Jimmy White made the worst possible start to his 28th season as a professional when he lost his opening match in the Shanghai Masters qualifiers in Prestatyn today.
White, 45, was beaten 5-3 by Harrow's Alfie Burden in the second round of the new campaign's first ranking event.
The 'Whirlwind' starts the 2007-08 season down in 60th place in the world rankings, his lowest ever position.
And White, a former UK and Wembley Masters champion, was slow out of the blocks as he failed to pot a ball in the opening frame.
Burden, the world number 74, then won the second on the colours and constructed a 131 clearance to extend his advantage to 3-0.
White comfortably won the next two frames and contributed a century of his own, 110, to draw level at 3-3.
But the veteran failed to complete the comeback as Burden made breaks of 60 and 63 to go through to face Alan McManus in the penultimate qualifying round.
White now has a three-month wait until the qualifiers of the next ranking tournament, the Royal London Watches Grand Prix.
However, despite his dwindling fortunes he has been invited to compete in the seven-man Premier League event, which is televised weekly by Sky Sports every Thursday night, starting in September.
Judd Trump, 17, who last season became the third youngest person ever to play at the Crucible, made progress towards Shanghai by beating Welshman Gareth Coppack 5-1.
