarter-finals Best of 9 frames | | Semi-finals Best of 11 frames | Semi-finals Best of 11 frames | Semi-finals Best of 11 frames | | Final Best of 17 frames | Final Best of 17 frames | Final Best of 17 frames |
| 1 | Stephen Hendry | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 34 | Mike Hallett | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 34 | Mike Hallett | 1 | 1 | Stephen Hendry | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 60 | Steve Newbury | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 60 | Steve Newbury | 5 | 60 | Steve Newbury | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 21 | Mick Price | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 21 | Mick Price | 2 | | | | 1 | Stephen Hendry | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 13 | Dave Harold | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 80 | Karl Payne | 5 | | | | | | | 13 | Dave Harold | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 29 | Jason Ferguson | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 29 | Jason Ferguson | 3 | 80 | Karl Payne | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 13 | Dave Harold | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 13 | Dave Harold | 5 | 13 | Dave Harold | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 43 | Tony Jones | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 43 | Tony Jones | 3 | | | | | | | | 13 | Dave Harold | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 8 | Darren Morgan | 3 | | | | | | | | |
| 15 | Terry Griffiths | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | 8 | Darren Morgan | 3 | | | | | | | | |
| 247 | Darren Lennox | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 247 | Darren Lennox | 3 | 15 | Terry Griffiths | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 53 | Tony Chappel | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 53 | Tony Chappel | 5 | 53 | Tony Chappel | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 17 | Andy Hicks | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 17 | Andy Hicks | 3 | | | | 53 | Tony Chappel | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 8 | Darren Morgan | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 123 | Stuart Pettman | 5 | | | | | | | 8 | Darren Morgan | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 19 | Joe Swail | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 19 | Joe Swail | 4 | 123 | Stuart Pettman | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 8 | Darren Morgan | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Darren Morgan | 5 | 8 | Darren Morgan | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 122 | Oliver King | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 122 | Oliver King | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | 13 | Dave Harold | 1 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 39 | Mark Williams | 6 | | | | |
| 61 | Terry Murphy | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 39 | Mark Williams | 6 | | | | |
| 5 | James Wattana | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | James Wattana | 4 | 61 | Terry Murphy | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 23 | Gary Wilkinson | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 23 | Gary Wilkinson | 5 | 23 | Gary Wilkinson | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 87 | Chris Scanlon | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 87 | Chris Scanlon | 3 | | | | 61 | Terry Murphy | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 39 | Mark Williams | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 39 | Mark Williams | 5 | | | | | | | 39 | Mark Williams | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 25 | Willie Thorne | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 25 | Willie Thorne | 1 | 39 | Mark Williams | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 9 | Ken Doherty | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Ken Doherty | 5 | 9 | Ken Doherty | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 236 | Matthew Stevens | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 236 | Matthew Stevens | 4 | | | | | | | | 39 | Mark Williams | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 10 | Peter Ebdon | 3 | | | | | | | | |
| 10 | Peter Ebdon | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | 10 | Peter Ebdon | 3 | | | | | | | | |
| 151 | Craig MacGillivray | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 151 | Craig MacGillivray | 2 | 10 | Peter Ebdon | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 31 | Anthony Hamilton | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 31 | Anthony Hamilton | 5 | 31 | Anthony Hamilton | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 63 | Jonathan Birch | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 63 | Jonathan Birch | 3 | | | | 10 | Peter Ebdon | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 33 | Billy Snaddon | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 33 | Billy Snaddon | 5 | | | | | | | 33 | Billy Snaddon | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 20 | Alain Robidoux | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 20 | Alain Robidoux | 3 | 33 | Billy Snaddon | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 3 | Ronnie O'Sullivan | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | Ronnie O'Sullivan | 5 | 3 | Ronnie O'Sullivan | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 107 | Yasin Merchant | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 107 | Yasin Merchant | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 39 | Mark Williams | 9 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | John Parrott | 3 |
| 4 | John Parrott | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | John Parrott | 3 |
| 46 | Nick Terry | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 46 | Nick Terry | 4 | 4 | John Parrott | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 93 | Joe Grech | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 93 | Joe Grech | 5 | 93 | Joe Grech | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 30 | Dean Reynolds | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 30 | Dean Reynolds | 1 | | | | 4 | John Parrott | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 32 | Dennis Taylor | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 32 | Dennis Taylor | 5 | | | | | | | 32 | Dennis Taylor | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 142 | Paul Wykes | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 142 | Paul Wykes | 1 | 32 | Dennis Taylor | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 38 | Fergal O'Brien | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 38 | Fergal O'Brien | 5 | 38 | Fergal O'Brien | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | David Roe | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | David Roe | 4 | | | | | | | | 4 | John Parrott | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 190 | Graeme Dott | 2 | | | | | | | | |
| 11 | John Higgins | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | 190 | Graeme Dott | 2 | | | | | | | | |
| 54 | Mark Flowerdew | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 54 | Mark Flowerdew | 2 | 11 | John Higgins | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 57 | Wayne Jones | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 57 | Wayne Jones | 5 | 57 | Wayne Jones | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 26 | Steve James | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 26 | Steve James | 2 | | | | 11 | John Higgins | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 190 | Graeme Dott | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 190 | Graeme Dott | 5 | | | | | | | 190 | Graeme Dott | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 18 | Dene O'Kane | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 18 | Dene O'Kane | 2 | 190 | Graeme Dott | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 6 | Alan McManus | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Alan McManus | 5 | 6 | Alan McManus | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 40 | Rod Lawler | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 40 | Rod Lawler | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | John Parrott | 6 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Paul Hunter | 1 | | | | |
| 7 | Jimmy White | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Paul Hunter | 1 | | | | |
| 49 | Mark Johnston-Allen | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 49 | Mark Johnston-Allen | 3 | 7 | Jimmy White | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 62 | Chris Small | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 62 | Chris Small | 5 | 62 | Chris Small | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 27 | Brian Morgan | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 27 | Brian Morgan | 0 | | | | 62 | Chris Small | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | Paul Hunter | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 28 | Neal Foulds | 5 | | | | | | | | Paul Hunter | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 45 | Anthony Davies | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 45 | Anthony Davies | 4 | 28 | Neal Foulds | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Paul Hunter | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Paul Hunter | 5 | | Paul Hunter | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | Nigel Bond | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | Nigel Bond | 1 | | | | | | | | | Paul Hunter | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 35 | Drew Henry | 4 | | | | | | | | |
| 35 | Drew Henry | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | 35 | Drew Henry | 4 | | | | | | | | |
| 14 | Tony Drago | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 14 | Tony Drago | 4 | 35 | Drew Henry | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 133 | John Giles | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 133 | John Giles | 5 | 133 | John Giles | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 22 | Martin Clark | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 22 | Martin Clark | 3 | | | | 35 | Drew Henry | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 2 | Steve Davis | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 110 | Gerard Greene | 5 | | | | | | | 2 | Steve Davis | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 24 | Tony Knowles | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 24 | Tony Knowles | 0 | 110 | Gerard Greene | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 2 | Steve Davis | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Steve Davis | 5 | 2 | Steve Davis | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 79 | Dominic Dale | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |