PETER WRIGHT picked up his sixth career title, and his second of the month, with a 6-1 victory over Jelle Klaasen 6-1 in the final of Sunday's Players Championship in Barnsley.
Wright had returned to winning ways in a Players Championship in Coventry three weeks ago, and maintained his form on the PDC ProTour by picking up the £10,000 first prize - an ideal boost ahead of the Dubai Duty Free Darts Masters next week.
Wright's route to the final began with wins over Jamie Robinson and Nigel Heydon before he then saw off Spanish ace Cristo Reyes, Darren Webster, Andy Jenkins and Michael Smith to reach the final.
In the decider, he fell a leg down to Klaasen but hit back to take the next six without reply, averaging 105.85 as he sealed victory.
Klaasen had been bidding to win only his second PDC ranking title - with his previous Players Championship win coming in 2007 - but was denied in the final for the second time in 2015.
The Dutchman had endured a tough route through the 128-player field, overcoming Shaun Griffiths 6-4, Andy Boulton and Benito van de Pas in a deciding leg, and big-name trio Adrian Lewis, Mervyn King and Simon Whitlock.
Whitlock and Michael Smith both came away with £2,500 having reached the semi-finals, while Mervyn King, Brendan Dolan, Andy Jenkins and Dirk van Duijvenbode all pocketed £2,000 as they won through to the last eight.
The day also featured a nine-dart finish from Spanish sensation Reyes, who had knocked out Kevin Painter in the first round before achieving a perfect leg in his win over Wes Newton in round two, matching the achievement of Ian White 24 hours earlier.
Players Championsip 12
Barnsley Metrodome, Sunday May 24
First Round
Adrian Lewis (1) 6-2 Chris Dobey
Jim Walker 6-4 Jason Marriott
Christian Kist (32) 5-6 David Pallett
William O'Connor 6-5 Connie Finnan
Jelle Klaasen (16) 6-4 Shaun Griffiths
Andy Boulton 6-1 Dennis Smith
Benito van de Pas (17) 6-4 Prakash Jiwa
Roxy-James Rodriguez 6-0 Tony Richardson
Kurt Parry 6-4 Ian White (8)
Max Hopp 6-0 Paul Milford
Jamie Lewis (25) 6-2 John Part
Joe Cullen 6-3 Joey Ten Berge
Mervyn King (9) 6-5 Daryl Gurney
Jamie Bain 6-1 Jonathan Worsley
Andrew Gilding (24) 6-3 Ian Moss
Kyle Anderson 6-4 Wayne Pepper
Brendan Dolan (5) 6-2 Jyhan Artut
Nick Fullwell 6-1 Mark Barilli
Mark Webster (28) 6-4 Mark Walsh
Stephen Willard 6-5 Ken MacNeil
Pete Dyos 6-4 Justin Pipe (12)
Robbie Green 6-4 Rowby-John Rodriguez
Mensur Suljovic (21) 6-2 Barrie Bates
Kevin McDine 6-5 Mike Zuydwijk
Simon Whitlock (4) 6-2 Mark Hylton
Nathan Derry 6-2 Ross Twell
Wayne Jones 6-3 Andy Smith (29)
Lee Evans 6-2 Terry Temple
Kim Huybrechts (13) 6-3 Tony Bradley
Matt Padgett 6-3 Lee Palfreyman
Gerwyn Price (20) 6-4 Luke Woodhouse
Alan Norris 6-3 David Ladley
Peter Wright (2) 6-4 Jamie Robinson
Nigel Heydon 6-3 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Cristo Reyes 6-4 Kevin Painter (31)
Wes Newton 6-3 Jan Dekker
Darren Webster 6-3 Stephen Bunting (15)
Steve McNally 6-0 Ben Ward
Jamie Caven (18) 6-1 Curtis Hammond
Josh Payne 6-4 Trevor Burkhill
Dave Chisnall (7) 6-5 John Bowles
James Hubbard 6-2 Steve Brown
Mick Todd 6-3 Keegan Brown (26)
Andy Jenkins 6-4 Aden Kirk
Ronnie Baxter 6-5 Terry Jenkins (10)
