Oxfordshire's Les Gillett fell victim to the player he labelled as 'dangerman', 25-year-old Mark Royal, of Ipswich, in the 64,000 BUPA International Open bowls event in Sheffield.
Chipping Norton ace Gillett, the world No 6, became the seventh seed to go down in the 16 first-round matches.
Royal showed no nerves in his debut in a major televised event, winning a tense first set 7-6.
Gillett, who took the title in 1997, came storming back in the second to win 7-0 in just 13 minutes.
But in an incredible turn-around, Royal rampaged out of the traps in the decider, notching a double and a four to race 6-0 ahead.
A stunned Gillett clawed back a double, but he was still on the ropes and could not evade Royal's knockout punch as the youngster pounced with a single to clinch the set 7-2.
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