Shaun Murphy compiled his fifth 147 break as he routed Allan Taylor to qualify for the European Masters in Romania next week.
The Englishman, who recently became a father for the first time, made the break in the second frame of a 4-0 drubbing on Wednesday.
The maximum feat also marks the third perfect frame in as many ranking events following similar accomplishments by Thepchaiya Un-Nooh and Stephen Maguire in recent weeks.
All in all it was a better day for the marquee players as the field was mostly whittled down to the last 32 after the preliminaries concluded in Preston.
The final qualifying encounters involving world no.1 Mark Selby and five-time world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan were held over to the venue but the rest were all put through their paces as normal at the Guild Hall.
Australian Neil Robertson bounced back from his disappointing Shanghai Masters by beating Oliver Lines to reach the first ranking event in Bucharest.
Joining the Riga Masters champion were other winners on the tour this season, including Indian Open victor Anthony McGill and Ali Carter, who triumphed in the World Open in China.
Carter held off a stern challenge from former UK and Masters champion Matthew Stevens to add to his defeat of Ireland’s Ken Doherty on Tuesday.
Judd Trump, John Higgins, Ricky Walden and Mark Allen also made it through – the latter in just over an hour as the Northern Irishman reeled off three successive half centuries in a 4-0 hammering of Hammad Miah.
Kildare’s Josh Boileau was unfortunately unable to capitalise on his maiden professional win over Jimmy White on Monday as he succumbed to Liang Wenbo in a difficult tie 4-2.
One of the more compelling affairs involved a stellar comeback by Robin Hull as he edged Gary Wilson in a decider.
Hull trailed 3-2 and required two snookers, only to steal the sixth frame via a re-spotted black before taking the final frame for an unlikely turnaround success.
Veterans Graeme Dott and Dominic Dale also advanced with last gasp wins, as did Scott Donaldson who recorded the only major shock with a 4-3 ousting of 2015 world champion Stuart Bingham.
The European Masters begins next Monday in Romania but the qualifying action at the Guild Hall doesn’t end just yet as 128 players become 64 in the International Championship qualifiers in the next couple of days.
