Biography: Big, powerful, easygoing regular footer From Haleiwa, Hawaii. Williams was born (1973) in Toledo, Ohio, the son of a pipe welder, and began surfing not long after moving with his family to Hawaii at age six and won the boy's division of the 1988 United States Championship. A nine-year world circuit career saw Williams finish as high as 15th (in 1995, 1997, and 1999), before dropping off the Top 44 rating sheet at the end of the 2000 season at age 28.