GARY ANDERSON completed a Dutch Darts Trophy double with a 6-3 win over Andy Smith in Sunday's final at the Van Der Valk Hotel in Nuland, as he joined the elite group of players to win back-to-back Players Championship.
The Scot had picked up the £6,000 first prize in Saturday's event in Holland, and repeated the achievement 24 hours later, putting himself alongside Phil Taylor, Adrian Lewis, Mervyn King, Robert Thornton and Wes Newton in winning both PDC ProTour events over a weekend.
He had counted himself lucky to escape a first round loss to young Dutchman Rico Dera, who led 5-2 before being clawed back by the 888.com Premier League Darts champion.
Anderson then defeated Michael Mansell, Adrian Gray and Co Stompe to erach the quarter-finals, where he mounted an even more impressive comeback against Dennis Smith.
Smith needed to defeat Anderson to win a qualifying place for the World Matchplay next month, and led 5-1 before the Scot hit back with five straight legs to take victory - landing a trio of 12-dart finishes in the process.
He then defeated Simon Whitlock in the semi-finals for a second successive day, courtesy of a 6-2 triumph, before facing in-form Smith in the decider.
Anderson took an early 2-0 lead thanks to finishes of double six and double eight before Smith hit back to level, courtesy of a 14-dart leg and a 116 finish.
Anderson, though, replied in 14 darts with a 96 checkout, and punished three missed doubles from Smith to win the sixth against the throw for a 4-2 lead.
Double four for a 15-darter saw him move 5-2 up, and although he missed a match dart as Smith landed tops to win a third leg and stay in the game, Anderson was too strong and sealed victory in 13 darts, hitting a 180 and double two for the win.
"I always seem to do well in Holland, for some reason, and it's fantastic for me to win both events," said Anderson. "It's a proud moment to win both events and to be in what people call an elite group.
"I made it hard for myself at times and in my first game I missed far too many doubles in going 5-2 down, but I managed to get that back and pip him, and I did the same against Dennis Smith.
"I enjoyed the final against Andy and it's a great way to prepare for the World Matchplay."
Smith had won a Players Championship last weekend in Barnsley, and added a further £3,000 prize money with his display in Nuland.
He came from 4-1 down to win his semi-final with Vincent van der Voort 6-5, taking out 120 to win the deciding leg, and also defeated Colin Osborne, Per Laursen and Steve Brown during the event.
Whitlock's run to the semi-finals saw him reach that stage for the sixth time this year, and included 6-4 wins over Steve Beaton and stable-mate James Wade in the latter stages as well as a narrow 6-5 victory against Devon Petersen.
Van der Voort also continued his impressive form this year by reaching the last four, following up Saturday's quarter-final with a semi-final appearance before going down to Smith, although £2,000 prize money was consolation for the Dutchman.
Beaton's run to the last eight saw him pick up £1,000 - which saw him jump into the Players Championship Order of Merit qualifying places for the World Matchplay next month, at the expense of Magnus Caris, who had occupied the final spot going into Sunday's event.
Caris had been defeated in a showdown with Andy Hamilton in Sunday's first round, as the former Blackpool semi-finalist was left clinging on to his spot in the World Matchplay.
Hamilton has slipped to 17th in the PDC Order of Merit, and lost 6-5 to Mensur Suljovic in the second round on Sunday to only claim £200 prize money, but when Dennis Smith's run was agonisingly ended by Anderson the Derby-based star was able to relax.
The day also featured a nine-dart finish for Justin Pipe, the first of his professional career, meaning the blow of going on to lose 6-4 to Colin Osborne was softened by a £400 bonus as he matched Simon Whitlock's perfect leg 24 hours earlier.
Osborne's win was amongst four he put together in reaching a second successive quarter-final to seal his World Matchplay qualification.