Nathan Aspinall 6-4 Jermaine Wattimena
Jay Foreman 6-4 John Henderson (23)
Matt Clark 6-2 James Wilson
Vincent van der Voort (6) 6-4 Devon Petersen
Ricky Evans 6-0 Kevin Thomas
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-3 Dean Winstanley (27)
Alan Tabern 6-4 Ross Smith
Mark Dudbridge 6-4 Robert Thornton (11)
Brian Woods 6-2 Steve Hine
Stuart Kellett 6-4 Andy Hamilton (22)
Tomas Seyler 6-5 Colin Lloyd
Michael Smith (3) 6-2 Adam Hunt
Steve West 6-4 Matthew Edgar
Joe Murnan (30) 6-5 Jeffrey De Zwaan
Eddie Dootson 6-0 Kevin Bambrick
Gary Stone 6-4 Steve Beaton (14)
Darren Johnson 6-1 Kevin Dowling
Phil Taylor (19) 6-2 Jason Lovett
Mark Frost 6-4 Tony Newell
Second Round
Adrian Lewis 6-4 Jim Walker
William O'Connor 6-1 David Pallett
Jelle Klaasen 6-5 Andy Boulton
Benito van de Pas 6-1 Roxy-James Rodriguez
Max Hopp 6-2 Kurt Parry
Joe Cullen 6-2 Jamie Lewis
Mervyn King 6-3 Jamie Bain
Kyle Anderson 6-3 Andrew Gilding
Brendan Dolan 6-3 Nick Fullwell
Mark Webster 6-5 Stephen Willard
Robbie Green 6-1 Pete Dyos
Mensur Suljovic 6-2 Kevin McDine
Simon Whitlock 6-2 Nathan Derry
Lee Evans 6-5 Wayne Jones
Kim Huybrechts 6-5 Matt Padgett
Alan Norris 6-2 Gerwyn Price
Peter Wright 6-5 Nigel Heydon
Cristo Reyes 6-5 Wes Newton - Cristo Reyes Hits Nine-Dart Finish
Darren Webster 6-3 Steve McNally
Jamie Caven 6-1 Josh Payne
Dave Chisnall 6-2 James Hubbard
Andy Jenkins 6-1 Mick Todd
Ronnie Baxter 6-4 Nathan Aspinall
Matt Clark 6-2 Jay Foreman
Vincent van der Voort 6-2 Ricky Evans
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-2 Alan Tabern
Mark Dudbridge 6-1 Brian Woods
Stuart Kellett 6-4 Tomas Seyler
Michael Smith 6-2 Steve West
Joe Murnan 6-2 Eddie Dootson
Darren Johnson 6-2 Gary Stone
Phil Taylor 6-5 Mark Frost
Losers £250
Third Round
Adrian Lewis 6-1 William O'Connor
Jelle Klaasen 6-5 Benito van de Pas
Joe Cullen 6-4 Max Hopp
Mervyn King 6-2 Kyle Anderson
Brendan Dolan 6-4 Mark Webster
Mensur Suljovic 6-2 Robbie Green
Simon Whitlock 6-5 Lee Evans
Alan Norris 6-1 Kim Huybrechts
Peter Wright 6-4 Cristo Reyes
Darren Webster 6-5 Jamie Caven
Andy Jenkins 6-3 Dave Chisnall
Ronnie Baxter 6-1 Matt Clark
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-5 Vincent van der Voort
Stuart Kellett 6-4 Mark Dudbridge
Michael Smith 6-3 Joe Murnan
Phil Taylor 6-5 Darren Johnson
Losers £750
Fourth Round
Jelle Klaasen 6-4 Adrian Lewis
Mervyn King 6-1 Joe Cullen
Brendan Dolan 6-3 Mensur Suljovic
Simon Whitlock 6-3 Alan Norris
Peter Wright 6-5 Darren Webster
Andy Jenkins 6-5 Ronnie Baxter
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-5 Stuart Kellett
Michael Smith 6-5 Phil Taylor
Losers £1,500
Quarter-Finals
Jelle Klaasen 6-4 Mervyn King
Simon Whitlock 6-4 Brendan Dolan
Peter Wright 6-2 Andy Jenkins
Michael Smith 6-2 Dirk van Duijvenbode
Losers £2,000
Semi-Finals
Jelle Klaasen 6-1 Simon Whitlock
Peter Wright 6-4 Michael Smith
Losers £2,500
Final
Peter Wright 6-1 Jelle Klaasen
Winner £10,000
Runner-Up £5,000
Wright had returned to winning ways in a Players Championship in Coventry three weeks ago, and maintained his form on the PDC ProTour by picking up the £10,000 first prize - an ideal boost ahead of the Dubai Duty Free Darts Masters next week.
