Dave Chisnall was beaten 10-7 by Mike De Decker in the first round of the Betfred World Matchplay in Blackpool.
The Belgian finished off Chizzy with a dazzling 148 checkout at the Winter Gardens.
A nip-and-tuck affair, with neither player forging more than two legs ahead for most of it, finally ended when World Grand Prix champ De Decker rattled off the last three legs.
Previously a five-times quarter finalist at the prestige event, Chisnall was also beaten in the first round of last year's tournament.
The Morecambe-based player, originally from St Helens, is ranked number 13 in the PDC (Professional Darts Corporation) world rankings, and is a former BDO World Darts Championship finalist and PDC World Darts Championship semi-finalist.
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