Phil Taylor hit a nine-darter on the way to winning the Championship League Darts title for the first time in three years.
Power dominates Winners Group before crushing Nicholson in final
Phil Taylor hit a nine-darter on the way to winning the Championship League Darts title for the first time in three years.
The Power, runner-up for the past two years, crushed Paul Nicholson 6-1 in the final at Crondon Park, Essex with a sensational 113.71 average.
The 51-year-old - who hit the nine-darter during his league stage win over Mervyn King earlier in the day - dominated from the start, winning the first two legs in 13 darts courtesy of double 16 before taking the third leg in 12 darts.
Nicholson got off the mark in the fourth on tops, after Taylor had missed the same bed, but the world number one was swift in securing victory.
He moved 4-1 up with a third 13-dart finish of the game, broke Nicholson's throw once more in 12 darts and finished a 14-darter to seal his triumph - earning £10,000 as champion in addition to £12,400 prize money he had won during the event.
"I'm absolutely over the moon," said Taylor, who was defeated by James Wade in the 2010 final. "I've loved every minute of the event this year and to hit a nine-darter today as well as win the final makes it extra special.
"All the players love this event, it's great for us and that shows in the quality of darts which we had throughout the tournament, not just in the Winners Group."
Taylor had won all seven league games during a brilliant phase of the event, which included a nine-dart finish during a 6-3 win over Mervyn King, before defeating Steve Beaton 6-1 in the semi-finals.
Nicholson had finished third in the league stage behind King, but followed up victory over the 2008 runner-up in their final league match with a 6-3 semi-final triumph.
Nicholson pocketed £5,000 as runner-up in addition to £14,900 that he won during the tournament, having competed in Groups Two and Three as well as the Winners Group for the first time.
Simon Whitlock finished bottom of the Winners Group with just one win on Thursday, although having earlier competed in six groups he ended the event with £18,750 in prize money.
