The 35-year-old Bagillt potter, provisionally ranked 35th in the world, was competing for a place in the televised stages of the China Open and Welsh Open to enhance his chances of a place in the top 32 for next season.

And Walden booked his place in the China Open alongside snooker's elite players, but missed out on a slot at the Welsh Open.

Entering qualifying for the China Open at the third round stage, Walden began his campaign with a 5-3 victory against Jimmy Michie.

That lined up a final qualifying round match against Shanghai Masters champion Dominic Dale which Walden won 5-4, edging a 45-minute eighth frame on the black before winning the decider 68-1 to sink Welshman Dale, provisionally ranked 22nd in the world.

Walden, who reached the quarter finals of the China Open in 2005 before losing to Stephen Hendry, will play a Chinese player in the wildcard round of the event which is being held in Beijing in March.

The prize for the winner is a place in the last 32 against Masters champion Mark Selby.

And Selby will be in no mood to end his winning run after he revealed that reaching the World Championship final at the Crucible last year helped him clinch the Masters title at the first attempt.

Selby, who thrashed Stephen Lee 10-3 in the Masters Final, said: "I handled the pressure at the Crucible and that helped me cope at the Masters.

"I got to the final in Sheffield last May and now I have won the Masters – I will take that."

Selby's victory makes him the fifth person, after John Spencer, Doug Mountjoy, Terry Griffiths and Stephen Hendry, to win the Masters on his debut.

Walden, meanwhile, was less successful in attempting to reach the final stages of the Welsh Open.

Having entered qualifying at the third and final round stage, Walden was taken to another deciding frame by Marcus Campbell but this time did not win through, going down 5-4.

Meanwhile, as well as having the China Open to look forward to, Walden is hoping to secure his place in the televised stages of one other event – and it's the big one.

He is just one match away from reaching the World Championships at the Crucible for the first time in his career.

Victory over Issara Kachaiwong in the fourth qualifying round means Walden is just one match away from a place in the first round at Sheffield of the sport's most prestigious event.

Walden will take on Mark Allen, up to a provisional world ranking of 19 following an excellent season, in the final qualifying round in March.