Wright's route to the final began with wins over Jamie Robinson and Nigel Heydon before he then saw off Spanish ace Cristo Reyes, Darren Webster, Andy Jenkins and Michael Smith to reach the final.
In the decider, he fell a leg down to Klaasen but hit back to take the next six without reply, averaging 105.85 as he sealed victory.
Klaasen had been bidding to win only his second PDC ranking title - with his previous Players Championship win coming in 2007 - but was denied in the final for the second time in 2015.
The Dutchman had endured a tough route through the 128-player field, overcoming Shaun Griffiths 6-4, Andy Boulton and Benito van de Pas in a deciding leg, and big-name trio Adrian Lewis, Mervyn King and Simon Whitlock.
Whitlock and Michael Smith both came away with £2,500 having reached the semi-finals, while Mervyn King, Brendan Dolan, Andy Jenkins and Dirk van Duijvenbode all pocketed £2,000 as they won through to the last eight.
The day also featured a nine-dart finish from Spanish sensation Reyes, who had knocked out Kevin Painter in the first round before achieving a perfect leg in his win over Wes Newton in round two, matching the achievement of Ian White 24 hours earlier.
Players Championsip 12
Barnsley Metrodome, Sunday May 24
First Round
Adrian Lewis (1) 6-2 Chris Dobey
Jim Walker 6-4 Jason Marriott
Christian Kist (32) 5-6 David Pallett
William O'Connor 6-5 Connie Finnan
Jelle Klaasen (16) 6-4 Shaun Griffiths
Andy Boulton 6-1 Dennis Smith
Benito van de Pas (17) 6-4 Prakash Jiwa
Roxy-James Rodriguez 6-0 Tony Richardson
Kurt Parry 6-4 Ian White (8)
Max Hopp 6-0 Paul Milford
Jamie Lewis (25) 6-2 John Part
Joe Cullen 6-3 Joey Ten Berge
Mervyn King (9) 6-5 Daryl Gurney
Jamie Bain 6-1 Jonathan Worsley
Andrew Gilding (24) 6-3 Ian Moss
Kyle Anderson 6-4 Wayne Pepper
Brendan Dolan (5) 6-2 Jyhan Artut
Nick Fullwell 6-1 Mark Barilli
Mark Webster (28) 6-4 Mark Walsh
Stephen Willard 6-5 Ken MacNeil
Pete Dyos 6-4 Justin Pipe (12)
Robbie Green 6-4 Rowby-John Rodriguez
Mensur Suljovic (21) 6-2 Barrie Bates
Kevin McDine 6-5 Mike Zuydwijk
Simon Whitlock (4) 6-2 Mark Hylton
Nathan Derry 6-2 Ross Twell
Wayne Jones 6-3 Andy Smith (29)
Lee Evans 6-2 Terry Temple
Kim Huybrechts (13) 6-3 Tony Bradley
Matt Padgett 6-3 Lee Palfreyman
Gerwyn Price (20) 6-4 Luke Woodhouse
Alan Norris 6-3 David Ladley
Peter Wright (2) 6-4 Jamie Robinson
Nigel Heydon 6-3 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Cristo Reyes 6-4 Kevin Painter (31)
Wes Newton 6-3 Jan Dekker
Darren Webster 6-3 Stephen Bunting (15)
Steve McNally 6-0 Ben Ward
Jamie Caven (18) 6-1 Curtis Hammond
Josh Payne 6-4 Trevor Burkhill
Dave Chisnall (7) 6-5 John Bowles
James Hubbard 6-2 Steve Brown
Mick Todd 6-3 Keegan Brown (26)
Andy Jenkins 6-4 Aden Kirk
Ronnie Baxter 6-5 Terry Jenkins (10)
Nathan Aspinall 6-4 Jermaine Wattimena
Jay Foreman 6-4 John Henderson (23)
