RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD won the PartyPoker.net Players Championship in Frankfurt with a 3-1 defeat of Ronnie Baxter.
The Dutchman added a third Pro Tour title of 2007 with the victory in the PDC's first tournament staged in Germany, at the Ramada Hotel in Bad Soden.
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Following a 3-1 win over fellow countryman Roland Scholten in the semi-final - where he came from a set down - van Barneveld never looked like losing after taking a 2-0 lead in the final.
He won the game's opening four legs to win the first two sets, including a 121 finish.
Baxter won the third set in a deciding leg with a 104 checkout, but van Barneveld began the fourth on double nine and eventually wrapped up the win on double five and end with a 100.80 average.
He had endured a scare in his opening game of the day, when he had to twice come from behind against Austrain Hannes Schnier before winning in the final leg of the game.
The World Champion also won his next three matches - against Martin Whatmough, Dietmar Burger and Mark Dudbridge - in straight sets before being pushed again to the final leg by Andy Hamilton.
Dudbridge enjoyed a return to form with wins over Dutch duo Jelle Klaasen and Vincent van der Voort, as well as Denis Ovens, while Kevin Painter also had a confidence-boosting run to the last 16.
Wales' Sean Palfrey knocked out Wayne Jones and Adrian Lewis on his way to the quarter-finals, where he went down in the fifth set to Scholten.
Baxter came from a set down with a brilliant display in his semi-final against Colin Lloyd, dropping only one of the next seven legs to put himself into the decider.
Selected games during the early stages of the tournament and the last four onwards were filmed by German broadcaster DSF for a highlights programme to be screened on 19 April.u
Michael van Gerwen opened the action on the "Starboard", dropping just one leg against Jimmy Mann before losing to fellow Dutchman Roland Scholten in round two.
German number one Michael Rosenauer lost in the second round to Alan Tabern, while former World Soft Tip Champion Mensur Suljovic reached the last 32 with wins over Darren Johnson and Andy Smith.
Anton Pein, who won the German qualifier for last year's Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship, lost in the first round to Gabriel Clemens.
Picture courtesy German Darts Corporation website - click here to see a full gallery.
PartyPoker.net Players Championship
Ramada Hotel, Bad Soden
First Round
Hannes Schnier 3-2 Peter Seidl
Martin Whatmough 3-0 Steve Grubb
Dietmar Burger 3-1 Maik Langendorf
Thomas Mayer 3-1 Oliver Vogel
Jelle Klaasen 3-0 Manfred Haussler
Patrick Emmerich 3-0 Nigel Peden
Henning Rininsland 3-1 Alexander Berger
Tobias Hontsch 3-0 Mike Herold
Andy Plotzizka 3-2 Patrick Muller
Thomas Kreutzer 3-2 Sven-Oliver Beute
Ray Farrell 3-2 DJ Westermann
Michael Reichert 3-0 Alexander Daub
Marek Brommelhaus Bye (Danilo Horen)
