PHIL TAYLOR defeated Ronnie Baxter 6-2 in the final of the Brentwood Players Championship, on Saturday.
Taylor who won the title twelve months ago, has now won seven titles in 2009, including five on the PDC Pro Tour.
Taylor had overcome the challenge of Terry Jenkins in a final-leg decider and Mark Walsh in the semi-finals 6-2.
He established a 2-0 lead early on in the final, and that soon increased to 4-0, aided by a maximum in both the third and fourth legs.
Baxter hit a maximum of his own to reduce the deficit to 4-1, before Taylor went to the brink of victory by converting a 100 checkout.
Baxter kept his hopes alive with a 70 finish, but Taylor wrapped up victory in the eighth leg by landing double four, to claim the £6,000 first prize cheque.
Baxter had defeated Steve Hine, Alan Tabern and Dutchman Co Stompe on his way to the final. But he found the fourteen-time world champion to much of an obstacle to overcome.
Mark Walsh continued his good form, defeating Robert Thornton and Steve Beaton by 6-1 scorelines on his way to the semi-finals.
James Wade, who is currently top of the Whyte & Mackay Premier League, fell at the last 16 stage to former world champion Steve Beaton.
Players Championship
Preliminary Round
Darren Latham 6-2 Simon Pratt
Gary Welding 6-1 Stuart Holden
Jim Leighton 6-4 Ian Perkins
Justin Pipe 6-3 Steve Musson
Tony Ayres 6-4 Mick McGowan
Par Rihonen 6-2 Jimmy O'Reagan
Toon Greebe 6-2 Paul Knighton
Steve Evans 6-4 Adrian Gray
Co Stompe 6-3 Mark Jodrill
Stuart Bousfield 6-0 Ian Eames
Wayne Atwood 6-5 Sean Dowling
Sam Rooney 6-1 Lionel Sams
Steve Hine 6-1 John Jenkinson
John Quantock 6-3 Garry Barnett
Jan van der Rassel 6-4 Bryan de Hoog
First Round
Board One
Phil Taylor(1) 6-0 Chris Cooper
Dennis Smith 6-0 Jon Archer
Kevin McDine(32) 6-3 Steve Perry
James Barton 6-1 Darren Latham
Board Two
Wayne Jones(16) 6-4 Dave Honey
Danny King 6-2 Andrew Davies
Martyn Turner 6-5 Vincent van der Voort(17)
Kirk Shepherd 6-3 Gary Welding
Board Three
Terry Jenkins(8) 6-0 Alan Caves
Chris Thompson 6-3 John MaGowan
Jamie Caven(25) 6-1 Mike Gallett
Stuart Dutton 6-1 Jim Leighton
Board Four
Colin Osborne(9) 6-1 Richie Burnett
Roland Scholten 6-1 Dave Ansell
Andy Jenkins(24) 6-5 Brendan Dolan
Justin Pipe 6-4 Mark Webster
Board Five
James Wade(5) 6-0 Paul Anthony
Jason Clark 6-1 Dennis Zijderhand
Michael van Gerwen(28) 6-1 Ian Critchett
Tony Ayres 6-2 Robert Watson-Lang
Board Six
Mark Dudbridge(12) 6-2 Russell Mason
Peter Wright 6-2 Ian Lilley
Steve Beaton(21) 6-0 Geoff Whitworth
Par Rihonen 6-3 Dave Ladley
Board Seven
Robert Thornton(4) 6-4 Larry Butler
Ian Lever 6-0 Jonathan Overton
Wes Newton(29) 6-4 Dave Smith
Toon Greebe 6-2 Lee White
Board Eight
Mark Walsh(13) 6-3 Barrie Bates
Gary Anderson 6-0 Nigel Birch
Geoff Wylie 6-2 Tony Eccles(20)
Steve Evans 6-4 Jimmy Dunlop
Board Nine