Click here for the World Matchplay draw
Dutch Darts Trophy Players Championship
Preliminary Round
Kim Huybrechts 6-2 Edwin Max
Johnny Okken 6-2 Andrea Guidi
Gilbert van der Meijden 6-1 Romano Ruggeri
Jerry Hendriks 6-5 Toon Greebe
First Round
Wes Newton (1) 6-0 Jose Luis Rodriguez
Antonio Alcinas 6-2 Bernd Roith
Nigel Heydon (32) 6-2 Mick Todd
Kim Huybrechts 6-5 Chris Thompson
Ruzdya Hopic 6-5 Denis Ovens (16)
Peter Hudson 6-2 Steve Maish
Kevin Painter (17) 6-0 Sven Vogelskamp
Wayne Atwood 6-1 Joe Cullen
Vincent van der Voort (8) 6-2 Antonio Justicia
Prakash Jiwa 6-2 Carlos Rodriguez
Wayne Jones (25) 6-3 Ian Jopling
William O'Connor 6-1 Shaun Griffiths
Mark Webster (9) 6-0 Wilfried Hoberg
Brian Woods 6-2 Marko Kantele
Andy Hamilton (24) 6-3 Magnus Caris
Mensur Suljovic 6-0 Alex Roy
Mark Walsh (5) 6-4 Jimmy Hendriks
Per Laursen 6-5 Matthew Edgar
Jelle Klaasen (28) 6-3 Maik Langendorf
John Michael 6-3 Mark Frost
Andy Smith (12) 6-3 Martino Tagliapietra
Jyhan Artut 6-2 Gary Welding
Steve Brown (21) 6-4 Dirk van Duijvenbode
Steve Grubb 6-4 Jann Hoffmann
Jamie Caven (4) 6-0 Gino Vos
Dylan Duo 6-4 Reece Robinson
Tony Eccles (29) 6-0 Matt Jackson
Johnny Okken 6-0 Jon Archer
Justin Pipe (13) 6-1 Robert Wagner
Michael Rosenauer 6-3 Veijo Viinikka
Colin Osborne (20) 6-2 Kai Nithammer
Mark Dudbridge 6-4 Matt Clark
Gary Anderson (2) 6-5 Rico Dera
Michael Mansell 6-0 John Henderson
Scott Rand (31) 6-2 Darren Johnson
Adrian Gray 6-0 Gilbert van der Meijden
Co Stompe (15) 6-0 Roland Kurok
Michael Smith 6-3 Henry Zapata
Steve Farmer (18) 6-0 Robert-Jan Bartels
Aodhagan O'Neill 6-3 Ryan Harrington
Colin Lloyd (7) 6-2 Bryan de Hoog
Peter Manley 6-1 Dave Smith
Dennis Smith (26) 6-3 Roland Scholten
Andy Hutchings 6-3 Mareno Michels
John Part (10) 6-0 Guiseppe Quintiero
Raymond van Barneveld 6-1 Boris Krcmar
Richie Burnett (23) 6-1 Matt Padgett
Robert Thornton 6-2 Nick Fullwell
Ronnie Baxter (6) 6-4 Co Stompe Jnr
Steve Hine 6-5 Brendan Dolan
Peter Wright (27) 6-1 Patrick Bulen
Andree Welge 6-0 David Coyne
Alan Tabern (11) 6-0 Tonci Restovic
Rocco Maes 6-3 Chris Aubrey
Steve Beaton (22) 6-4 Kevin McDine
Shane O'Connor 6-4 Darren Whittingham
Simon Whitlock (3) 6-0 Mauro Stronati
Devon Petersen 6-1 Barrie Bates
Michael van Gerwen 6-5 Dave Chisnall (30)
Steve Evans 6-4 Jerry Hendriks
James Wade (14) 6-5 Davyd Venken
Adam Smith-Neale 6-5 Kirk Shepherd
Mark Hylton (19) 6-0 Steffen Schaffer
Ian White 6-2 Dyson Parody
Second Round
Wes Newton 6-1 Antonio Alcinas
Kim Huybrechts 6-3 Nigel Heydon
Peter Hudson 6-1 Ruzdya Hopic
Kevin Painter 6-1 Wayne Atwood
Vincent van der Voort 6-3 Prakash Jiwa
Wayne Jones 6-1 William O'Connor
Mark Webster 6-4 Brian Woods
Mensur Suljovic 6-5 Andy Hamilton
Per Laursen 6-4 Mark Walsh
John Michael 6-4 Jelle Klaasen
Andy Smith 6-3 Jyhan Artut
Steve Brown 6-1 Steve Grubb
Jamie Caven 6-3 Dylan Duo
Johnny Okken 6-5 Tony Eccles
Justin Pipe 6-0 Michael Rosenauer
Colin Osborne 6-0 Mark Dudbridge
Gary Anderson 6-3 Michael Mansell
Adrian Gray 6-3 Scott Rand
Co Stompe 6-3 Michael Smith
Steve Farmer 6-2 Aodhagan O'Neill
Colin Lloyd 6-4 Peter Manley