Alan Caves 3-2 Owen Caffrey
Michael Wolf 3-1 Allan Rushforth
Mark Robinson 3-0 Carlo Sessini
Michael van Gerwen 3-0 Jimmy Mann
Michael Rauch 3-1 Stefan Mindum
Matheus Ziolkowski Bye (Ingo Vogt)
Gabriel Clemens 3-1 Anton Pein
Dave Honey 3-1 Karsten Koch
Rico Vonck 3-2 Christian Kruger
Fred Boddey 3-2 Kevin Reade
Ben Burton 3-0 Matt Sheehan
Thomas Ehlers 3-1 Edgar Fischer
Roland Freistatter 3-2 Gerd Jacobs
Thomas Eisgruber 3-0 Sven Heilig
Dave Ladley 3-0 Chris Sargeant
Robert Watson-Lang 3-0 Sven Hullwegen
Sean Palfrey 3-1 Stephan Schneider
Shane Passey 3-0 Gunther Ulrich
Hans Pfaff Bye (Swen Seinert)
Herbert Schulze 3-0 Alexander Berggrun
Kai Hohenberger 3-2 Ingo Mauderer
Kevin Munch Bye (Oliver Hahn)
Rocco Maes 3-0 Darren Latham
Hrvoje Istuk 3-2 Michael Putz
Steve Smith 3-0 Jurgen Lechtken
Michael Kiebel 3-0 Rainer Garrish
Holger Goddinger 3-2 Mario Curschmann
Andreas Heigel 3-1 Drtazen Dado Pajdakovic
Tatli Zeki 3-1 Frank Kortendieck
Jose Luis Rodriguez 3-2 Jurgen Perz
Jason Clark 3-1 Marko Pulz
Andree Welge 3-1 Wilhelm Schwingen Schlogl
Jamie Caven 3-0 Sladan Nedic
Adrian Gray 3-1 Ian Critchett
Heino-Dieter Rogge Bye (Haci Halin Senses)
Kevin Hill 3-0 Detlef Bietz
Johann Honner 3-0 Franz Hoschele
Kai Nithammer 3-0 Mirset Sailer
Harry Barth 3-0 Peter Schlote
Markus Hoffmann 3-1 Jog Aufmhoff
Huseyin Zengin 3-2 Bernhard Kraus
Nick Fulwell 3-1 Daniel Miggitsch
Mensur Suljovic 3-0 Patrick Wrietz
Mervyn King 3-0 Robert Marjanovic
Tomas Seyler 3-0 Jens Speicher
Colin Rice 3-0 Klaus Kronawitter
Frank Mast 3-1 Markus Kremser
Holger Jabben Bye (Guido Kammerer)
Andy Krockel 3-0 Marcus Behnsen
Michael Rosenauer 3-0 Marco Jaschinski
Christian Kotal 3-1 Wolfgang Henn
Second Round
Raymond van Barneveld 3-2 Hannes Schnier
Martin Whatmough 3-2 Paul Dillon
Dietmar Burger 3-2 Colin Monk
Thorsten Sarter 3-1 Thomas Mayer
Mark Dudbridge 3-0 Jelle Klaasen
Vincent van der Voort 3-0 Patrick Emmerich
Denis Ovens 3-0 Henning Rininsland
Dave Jowett 3-2 Tobias Hontsch
John Part 3-0 Andy Plotzitzka
Sven Fluck 3-1 Thomas Kreutzer
Dave Askew 3-0 Ray Farrell
Michael Reichert 3-0 Marc Lentz
Andy Hamilton 3-0 Mark Brommelhaus
Alan Caves 3-0 Markus Scheck
Alan Warriner-Little 3-2 Michael Wolf
Stephan Wusch 3-1 Mark Robinson
Roland Scholten 3-2 Michael van Gerwen
Dragutin Horvat 3-2 Michael Rauch
Steve Beaton 3-0 Matheus Ziolkowski
Gabriel Clemens 3-2 Alex Niedermier
Andy Jenkins 3-2 Dave Honey
Jyhan Artut 3-0 Rico Vonck
Wes Newton 3-0 Fred Boddey
Ben Burton 3-2 Jochen Graudenz
Adrian Lewis 3-2 Thomas Ehlers
Yves Cottenge 3-0 Roland Freistatter
Thomas Eisgruber Bye (Gary Welding)
Dave Ladley 3-0 Dieter Gaudenz
Robert Watson-Lang Bye (Mark Walsh)
Sean Palfrey 3-2 Tony Martin
Wayne Jones 3-0 Shane Passey
Karsten Kornath 3-2 Hans Pfaff
Colin Lloyd 3-0 Herbert Schulze
Kai Hohenberger 3-2 Norbert Grimm
Matt Clark 3-0 Kevin Munch
Rocco Maes 3-0 Dirk Markowski
Kevin Painter 3-0 Hrvoje Istuk
Steve Smith 3-2 Toon Greebe
Michael Kiebel 3-2 Alex Roy
Mario Hermann 3-2 Mario Curschmann
