JAMES WADE claimed his first televised title for almost four years by defeating Simon Whitlock 11-8 in the Unibet European Championship final in Dortmund.
Wade survived missed match darts in both his quarter-final win over Gerwyn Price and a dramatic semi-final against German favourite Max Hopp.
The left-hander then ended Whitlock's bid to win a second European Championship title as he scooped the £100,000 top prize - just 13 days after becoming a father for the first time to son Arthur.
"That was for my son, Arthur," said Wade. "I'm actually emotional about this - it's an amazing feeling and I'm going to enjoy this win.
I've gone through some tough times but this is for Arthur. I've won TV titles before and never made the most of it, but I'm buzzing.
"It's not often that I am lost for words but I am after this. I've shown that I'm dangerous and everyone needs to watch out.
"Today I went into every game battling. I’ve been a lucky boy but perhaps that makes up for some of the misfortune I’ve had in recent years, and it’s a step in the right direction."
Whitlock also battled his way to the final in dramatic fashion, taking out 110 in the deciding leg of his last four clash with Joe Cullen after coming back from 10-7 down.
The Australian, who began the final day of action at the Westfalenhalle with a 10-7 quarter-final defeat of Steve West, opened the final strongly with six perfect darts and led 3-1 early on.
Wade hit back to lead 5-4, but there was little to separate the pair as they remained locked following 16 legs.
Wade, though, landed back-to-back 13-dart finishes to pull away to 10-8 before pinning double ten to seal glory.
The day had also seen Cullen and Hopp reach their first televised semi-finals, only to suffer narrow defeats in their bids for glory.
Cullen paid for one missed match dart in his tie with Whitlock, while Hopp - who was cheered on by over 5,000 German fans in Dortmund - saw three chances to win his semi-final with Wade go begging.
World Champion Rob Cross lost out 10-8 in the quarter-finals, while Hopp won the last six legs without reply to defeat Darren Webster 10-5 in the last eight.
Price agonisingly missed three match darts in the deciding leg of his quarter-final with Wade, while West - who knocked out reigning champion Michael van Gerwen in round two - saw his hopes ended by Whitlock.
Wade's £100,000 triumph sees the left-hander move up to sixth on the PDC Order of Merit, and also seals his spot in the bwin Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton next month.
The autumn's televised action continues next weekend with the bwin World Series of Darts Finals from November 2-4 at the Multiversum in Schwechat, Vienna.
Watch live on ITV4 in the UK & Ireland, through the PDC's worldwide broadcast partners and in PDCTV-HD for Rest of the World Subscribers.
Unibet European Championship
Sunday October 28
Afternoon Session
Quarter-Finals
Simon Whitlock 10-7 Steve West
Joe Cullen 10-8 Rob Cross
Max Hopp 10-5 Darren Webster
James Wade 10-9 Gerwyn Price
Best of 19 legs
Evening Session
Semi-Finals
Simon Whitlock 11-10 Joe Cullen
James Wade 11-10 Max Hopp
Best of 21 legs
Final
James Wade 11-8 Simon Whitlock
Best of 21 legs
QUARTER-FINALS ROUND-UP
SIMON WHITLOCK continued his challenge for a second Unibet European Championship title by defeating Steve West 10-7 to open the final day of action in Dortmund.
Whitlock's finishing proved the difference as both players averaged over 100 and West landed nine 180s, only to see the Australian check out ten doubles from 15 attempts.
After West took the opening leg with a break of throw, Whitlock finished a superb 164 checkout as he moved 4-1 up.
West finished 100 and an 11-darter as he pulled back to 8-5, but Whitlock landed a crucial 144 checkout before finishing 65 to seal his last four spot.
"I'm really pumped up and I'm feeling confident," said Whitlock. "This is my favourite event, it's the only TV event that I've won and I love it.
"I know my game is a lot better than I showed here, but I won and that's the main thing. My finishing was great, though."
