PHIL TAYLOR took victory in the third Speedy Services UK Open Qualifier with a 6-2 defeat of Brendan Dolan in Saturday's final at the Barnsley Metrodome.
The 15-time World Champion and world number one created a further slice of history with his 60th career PDC ProTour win, having only competed in 100 of the PDC's non-televised tournaments which were introduced in 2002.
The victory also secures his place in June's Speedy Services UK Open televised finals in Bolton, and saw him pick up £6,000 in prize money.
He had to endure some nervous moments early on, edging out Irishman Keith Rooney 6-5 in the first round and defeating Steven Pearson 6-3 in the last 64, before dropping only one leg in wins over young duo Adam Hunt and James Hubbard to reach the quarter-finals.
Taylor had to come from 3-0 down against Colin Lloyd before taking a 6-5 win over the former World Matchplay champion, who missed the bull to take victory himself in the deciding leg.
Taylor then swept to victory by following up his 6-2 semi-final win over emerging star Michael Smith with a triumph by the same scoreline against Dolan in the final.
Dolan actually led in the repeat of last year's World Grand Prix final, with Taylor taking the opening leg with an 80 finish before the Northern Ireland ace finished a 14-darter to level and broke on double eight.
He would, though, be punished for missing double 16 for a 102 finish in the next for a 3-1 lead as Taylor took out double eight to level with a 14-darter.
Taylor then hit back-to-back 12-dart finishes to move 4-2 up, finished double eight for a 14-darter to edge towards victory and then hit a 180 before landing double four to secure the win.
Dolan's run saw him reach his first PDC ProTour final since October 2009, and included a 6-4 semi-final win over Brierley Hill's Mark Jones and a quarter-final triumph against five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld by the same scoreline.
He also overcame reigning McCoy's Premier League Darts champion Gary Anderson on the day, and takes home £3,000 prize money.
West Midlands thrower Jones enjoyed a superb run to reach his first professional semi-final, defeating Dutch pair Jelle Klaasen and Vincent van der Voort in the latter stages, and was joined by the last four by St Helens' Michael Smith, who came from 5-3 down to defeat Andy Smith in the quarters.
Shropshire's Steve Farmer became the latest member of the PDC's Nine-Dart Club after achieving a perfect leg - the sixth in a PDC event this year - during his first round win over Andy Relf, earning him a £400 bonus.
He was almost forced to share the bonus with Stoke's Ian White, who hit a nine-dart finish in Benidorm in January but agonisingly missed double 12 for another perfect leg in the first round against Peter Wright.
Sunday sees the fourth UK Open Qualifier held at the Barnsley Metrodome, with a further £35,000 on offer.
Qualifying events for amateur players will also be held, with both the Speedy Qualifiers and Rileys Qualifiers to be held in April and May to offer 32 places each in the televised finals.
Speedy Services UK Open Qualifier Three
Preliminary Round
Brendan Dolan 6-1 Christopher Dale
Nick Fullwell 6-0 Joe Thompson
Mick McGowan 6-3 Ian Jopling
Aaron Turner 6-4 Darren Whittingham
Mark Dudbridge 6-5 Co Stompe
Andrew Cornwall 6-1 Andy Turnbull
Peter Hudson 6-4 Dave Smith
Stuart White 6-0 Stefanie Luck
Steve Maish 6-2 Darren Latham
Steve West 6-0 Gaz Cousins