Wayne Mardle 3-0 Andreas Heigl
Marcel Plaewe 3-2 Tati Zeki
Dennis Smith 3-0 Jose Luis Rodriguez
Jason Clark 3-1 Ali Avci
James Wade 3-0 Andree Welge
Jamie Caven 3-1 Roland Schmidt
Adrian Gray 3-1 Colin Osborne
Heino-Dieter Rogge 3-2 Alexander Haack
Terry Jenkins 3-0 Kevin Hill
Johann Honner 3-0 Ian Eames
Mick McGowan 3-1 Kai Nithammer
Harry Barth 3-0 Frank Kaulke
Ronnie Baxter 3-0 Markus Hoffmann
Huseyin Zengin Bye (Roger Wittmann)
Andy Smith 3-1 Nick Fulwell
Mensur Suljovic 3-1 Darren Johnson
Mervyn King 3-1 Dennis Priestley
Tomas Seyler 3-0 Detlev Haut
Colin Rice 3-2 Steve Maish
Frank Mast 3-0 Thomas Schmelzer
Barrie Bates 3-0 Holger Jabben
Andy Krockel 3-0 Jurgen Demler
Alan Tabern 3-0 Michael Rosenauer
Andrew Davies 3-2 Christian Kotal
Third Round
Raymond van Barneveld 3-0 Martin Whatmough
Dietmar Burger 3-1 Thorsten Sarter
Mark Dudbridge 3-1 Vincent van der Voort
Denis Ovens 3-0 Dave Jowett
John Part 3-0 Sven Fluck
Dave Askew 3-0 Michael Reichert
Andy Hamilton 3-2 Alan Caves
Alan Warriner-Little 3-1 Stephan Wusch
Roland Scholten 3-0 Dragutin Horvat
Steve Beaton 3-1 Gabriel Clemens
Andy Jenkins 3-1 Jyhan Artut
Wes Newton 3-0 Ben Burton
Adrian Lewis 3-0 Yves Cottenge
Dave Ladley 3-2 Thomas Eisgruber
Sean Palfrey 3-2 Robert Watson-Lang
Wayne Jones 3-0 Karsten Kornath
Colin Lloyd 3-0 Kai Hohenberger
Matt Clark 3-1 Rocco Maes
Kevin Painter 3-2 Steve Smith
Michael Kiebel 3-2 Mario Hermann
Wayne Mardle 3-0 Marcel Plaewe
Jason Clark 3-1 Dennis Smith
James Wade 3-0 Jamie Caven
Adrian Gray 3-0 Heino-Deiter Rogge
Terry Jenkins 3-0 Johann Honner
Mick McGowan 3-0 Harry Barth
Ronnie Baxter 3-0 Huseyin Zengin
Mensur Suljovic 3-2 Andy Smith
Mervyn King 3-1 Tomas Seyler
Frank Mast 3-0 Colin Rice
Barrie Bates 3-1 Andy Krockel
Alan Tabern 3-0 Andrew Davies
Losers £75
Fourth Round
Raymond van Barneveld 3-0 Dietmar Burger
Mark Dudbridge 3-0 Denis Ovens
John Part 3-1 Dave Askew
Andy Hamilton 3-1 Alan Warriner-Little
Roland Scholten 3-1 Steve Beaton
Wes Newton 3-1 Andy Jenkins
Adrian Lewis 3-0 Dave Ladley
Sean Palfrey 3-2 Wayne Jones
Colin Lloyd 3-0 Matt Clark
Kevin Painter 3-0 Michael Keibel
Wayne Mardle 3-1 Jason Clark
James Wade 3-1 Adrian Gray
Terry Jenkins 3-2 Mick McGowan
Ronnie Baxter 3-0 Mensur Suljovic
Mervyn King 3-0 Frank Mast
Barrie Bates 3-1 Alan Tabern
Losers £150
Round Five
Raymond van Barneveld 3-0 Mark Dudbridge
Andy Hamilton 3-1 John Part
Roland Scholten 3-0 Wes Newton
Sean Palfrey 3-2 Adrian Lewis
Colin Lloyd 3-1 Kevin Painter
James Wade 3-1 Wayne Mardle
Ronnie Baxter 3-2 Terry Jenkins
Mervyn King 3-1 Barrie Bates
Losers £300
Quarter-Finals
Raymond van Barneveld 3-2 Andy Hamilton
Roland Scholten 3-2 Sean Palfrey
Colin Lloyd 3-0 James Wade
Ronnie Baxter 3-2 Mervyn King
Losers £600
Semi-Finals
Raymond van Barneveld 3-1 Roland Scholten (0-2, 2-0, 2-1, 2-1)
Colin Lloyd 1-3 Ronnie Baxter (2-0, 1-2, 0-2, 0-2)
Losers £1,250
Final
Raymond van Barneveld 3-1 Ronnie Baxter (2-0, 2-0, 1-2, 2-0)
Winner £5,000
Runner-Up £2,500