Welsh Open 2016: Mark Williams to face Lyu Chenwei in Cardiff

Mark Williams is a two-time World Champion

Wales' highest-ranked snooker player Mark Williams will begin his bid to win the Welsh Open for a third time against Lyu Chenwei of China.

Williams, 14th in the world, reached the semi-finals of last year's Welsh Open before losing to eventual runner-up Ben Woollaston.

Ten Welshmen will compete in the first round of the tournament, which begins on Monday, 15 February.

Duane Jones, ranked 118 in the world, will face world number one Mark Selby.

Scotland's John Higgins, the 2015 Welsh Open winner, will play against England's Andy Hicks in the first round.

World champion Stuart Bingham faces fellow Englishman Anthony Hamilton and Masters winner Ronnie O'Sullivan plays Barry Pinches.

O'Sullivan said during the 2015 tournament that the venue for the Welsh Open, Cardiff's Motorpoint Arena, was like a "shopping mall."

Full Welsh Open draw