Martin Gould pipped Barry Hawkins in a decider to win Championship League Group Six in Coventry on Thursday.
The Englishman, who won the invitational tournament in 2013, edged the world number seven 3-2 in the final.
Gould had emerged from the group stages with four wins from his six encounters, finishing third behind table-topper Hawkins and countryman Mark Davis.
The “Pinner Potter” subsequently beat Davis in the last four 3-1 before booking his place in March’s Winners’ Group by the narrowest of margins.
Hawkins’ only defeat in the round-robin phase was against Stephen Maguire but he gained revenge in the semi-finals with a 3-1 triumph over the Scot, only for his challenge to end at the last hurdle.
Gould pocketed £6,100 for his efforts in Championship League Group Six and he will join previous group winners Neil Robertson, Jack Lisowski, Judd Trump, Stuart Bingham, and Mark Selby in the final assembly that will determine the 2019 champion.
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It has been a disappointing campaign so far for the 37 year-old with no standout performances to speak of.
Indeed, Gould failed to reach the latter stages in any of the ranking events in the first half of the campaign, which has seen his ranking plummet down to number 27 in the world.
While the Championship League is played behind closed doors, incorporates a short format, and is only streamed for the betting market, it still provides players with an important opportunity to fine tune their games at a pivotal juncture of the term.
Hawkins, meanwhile, along with Davis, Maguire, and fifth placed David Gilbert, will all have one final attempt to qualify for the Winners’ Group when Championship League Group Seven takes place in early March.
They will be joined by newcomers Ding Junhui, Michael White, and two-time defending champion John Higgins.
Ali Carter and Xiao Guodong have been eliminated after finishing bottom of Championship League Group Six.