Joe Cullen produced a brilliant fightback from 6-1 down to reach his first televised semi-final with a 10-8 defeat of World Champion Rob Cross.
Cross, last year's runner-up, loked set to cruise into the last four as he dominated the early stages, taking out a 112 finish in the process.
Cullen, though, began to claw his way back with four successive legs, capitalised on a missed double seven from Cross to level and then took out 111 to move ahead at 7-6.
He also finished double 16 to claim a seventh successive leg to move two clear at 8-6, and though Cross took two of the next three to stay in the hunt, double top sealed Cullen's semi-final spot.
"You're fearing the worst at 6-1 but I felt that I had to stick in there," admitted Cullen. "I knew that Rob wasn't playing well even though he was 6-1 up.
"It was a game of two halves, as the scorelines suggested, and the 111 was massive in the context of the match.
"I've been giving myself the chances in recent weeks but not been taking them. I believe in myself but I'm not going to get ahead of myself.
"I'm not looking any further ahead than Simon Whitlock in the semi-finals. If I can take it one leg at a time then the rest will take care of itself."
Max Hopp's dream run at the Unibet European Championship continued as the German favourite won through to his first TV semi-final with a 10-5 defeat of Darren Webster.
An entertaining contest saw the pair share the opening ten legs, with finishes of 126 and 164 from Hopp being responded to with combinations of 120 and 138 as Webster came from 2-0 and 4-2 down to lead 5-4.
Hopp, though, finished 124 to move 6-5 up and crucially took the next two to give himself a three-leg cushion before completing legs of 14 and 13 darts to complete a memorable win.
"I could only dream of this but now I'm in the semi-finals I will prepare for that and see how it goes," said the former World Youth Champion.
"I am doing it in the key moments but I want to raise my game because I don't feel I've reached my peak.
"I missed a few doubles but the doubles made me a winner at the end. I had some good high finishes and the 164 was good."
James Wade survived three missed match darts from Gerwyn Price before edging into the semi-finals with the narrowest of 10-9 successes.
A tight contest saw the lead change hands five times, while there was never more than one leg between the pair.
Wade had been left to rue missed doubles in legs 16 and 17 when 8-7 ahead as Price levelled and then moved 9-8 up, before tops from the left-hander sent the tie all the way.
Price was first to have a chance to wrap up the game, but missed double 19, with Wade then missing tops but being given a reprieve after two further misses from the Welshman to return and finally close out victory.
"I missed quite a few opportunities early on and I was so frustrated with myself but it's a positive energy for me," said Wade.
"Normally I don't get away with it but I'll take this as a positive and look forward to the next game now."
SEMI-FINALS ROUND-UP
SIMON WHITLOCK won through to his third European Championship final with a dramatic 11-10 win over Joe Cullen, taking out 110 in the deciding leg to complete a memorable fightback.
Cullen fought back from 3-0 and 4-2 down - after Whitlock took out an early 148 finish - to put himself in pole position to reach his first televised final when he led 10-7.
However, the 2012 champion won the next three legs to force a decider, and punished Cullen for a miss at double nine for the match by taking out a 110 combination.
"I'm absolutely buzzing," admitted Whitlock afterwards. "I'm over the moon to win a game like that and this means so much to me - it feels amazing.
"I feel for Joe, he played some great darts but at 10-7 I relaxed and threw some good darts to get back into it. The pressure was back in the last leg but that 110 finish was sweet.
"It's a moment I'll never forget."
James Wade silencing the German crowd by ending the hopes of home favourite Max Hopp with a dramatic 11-10 win in their semi-final.
Hopp took out two 126 checkouts early on as he moved 3-1 up, and he also led 7-3, 8-4 and 9-5.
Wade, though, took out 100 as he pulled back to 9-8, and later punished three missed match darts from Hopp to force a decider before sealing his place in the final with a brilliant 102 checkout.