Snooker results: Mark Allen wins his 10th ranking title at the Shoot Out

The Northern Irishman, who has also won the prestigious but unranked Masters and Champion of Champions (twice), also became the first player inside the world's top 16 to get his hands on this trophy in its 14-year history.

Allen won a scrappy final 65-4 at the Swansea Arena after Cao fouled on the black and later went in off, to claim the £50,000 first prize.

The Pistol told Eurosport: “It’s just so hard. The easiest of shots turns into the most difficult and you feel more pressure here in a 10-minute frame than you would do in the final frame of a big ranking tournament final at 9-9 or something. It just does crazy things to your brain.”

World number four Allen had earlier negotiated a similarly scrappy semi-final from which he emerged a 60-8 winner over amateur Steven Hallworth, who was eventually made to pay for a series of poor early safety shots.

Cao had secured his place in the final with a 41-18 victory over Ali Carter, who was was left to rue an undercut blue after potting the first red, allowing his opponent to compile a break of 35.

However, Cao was unable to take advantage against Allen, who established 16-0 and 31-4 leads without ever looking like killing the frame off until a series of errors by his opponent allowed him to edge across the finishing line.