On the 6th and 7th of December, the World Masters are being held in the Paragon Hotel in London. Reigning champion Erik Clarys does not survive the last 32, losing to Paul Williams.
Richie Burnett reaches the final for the third time in a row, but for the second time in two years he loses the final. In 1996 Colin Monk is the fifteenth player to become World Master. Andy Fordham loses for the second time in three years in the semi-final to Richie Burnett; Monk beats Roland Scholten in the other semi-final.