Ronnie O'Sullivan began the defence of his SAGA Insurance Masters title in fine fashion with a 6-0 whitewash of Ian McCulloch.
The Rocket was not at his vintage best at the Wembley Conference Centre, but was always in control against the Lancastrian left-hander in their second round clash.
"I really enjoyed it out there," said O'Sullivan, who recently made a U-turn on his announcement that he had fallen out of love with snooker.
The world number one said; "I'd rather be planting shrubs in the garden" after his 6-5 win over Barry Hawkins at the Preston Grand Prix in October. He added: "I'm bored with the game."
However, despite threatening a new career in pool, O'Sullivan was quick to hit back at criticism he faced from some fans in Preston and his bizarre antics at the Travis Perkins UK Championship in York last month.
O'Sullivan draped a white towel over his face on the way to a 9-8 defeat to Mark King in York.
But he said: "I don't think I've lost any support. I think people like me. There were only about six people at Preston who booed me and they'd probably had too much to drink.
"But that's history now and I got brilliant support out there at the Wembley Arena. It was a good atmosphere and it's a great venue."
O'Sullivan knocked in breaks of 69, 50, 87 and 54 on the way to earning a quarter-final meeting with either former world champion Peter Ebdon or wildcard Stuart Bingham.