Andy Hamilton 6-2 John Henderson
Steve Brown 6-4 James Richardson
Barrie Bates 6-1 Joe Murnan
Wes Newton 6-3 Peter Evison
Brian Woods 6-1 Lee Butler
Adrian Gray 6-1 Matthew Dicken
Stuart Kellett 6-1 Chris Aubrey
Michael van Gerwen 6-1 Geoff Whitworth
Kim Huybrechts 6-1 Lee White
Scott Rand 6-1 Sam Hill
Chris Thompson 6-4 Andy Hodges
Devon Petersen 6-2 Jyhan Artut
Wayne Jones 6-5 Mark Hylton
Darren Webster 6-3 Kurt Van De Rijck
Steve Hine 6-3 Simon Whitlock
Michael Mansell 6-2 Steven Clews
Vincent van der Voort 6-2 Neville Roberts
Gareth Pass 6-3 Daniel Starkey
Jimmy Mann 6-5 Reece Robinson
Mark Jones 6-1 Martino Tagliapietra
Connie Finnan 6-2 Chris Mason
Prakash Jiwa 6-1 Steven Barrow
Gino Vos 6-2 Kevin McDine
Andrew Palmer 6-5 Ryan Harrington
Jamie Lewis 6-4 Colin Osborne
Nigel Birch 6-3 John Part
Carlos Rodriguez 6-0 John Walton
Michael Smith 6-5 Magnus Caris
Denis Ovens 6-4 Andrew Hibbert
Mark Stephenson 6-5 Jerry Hendriks
Steve Grubb 6-2 Dennis Smith
Dean Winstanley 6-2 Kevin Dowling
Joe Cullen 6-1 Kevin Painter
Alan Tabern 6-5 Alex Roy
Johnny Haines 6-1 Anthony Littleton
Dennis Priestley 6-5 Darren Williams
Bernd Roith 6-5 Andy Firth
Andy Smith 6-5 Paul Rowley
Justin Pipe 6-1 Peter Manley
Daniel Day 6-5 Stuart Woodmore
Matt Clark 6-4 Matt Padgett
Mark Walsh 6-0 Brandon Walsh
Patrick Pace 6-0 James Young
Mark Webster 6-1 Mike Veitch
Colin Lloyd 6-3 Shaun Griffiths
Terry Temple 6-5 Mark Lawrence
David Nelson 6-2 John Scott
Tony West 6-1 Dave Chisnall
James Hubbard 6-0 Dave Ladley
Keith Stephen 6-3 Andy Brown
Adam Hunt 6-3 Scott Coleman
Ian Moss 6-1 Antonio Alcinas
Richie Burnett 6-4 Terry Jenkins
First Round
Gary Anderson 6-2 Toon Greebe
Nigel Heydon 6-4 Robert Thornton
Brendan Dolan 6-4 Nick Fullwell
Mick McGowan 6-4 Aaron Turner
Dylan Duo 6-2 Josh Jones
Joey Palfreyman 6-4 Tony Tasker
Andrew Cornwall 6-4 Mark Dudbridge
Stuart White 6-0 Peter Hudson
Ian White 6-4 Peter Wright
Adrian Lewis 6-1 Adrian Bolitho
Steve Maish 6-3 Steve West
Andy Hamilton 6-0 Steve Brown
Paul Nicholson 6-5 Matthew Tedstone
Raymond van Barneveld 6-5 Liam Kelly
Barrie Bates 6-5 Wes Newton
Adrian Gray 6-4 Brian Woods
Jelle Klaasen 6-5 Dave Honey
Damien Sherwood 6-0 Ian Lever
Michael van Gerwen 6-4 Stuart Kellett
Kim Huybrechts 6-2 Scott Rand
Ronnie Baxter 6-0 Norman Fletcher
Adam Smith-Neale 6-1 Karl Forrington
Devon Petersen 6-5 Chris Thompson
Darren Webster 6-2 Wayne Jones
Philip Wathen 6-1 Jamie Guilfoyle
Stephen Hardy 6-4 Lee Whitworth
Steve Hine 6-2 Michael Mansell
Vincent van der Voort 6-1 Gareth Pass
Darren Johnson 6-5 Jamie Caven
Jason Crawley 6-5 Arron Monk
Mark Jones 6-5 Jimmy Mann
Prakash Jiwa 6-5 Connie Finnan
Dyson Parody 6-4 Martin Whatmough
Mick Todd 6-4 Andy Pearce
Gino Vos 6-4 Andrew Palmer
Jamie Lewis 6-4 Nigel Birch
Andrew Gilding 6-3 Matthew Edgar
Ted Hankey 6-2 Jack Hill
Michael Smith 6-1 Carlos Rodriguez
Mark Stephenson 6-1 Denis Ovens
Aden Kirk 6-5 Fred Smith
Steve Farmer 6-1 Andy Relf - Steve Farmer hits nine-dart finish
Dean Winstanley 6-1 Steve Grubb
Alan Tabern 6-5 Joe Cullen
Steve Evans 6-4 Simon Burt
Mareno Michels 6-0 Mark Frost
Dennis Priestley 6-5 Johnny Haines
Andy Smith 6-3 Bernd Roith
Ross Smith 6-5 Tom Jones
Steve Beaton 6-5 Mark Jodrill
Justin Pipe 6-3 Daniel Day
Mark Walsh 6-1 Matt Clark
William O'Connor 6-5 Gary Butcher
Mervyn King 6-2 Les Wallace
Mark Webster 6-3 Patrick Pace
Colin Lloyd 6-0 Terry Temple
Roland Scholten 6-5 Michael Barnard
Jim Walker 6-1 Daniel Bunker
Tony West 6-0 David Nelson
