ANDY HAMILTON picked up his second PDC Pro Tour title of 2007 with a 2-0 win over James Wade in the final of the Blue Square UK Open Midlands Regional Final.
Hamilton won a Players Championship title in Gibraltar back in January, and added a further £5,000 to his winnings with a quality showing at The Festival in Nottingham.
After edging out Mervyn King 5-4 in the quarter-finals - when the PDC newcomer missed two darts for victory - Hamilton failed to drop a set in winning his final two games.
He hit four 180s and two ton-plus finishes in a 2-0 semi-final defeat of Wayne Mardle and then won the final against Wade by the same scoreline.
He came from 2-1 down to win the first set of the final against the throw with a 14-darter, after Wade missed double top for the set.
An 11-darter from Wade - the winner of the North-West Regional Final a fortnight ago - prevented Hamilton moving 2-0 up in the second.
But the World Championship semi-finalist took out double eight to move to within one leg of the match, and then stepped in to take out 66 on double top for victory.
"I'm really pleased," said Hamilton, who revealed afterwards that he has been on a course of antibiotics this week after picking up an ear infection.
"I wasn't feeling well last week and haven't been sleeping too well - I was up at 3am before this but maybe it was destiny.
"I thought it could be my weekend and I've battled through. I'm building my confidence up know and know I can compete with the best of them.
"I've never beaten James before and knew it would be a tough game. It probably wasn't the best of finals but I've come through it and I'm delighted."
Wade had reached the final with a 2-0 defeat of Kevin McDine in the semis, winning 3-2, 3-1 in sets despite a valiant effort from the 21-year-old.
McDine was appearing in his first PDC semi-final, having defeated Jimmy Mann 5-4 in the quarter-finals with a 164 finish in the deciding leg.
Wales' Barrie Bates lost 5-3 to Wade in the last eight, with Mardle overcoming Steve Hine 5-1.
Click here for Day One Results
Blue Square UK Open Midlands Regional Final
Quarter-Finals
Andy Hamilton 5-4 Mervyn King
Wayne Mardle 5-1 Steve Hine
Barrie Bates 3-5 James Wade
Jimmy Mann 4-5 Kevin McDine
Losers £600
Best of nine legs
Semi-Finals
Andy Hamilton 2-0 Wayne Mardle (3-1, 3-2)
James Wade 2-0 Kevin McDine (3-2, 3-1)
Losers £1,250
Best of three sets, five legs per set
Final
Andy Hamilton 2-0 James Wade (3-2, 3-1)
Winner £5,000
Runner-Up £2,500
Best of three sets, five legs per set
Quarter-Finals Round-Up
The opening quarter-final saw Andy Hamilton and Mervyn King battle out a nine-leg thriller.
The first three legs went with the throw before Hamilton capitalised on four missed doubles from King to land double one with his final dart to go 3-1 up.
King hit back to win the next two after Hamilton missed doubles in both legs, and the pair shared the seventh and eighth legs to send the match into a decider.
It was King, against the throw, who was first to the double, but two missed darts at double 16 allowed Hamilton back in to take out 75 on double top for the win.
Wayne Mardle produced some fine darts to see off Steve Hine 5-1 in the second game of the day.
The first two legs were shared but a break of throw from Mardle in leg four, with a 13-darter to go 3-1 up, put the Essex man in command.
Mardle moved 4-1 up with a quality 12-darter, and then landed double eight for the match after Hine missed two darts to stay in the contest.
James Wade booked his last four place in the third quarter-final with a 5-3 defeat of Barrie Bates.
The Welshman opened the match with a 180 and took the first leg before three in a row from Wade put him ahead.
Bates took two of the next three legs to remain in contention at 4-3, but a second maximum of the game in leg eight helped Wade set up a 14-darter for the win.
The final last eight match saw Kevin McDine battle to a 5-4 win over Jimmy Mann.
The duo shared five maximums as the first eight legs of the match went with the throw to send the game into a decider at four-all.
