Chinese snooker prodigy Ding Junhui blew a 3-0 advantage when he lost to Ben Woollaston, 4-3, and bowed out early of the Players Championship Grand Final, right on opening day.

Ding came to Preston Guild Hall with a four-time ranking title win this season, and was cruising at a 3-0 lead but made a series of unexpected errors that made him lose the next four frames.

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Woollaston got his game back to 3-3, dominated the decider and cruised to victory, 78-7.

"Ding was so good in the first three frames, I seemed to be snookered or in a lot of trouble every time I came to the table," said number 28 Woollaston.

It was a big win for Woollaston, in fact a complete reversal of his fortunes from last year, but he needs to boost his win against Ding with another good game en route to the World Championship.

Defending champion Ding has only two remaining ranking events to try to match the record of five-titles in one season currently held by Stephen Hendry.

Over the years, Ding has established a personal brand, the "Ding Junhui pattern," and he is credited for having changed the face of Chinese billiards.