Wednesday 27 June 2018 21:46, UK
Ian White claimed a second Pro Tour title of the year, beating Darren Webster to win Players Championship where Adrian Lewis fired a superb nine-dart finish.
After Mervyn King's success on Tuesday, it was the turn of 'Diamond' White to claim the Wednesday honours with a 6-3 win over the Demolition Man at the Barnsley Metrodome.
Lewis continued his fine run of form by reaching the last four, where he was beaten by Webster, but the two-time world champion threw a perfect nine-dart leg in his last-16 win over Daryl Gurney.
White saw off four of the circuit's emerging stars in beating Martin Schindler, Ted Evetts and Steve Lennon to reach the quarter-finals where he accounted for teenager Bradley Brooks, who was enjoying his best showing on the Tour.
Veteran Steve Beaton was his semi-final opponent, the Bronzed Adonis matching his semi-final showing on Tuesday before he became White's fifth victim as Diamond booked a third final of the year.
Standing in his way for the £10,000 first prize was Webster, who won through to his second Pro Tour final of the year by beating Tony Newell, Gary Eastwood, Richie Burnett, Michael Barnard, Danny Noppert and Jackpot.
But Webster fell short of a second Pro Tour title of his career with White bossing the final from the off, grabbing an early break for a 2-1 lead, and then threw seven perfect darts on the way to opening up a two-leg cushion.
A superb 11-dart leg broke the Webster throw once again as White moved into a commanding 4-1 lead and with the pair splitting the next four it was White that was to a ninth career Players Championship title.
"I'm delighted with the win and how I played overall today," said White, who followed up a run to the quarter-final on Tuesday with four ton-plus averages over the course of his Wednesday success.
"I had a year without winning a title last year but I'm playing good darts all the time and I'd say I'm in the top five on the floor.
"Now I need to replicate that form on TV, but the main thing for me is to keep enjoying it and playing well."
Elsewhere, world No 2 Peter Wright was defeated by 18-year-old Brooks, whose run to the quarter-finals was his best performance in a Pro Tour event while world champion Rob Cross lost to Brendan Dolan in the third round.
Dave Chisnall lost to Beaton in the quarter-finals, Michael Smith was defeated by Andrew Gilding in the third round and Tuesday's runner-up James Wade fell at the hands of Michael Barnard.
The players now head to Germany for the weekend's European Darts Matchplay, the final event before the cut-off that will determine the World Matchplay field.
The top 16 in the Order of Merit will be joined by the top 16 from the Pro Tour who haven't already qualified for the right to play for the Phil Taylor Trophy at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool.
Darts is back on your screens on Sky Sports in July for the World Matchplay - nine days of tungsten from Blackpool get underway on Saturday, July 21 and will run through to the final on Sunday, July 29
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