Matt Clark 6-2 James Wilson
Vincent van der Voort (6) 6-4 Devon Petersen
Ricky Evans 6-0 Kevin Thomas
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-3 Dean Winstanley (27)
Alan Tabern 6-4 Ross Smith
Mark Dudbridge 6-4 Robert Thornton (11)
Brian Woods 6-2 Steve Hine
Stuart Kellett 6-4 Andy Hamilton (22)
Tomas Seyler 6-5 Colin Lloyd
Michael Smith (3) 6-2 Adam Hunt
Steve West 6-4 Matthew Edgar
Joe Murnan (30) 6-5 Jeffrey De Zwaan
Eddie Dootson 6-0 Kevin Bambrick
Gary Stone 6-4 Steve Beaton (14)
Darren Johnson 6-1 Kevin Dowling
Phil Taylor (19) 6-2 Jason Lovett
Mark Frost 6-4 Tony Newell
Second Round
Adrian Lewis 6-4 Jim Walker
William O'Connor 6-1 David Pallett
Jelle Klaasen 6-5 Andy Boulton
Benito van de Pas 6-1 Roxy-James Rodriguez
Max Hopp 6-2 Kurt Parry
Joe Cullen 6-2 Jamie Lewis
Mervyn King 6-3 Jamie Bain
Kyle Anderson 6-3 Andrew Gilding
Brendan Dolan 6-3 Nick Fullwell
Mark Webster 6-5 Stephen Willard
Robbie Green 6-1 Pete Dyos
Mensur Suljovic 6-2 Kevin McDine
Simon Whitlock 6-2 Nathan Derry
Lee Evans 6-5 Wayne Jones
Kim Huybrechts 6-5 Matt Padgett
Alan Norris 6-2 Gerwyn Price
Peter Wright 6-5 Nigel Heydon
Cristo Reyes 6-5 Wes Newton - Cristo Reyes Hits Nine-Dart Finish
Darren Webster 6-3 Steve McNally
Jamie Caven 6-1 Josh Payne
Dave Chisnall 6-2 James Hubbard
Andy Jenkins 6-1 Mick Todd
Ronnie Baxter 6-4 Nathan Aspinall
Matt Clark 6-2 Jay Foreman
Vincent van der Voort 6-2 Ricky Evans
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-2 Alan Tabern
Mark Dudbridge 6-1 Brian Woods
Stuart Kellett 6-4 Tomas Seyler
Michael Smith 6-2 Steve West
Joe Murnan 6-2 Eddie Dootson
Darren Johnson 6-2 Gary Stone
Phil Taylor 6-5 Mark Frost
Losers £250
Third Round
Adrian Lewis 6-1 William O'Connor
Jelle Klaasen 6-5 Benito van de Pas
Joe Cullen 6-4 Max Hopp
Mervyn King 6-2 Kyle Anderson
Brendan Dolan 6-4 Mark Webster
Mensur Suljovic 6-2 Robbie Green
Simon Whitlock 6-5 Lee Evans
Alan Norris 6-1 Kim Huybrechts
Peter Wright 6-4 Cristo Reyes
Darren Webster 6-5 Jamie Caven
Andy Jenkins 6-3 Dave Chisnall
Ronnie Baxter 6-1 Matt Clark
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-5 Vincent van der Voort
Stuart Kellett 6-4 Mark Dudbridge
Michael Smith 6-3 Joe Murnan
Phil Taylor 6-5 Darren Johnson
Losers £750
Fourth Round
Jelle Klaasen 6-4 Adrian Lewis
Mervyn King 6-1 Joe Cullen
Brendan Dolan 6-3 Mensur Suljovic
Simon Whitlock 6-3 Alan Norris
Peter Wright 6-5 Darren Webster
Andy Jenkins 6-5 Ronnie Baxter
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-5 Stuart Kellett
Michael Smith 6-5 Phil Taylor
Losers £1,500
Quarter-Finals
Jelle Klaasen 6-4 Mervyn King
Simon Whitlock 6-4 Brendan Dolan
Peter Wright 6-2 Andy Jenkins
Michael Smith 6-2 Dirk van Duijvenbode
Losers £2,000
Semi-Finals
Jelle Klaasen 6-1 Simon Whitlock
Peter Wright 6-4 Michael Smith
Losers £2,500
Final
Peter Wright 6-1 Jelle Klaasen
Winner £10,000
Runner-Up £5,000