Dennis Smith 6-5 Andy Hutchings
John Part 6-3 Raymond van Barneveld
Richie Burnett 6-3 Robert Thornton
Ronnie Baxter 6-5 Steve Hine
Peter Wright 6-4 Andree Welge
Alan Tabern 6-2 Rocco Maes
Steve Beaton 6-4 Shane O'Connor
Simon Whitlock 6-5 Devon Petersen
Steve Evans 6-4 Michael van Gerwen
James Wade 6-3 Adam Smith-Neale
Mark Hylton 6-4 Ian White
Losers £200
Third Round
Wes Newton 6-4 Kim Huybrechts
Kevin Painter 6-1 Peter Hudson
Vincent van der Voort 6-1 Wayne Jones
Mark Webster 6-1 Mensur Suljovic
Per Laursen 6-3 John Michael
Andy Smith 6-5 Steve Brown
Jamie Caven 6-3 Johnny Okken
Colin Osborne 6-4 Justin Pipe - Justin Pipe hits nine-dart finish
Gary Anderson 6-1 Adrian Gray
Co Stompe 6-3 Steve Farmer
Dennis Smith 6-5 Colin Lloyd
John Part 6-2 Richie Burnett
Ronnie Baxter 6-5 Peter Wright
Steve Beaton 6-4 Alan Tabern
Simon Whitlock 6-2 Steve Evans
James Wade 6-3 Mark Hylton
Losers £400
Fourth Round
Kevin Painter 6-5 Wes Newton
Vincent van der Voort 6-3 Mark Webster
Andy Smith 6-1 Per Laursen
Colin Osborne 6-1 Jamie Caven
Gary Anderson 6-4 Co Stompe
Dennis Smith 6-4 John Part
Steve Beaton 6-3 Ronnie Baxter
Simon Whitlock 6-4 James Wade
Losers £600
Quarter-Finals
Vincent van der Voort 6-2 Kevin Painter
Andy Smith 6-3 Colin Osborne
Gary Anderson 6-5 Dennis Smith
Simon Whitlock 6-4 Steve Beaton
Losers £1,000
Semi-Finals
Andy Smith 6-5 Vincent van der Voort
Gary Anderson 6-2 Simon Whitlock
Losers £2,000
Final
Gary Anderson 6-3 Andy Smith
Winner £6,000
Runner-Up £3,000
Click here for the World Matchplay draw
Final - Leg-by-leg
Andy Smith v Gary Anderson
0-0 - Gary Anderson wins the bull and will throw first
0-1 - Anderson hits two 140s to be first to a finish, with double six giving him the opening leg in 16 darts.
0-2 - Anderson lands a 180, and both players leave 121 after nine darts, before both also missing the bullseye for the finish. Smith then misses two darts at double eight, and Anderson breaks on double eight for a 15-darter.
1-2 - Smith breaks back immediately with a 14-darter, which featured two 140s to open and double four to end the leg.
2-2 - Anderson scores 140, 100 and 180, but misses double 13 for a 12-darter and Smith levels with a fine 116 finish, ending on double 18.
2-3 - A strong leg from Anderson sees him edge back in front with a 14-dart leg, finished with a 96 checkout, as Smith leads himself on 78 after 12 darts.
2-4 - Anderson edges a potentially pivotal leg, having initially missed double 18 for a 110 finish, Smith wasted a dart at double top and two at double ten as the Scot returned to hit double one and double 17 for the leg.
2-5 - Smith opens the seventh with a 180, but Anderson is first to a finish as double four takes him a leg away from victory.
3-5 - Smith is first to a finish, but misses tops for a 120 finish to give Anderson his chance - but he is also off-target with double top for a 110 checkout as his opponent returns to hit the bed and keep the match alive.
3-6 - Anderson scores 140 and 180, followed by 105 to leave 76, and although he misses double eight and four returns to hit double two for the win in 13 darts.