Northern Ireland’s Gerard Greene came up short in the Players Championship Grand Final in Preston, losing 4-0 to friend and practice partner Barry Hawkins.
The Kent-based pair had earlier advanced to the final with afternoon triumphs over Judd Trump and Marco Fu, respectively.
A 117 break gave Hawkins the ideal start in front of a packed crowd at the Guild Hall, and world number 66 Greene did not get a look-in in frame two either as a 75 knock put the Englishman 2-0 up.
A 50 clearance, after Rainham-based Greene had missed a tough black, swiftly extended Ditton-based Hawkins' advantage and his dominance continued en route to a 4-0 rout and a £100,000 jackpot.
Greene earlier defeated Hong Kong's Fu 4-2 to reach his first ranking final - 21 years after turning professional - moving him up to 42nd on the money list and guaranteeing his biggest ever pay-day in the form of a £38,000 prize.
Having seen Greene surge into a 3-1 lead, a break of 121 got Fu back into contention, but the 40-year-old kept his nerve and got over the line with a long double on the last red to a baulk corner in frame six.
Hawkins advanced to the final with an impressive 4-1 triumph over Trump in the second semi-final.
The 2013 world championship runner- up, who ended the challenge of Ronnie O'Sullivan's conqueror Yu Delu on Friday, lost the first frame but coolly clinched the next four with breaks of 50, 75, 131 and 61 to stun the 24-year-old Bristolian
"There have been some tough times over the last few years"
Greene was disappointed not to have put up a better fight in the final, but was generally pleased with his week's work.
"There have been some tough times over the last few years," he said.
"I always felt I was good enough to do well but I seem to bring the best out of other players.
"Consistency and confidence have been lacking. This has been a great week and I'm looking forward to the World Championship qualifiers now.
"I'm just disappointed with how I played in the final. I didn't get a shot for the first two frames and then I missed the black in the third when I could have got back to 2-1."