McDine took the eighth leg in 13 darts, and then bettered that in the final leg with a 164 finish for a 12-darter against the throw to reach his first PDC semi-final.
Hamilton won a Players Championship title in Gibraltar back in January, and added a further £5,000 to his winnings with a quality showing at The Festival in Nottingham.
After edging out Mervyn King 5-4 in the quarter-finals - when the PDC newcomer missed two darts for victory - Hamilton failed to drop a set in winning his final two games.
He hit four 180s and two ton-plus finishes in a 2-0 semi-final defeat of Wayne Mardle and then won the final against Wade by the same scoreline.
He came from 2-1 down to win the first set of the final against the throw with a 14-darter, after Wade missed double top for the set.
An 11-darter from Wade - the winner of the North-West Regional Final a fortnight ago - prevented Hamilton moving 2-0 up in the second.
But the World Championship semi-finalist took out double eight to move to within one leg of the match, and then stepped in to take out 66 on double top for victory.
"I'm really pleased," said Hamilton, who revealed afterwards that he has been on a course of antibiotics this week after picking up an ear infection.
"I wasn't feeling well last week and haven't been sleeping too well - I was up at 3am before this but maybe it was destiny.
"I thought it could be my weekend and I've battled through. I'm building my confidence up know and know I can compete with the best of them.
"I've never beaten James before and knew it would be a tough game. It probably wasn't the best of finals but I've come through it and I'm delighted."
Wade had reached the final with a 2-0 defeat of Kevin McDine in the semis, winning 3-2, 3-1 in sets despite a valiant effort from the 21-year-old.
McDine was appearing in his first PDC semi-final, having defeated Jimmy Mann 5-4 in the quarter-finals with a 164 finish in the deciding leg.
Wales' Barrie Bates lost 5-3 to Wade in the last eight, with Mardle overcoming Steve Hine 5-1.
Click here for Day One Results
Blue Square UK Open Midlands Regional Final
Quarter-Finals
Andy Hamilton 5-4 Mervyn King
Wayne Mardle 5-1 Steve Hine
Barrie Bates 3-5 James Wade
Jimmy Mann 4-5 Kevin McDine
Losers £600
Best of nine legs
Semi-Finals
Andy Hamilton 2-0 Wayne Mardle (3-1, 3-2)
James Wade 2-0 Kevin McDine (3-2, 3-1)
Losers £1,250
Best of three sets, five legs per set
Final
Andy Hamilton 2-0 James Wade (3-2, 3-1)
Winner £5,000
Runner-Up £2,500
Best of three sets, five legs per set
Quarter-Finals Round-Up
The opening quarter-final saw Andy Hamilton and Mervyn King battle out a nine-leg thriller.
The first three legs went with the throw before Hamilton capitalised on four missed doubles from King to land double one with his final dart to go 3-1 up.
King hit back to win the next two after Hamilton missed doubles in both legs, and the pair shared the seventh and eighth legs to send the match into a decider.
It was King, against the throw, who was first to the double, but two missed darts at double 16 allowed Hamilton back in to take out 75 on double top for the win.
Wayne Mardle produced some fine darts to see off Steve Hine 5-1 in the second game of the day.
The first two legs were shared but a break of throw from Mardle in leg four, with a 13-darter to go 3-1 up, put the Essex man in command.
Mardle moved 4-1 up with a quality 12-darter, and then landed double eight for the match after Hine missed two darts to stay in the contest.
James Wade booked his last four place in the third quarter-final with a 5-3 defeat of Barrie Bates.
The Welshman opened the match with a 180 and took the first leg before three in a row from Wade put him ahead.
Bates took two of the next three legs to remain in contention at 4-3, but a second maximum of the game in leg eight helped Wade set up a 14-darter for the win.
The final last eight match saw Kevin McDine battle to a 5-4 win over Jimmy Mann.
The duo shared five maximums as the first eight legs of the match went with the throw to send the game into a decider at four-all.
McDine took the eighth leg in 13 darts, and then bettered that in the final leg with a 164 finish for a 12-darter against the throw to reach his first PDC semi-final.