James Hubbard 6-3 Keith Stephen
Stephen Pearson 6-4 Paul Barham
Phil Taylor 6-5 Keith Rooney
Adam Hunt 6-3 Martyn Turner
Richie Burnett 6-0 Ian Moss
Second Round
Gary Anderson 6-2 Nigel Heydon
Brendan Dolan 6-2 Mick McGowan
Joey Palfreyman 6-3 Dylan Duo
Stuart White 6-3 Andrew Cornwall
Adrian Lewis 6-4 Ian White
Steve Maish 6-4 Andy Hamilton
Raymond van Barneveld 6-2 Paul Nicholson
Adrian Gray 6-2 Barrie Bates
Jelle Klaasen 6-3 Damien Sherwood
Michael van Gerwen 6-4 Kim Huybrechts
Ronnie Baxter 6-3 Adam Smith-Neale
Darren Webster 6-4 Devon Petersen
Stephen Hardy 6-1 Philip Wathen
Vincent van der Voort 6-4 Steve Hine
Darren Johnson 6-3 Jason Crawley
Mark Jones 6-4 Prakash Jiwa
Dyson Parody 6-5 Mick Todd
Jamie Lewis 6-2 Gino Vos
Ted Hankey 6-5 Andrew Gilding
Michael Smith 6-0 Mark Stephenson
Steve Farmer 6-2 Aden Kirk
Dean Winstanley 6-1 Alan Tabern
Steve Evans 6-5 Mareno Michels
Andy Smith 6-2 Dennis Priestley
Steve Beaton 6-4 Ross Smith
Justin Pipe 6-4 Mark Walsh
Mervyn King 6-4 William O'Connor
Colin Lloyd 6-4 Mark Webster
Jim Walker 6-1 Roland Scholten
James Hubbard 6-5 Tony West
Phil Taylor 6-3 Steven Pearson
Adam Hunt 6-4 Richie Burnett
Losers £200
Third Round
Brendan Dolan 6-2 Gary Anderson
Stuart White 6-3 Joey Palfreyman
Steve Maish 6-4 Adrian Lewis
Raymond van Barneveld 6-2 Adrian Gray
Jelle Klaasen 6-3 Michael van Gerwen
Darren Webster 6-5 Ronnie Baxter
Vincent van der Voort 6-2 Stephen Hardy
Mark Jones 6-5 Darren Johnson
Dyson Parody 6-2 Jamie Lewis
Michael Smith 6-1 Ted Hankey
Steve Farmer 6-5 Dean Winstanley
Andy Smith 6-1 Steve Evans
Justin Pipe 6-2 Steve Beaton
Colin Lloyd 6-4 Mervyn King
James Hubbard 6-3 Jim Walker
Phil Taylor 6-0 Adam Hunt
Losers £400
Fourth Round
Brendan Dolan 6-2 Stuart White
Raymond van Barneveld 6-3 Steve Maish
Jelle Klaasen 6-1 Darren Webster
Mark Jones 6-0 Vincent van der Voort
Michael Smith 6-4 Dyson Parody
Andy Smith 6-1 Steve Farmer
Colin Lloyd 6-3 Justin Pipe
Phil Taylor 6-1 James Hubbard
Losers £600
Quarter-Finals
Brendan Dolan 6-4 Raymond van Barneveld
Mark Jones 6-4 Jelle Klaasen
Michael Smith 6-5 Andy Smith
Phil Taylor 6-5 Colin Lloyd
Losers £1,000
Semi-Finals
Brendan Dolan 6-4 Mark Jones
Phil Taylor 6-2 Michael Smith
Losers £2,000
Final
Phil Taylor 6-2 Brendan Dolan
Winner £6,000
Runner-Up £3,000
Final - Leg-By-Leg
0-0 - Phil Taylor wins the bull and will throw first.
0-1 - Taylor finishes 80 on tops for the opening leg.
1-1 - Dolan opens with 136, 140 and 99 to be first to a finish, and lands double ten for a 14-darter to level.
2-1 - Dolan hits two 140s and a ton but misses the bull for a 121 checkout, only for Taylor to then be off-target on tops for a 70 to allow the Northern Irish ace in on double eight,
2-2 - Dolan lands another pair of 140s, with Taylor replying with scores of 140 and 134 to leave 32, and when Dolan misses double 16 for a 102 finish Taylor breaks back on double eight for a 14-darter.
2-3 - Taylor regains the lead in brilliant fashion, hitting 140, 140 and 100 to leave 121, which he takes out on double eight for a 12-darter.
2-4 - Taylor hits a second successive 12-darter to break throw, hitting 139, 177, 140 and double 16.
2-5 - Taylor continues his high scoring by hitting 140, 140 and 137, and takes out double eight for a 14-dart leg.
2-6 - Taylor lands his first 180 of the final and follows that with a 140 to leave 96, only to miss two match darts. Dolan cannot finish 109 and Taylor returns to hit double four for victory.