ALAN TABERN won his maiden PDC title with a 2-0 defeat of Steve Maish in the Budweiser UK Open North-West Regional Final.
The St Helens player, who joined the PDC late last year and reached the second round at the Ladbrokes.com World Championship, took the biggest paycheck of his career with the £4,000 first prize.
He came from 2-1 down to win the opening set with a 115 checkout, and was also behind in the second.
However, he hit back to lead 2-1 and then won the deciding leg with double six.
"I'm numb," said Tabern. "I wouldn't have believed when I joined the PDC that I'd be winning events like this so soon.
"It's only other people who tell me I'm good but I've got to admit today was one of the first times I've felt pressure.
"After beating Raymond van Barneveld in the semis, I knew that I should really go on and win it.
"Standard-wise, I played better against Raymond but I've got to adapt to the occasion and I did the job against Steve.
"It's hard on the circuit, this money means I can pay the bills but I don't have a sponsor at the moment."
Budweiser UK Open North-West Regional Final
Quarter-Finals
Raymond van Barneveld 5-2 James Wade
Alan Tabern 5-4 Andy Hamilton
Robbie Green 2-5 Owen Caffrey
Steve Maish 5-2 Peter Manley
Best of nine legs
Losers £500, 10 ranking points
Semi-Finals
Raymond van Barneveld 0-2 Alan Tabern (2-3, 1-3)
Owen Caffrey 0-2 Steve Maish (2-3, 1-3)
Best of three sets, five legs per set
Losers £1,000, 12 ranking points
Final
Alan Tabern 2-0 Steve Maish (3-2, 3-2)
Best of three sets, five legs per set
Winner £4,000, 20 ranking points
Runner-up: £2,000, 16 ranking points
QUARTER-FINALS
RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD 5-2 JAMES WADE
RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD moved into the semi-finals of the North-West Regional Final with a comfortable 5-2 win over James Wade.
Wade landed a nine-dart leg during Saturday's early stages, but could not reproduce that form against the Dutchman.
The opening three legs went with throw to give van Barneveld a 2-1 lead before he punished Wade in the next to break.
Wade missed double 18 and then twice burst his score on double nine, allowing his opponent to steal the leg with a 101 finish.
He extended his lead to 4-1 with a second 14-dart leg, but Wade pulled back the next with a superb 140 finish, landing treble 20 and two double tops.
With the throw in the next leg, van Barneveld gave himself the advantage and landed double top himself to seal the win.
ALAN TABERN 5-4 ANDREW HAMILTON
ALAN TABERN reached his first semi-final in the Budweiser UK Open Regional Finals with a 5-4 win over Andrew Hamilton.
The emerging star from St Helens - who came through the Greene King qualifiers to win a place in Bolton last year - has now secured a place in the top 32 seeds for this year's event.
He led Hamilton 3-0 after making a superb start, although his Stoke opponent hit back with three straight legs of his own to level matters.
Tabern produced a 133 finish to move 4-3 up, but missed five darts for the match in the next before Hamilton landed double seven to take the game into a decider.
He completed the win with a 121 finish on the bull to set up a clash with Raymond van Barneveld.
OWEN CAFFREY 5-2 ROBBIE GREEN
IRISH newcomer Owen Caffrey overcame Robbie Green 5-2 to move into the last eight of the North-West Regional Final.
The opening four legs of the clash went with the throw, with Caffrey taking out a nerveless 105 in the second.
He then stepped in to take the fifth leg after Green missed his doubles.
Caffrey then landed double ten to move 4-2 up and sealed victory when Green again suffered double trouble.
STEVE MAISH 5-2 PETER MANLEY
ESSEX'S Steve Maish came from behind to put himself into the semi-finals of the Budweiser UK Open North-West Regional Final.
The world number 30 trailed Manley 1-0 after the World Championship finalist took the opening leg with double ten.
Maish landed a maximum on his way to levelling matters and then stepped in with double top after Manley missed double 16.
He took out double ten, with Manley sat on 24, to go 3-1 up before his opponent reduced the arrears, landing a 180 before hitting his trademark double top.
Maish moved 4-2 up with a 14-dart leg and then checked out 116 to secure his berth in the last four.
SEMI-FINALS
ALAN TABERN 2-0 RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD
(3-2, 3-1)
ALAN TABERN reached his first PDC final with a straight sets victory over Raymond van Barneveld.
The St Helens thrower, who played in the 2006 Ladbrokes.com World Championship, produced a brilliant display to see off the Dutch superstar.
He landed a maximum 180 in the opening leg of the game on his way to a 1-0 lead, although van Barneveld hit back with a 121 finish of bull, treble 13 and double 16.
Tabern took the next after his opponent missed double top, although van Barneveld hit back in the same fashion to take the opening set to a decider.
Tabern's second maximum gave him the cushion, and he moved 1-0 up with a 14-dart leg.
He also moved ahead in the next set, taking out double four for a 13-dart leg after van Barneveld missed double ten for a 140 finish.
The Dutchman hit back with a 12-dart leg, but even his second maximum of the game was not enough as Tabern stole the third leg to move 2-1 ahead.
He then hit two 140's and a 129 to leave 32 in the next, and landed his first dart at double 16 to wrap up the victory.
STEVE MAISH 2-0 OWEN CAFFREY
(3-2, 3-1)
STEVE MAISH overcame Irishman Owen Caffrey 2-0 to move into the final of the Budweiser UK Open North-West Regional Final.
As in his quarter-final against Peter Manley, the Essex star had to come from behind after Caffrey showed no nerves to move 2-0 up in the first set, including a 122 finish.
Maish kept the set alive with double 16 in the third leg and then hit an 85 checkout to level matters.
"Mr Magic" then took out 56 to move 1-0 up, with Caffrey sat on 52 ready to pounce.
The pair held their throw to share the opening two legs of the second set, before Maish landed a maximum 180 on his way to breaking Caffrey's throw - with his opponent sat on 20.
The pair finally showed nerves with Maish throwing for the match, the world number 30 missing double top and double ten before Caffrey mirrored him.
But Maish took out double five with his final dart to move into the final.