Darren Johnson 6-4 Dennis Priestley(2)
Chris Loudon 6-3 Steve Grubb
Jelle Klaasen(31) 6-2 Dave Askew
Paul Nicholson 6-0 Ian Perkins
Board Ten
Kevin Painter(15) 6-2 Michael Smith
Gary Mawson 6-2 Chris Mason
Joe Cullen 6-5 Adrian Lewis(18)
Co Stompe 6-1 Arron Monk
Board Eleven
Colin Lloyd(7) 6-2 Anastasia Dobromyslova
Mark Frost 6-4 Stephen Hardy
Steve Maish(26) 6-4 Robert Alford
Stuart Bousfield 6-5 Colin Monk
Board Twelve
Mervyn King(10) 6-2 Aaron Turner
Andy Relf 6-4 Kevin Harris
Alex Roy(23) 6-2 Chris Allen
Mark Lawrence 6-4 Wayne Atwood
Board Thirteen
Ronnie Baxter(6) 6-3 Dyson Parody
Dylan Duo 6-2 Ben Burton
Matt Clark(27) 6-3 Sean Palfrey
Steve Brown 6-5 Sam Rooney
Board Fourteen
John Kuczynksi 6-3 Andy Hamilton(11)
Kev Dowling 6-0 Alex Tinsley
Peter Manley(22) 6-3 Lee Williams
Robbie Newland 5-6 Steve Hine
Board Fifteen
Alan Tabern(3) 6-2 Alan Warriner-Little
Scott Kirchner 6-1 Danny Pinhorne
Wayne Mardle(30) 6-2 Richard Foster
Ricky Williams 6-5 John Quantock
Board Sixteen
Denis Ovens(14) 6-2 Nick Fulwell
Michael Barnard 6-0 Dave Ahmet
John Michael 6-3 Andy Smith(19)
Jan van der Rassel 6-2 Steve Lane
Second Round
Phil Taylor 6-3 Dennis Smith
James Barton 6-4 Kevin McDine
Wayne Jones 6-3 Danny King
Martyn Turner 6-3 Kirk Shepherd
Terry Jenkins 6-4 Chris Thompson
Jamie Caven 6-1 Stuart Dutton
Colin Osborne 6-2 Roland Scholten
Justin Pipe 6-2 Andy Jenkins
James Wade 6-4 Jason Clark
Michael van Gerwen 6-4 Tony Ayres
Peter Wright 6-4 Mark Dudbridge
Steve Beaton 6-3 Par Rihonen
Robert Thornton 6-3 Ian Lever
Wes Newton 6-5 Toon Greebe
Mark Walsh 6-2 Gary Anderson
Steve Evans 6-4 Geoff Wylie
Darren Johnson 6-4 Chris Loudon
Paul Nicholson 6-5 Jelle Klaasen
Gary Mawson 6-4 Kevin Painter
Co Stompe 6-2 Joe Cullen
Mark Frost 6-3 Colin Lloyd
Steve Maish 6-2 Stuart Bousfield
Mervyn King 6-2 Andy Relf
Alex Roy 6-4 Mark Lawrence
Ronnie Baxter 6-3 Dylan Duo
Steve Brown 6-5 Matt Clark
John Kuczynski 6-5 Kev Dowling
Steve Hine 6-2 Peter Manley
Alan Tabern 6-4 Scott Kirchner
Wayne Mardle 6-5 Ricky Williams
Denis Ovens 6-4 Michael Barnard
Jan van der Rassel 6-4 John Michael
Losers £200
Third Round
Phil Taylor 6-0 James Barton
Martyn Turner 6-5 Wayne Jones
Terry Jenkins 6-3 Jamie Caven
Colin Osborne 6-4 Justin Pipe
James Wade 6-4 Michael van Gerwen
Steve Beaton 6-0 Peter Wright
Robert Thornton 6-4 Wes Newton
Mark Walsh 6-3 Steve Evans
Darren Johnson 6-5 Paul Nicholson
Co Stompe 6-5 Gary Mawson
Steve Maish 6-4 Mark Frost
Mervyn King 6-5 Alex Roy
Ronnie Baxter 6-5 Steve Brown
Steve Hine 6-5 John Kuczynski
Alan Tabern 6-2 Wayne Mardle
Denis Ovens 6-2 Jan van der Rassel
Losers £300
Fourth Round
Phil Taylor 6-1 Martyn Turner
Terry Jenkins 6-2 Colin Osborne
Steve Beaton 6-3 James Wade
Mark Walsh 6-1 Robert Thornton
Co Stompe 6-3 Darren Johnson
Mervyn King 6-1 Steve Maish
Ronnie Baxter 6-4 Steve Hine
Alan Tabern 6-5 Denis Ovens
Losers £400
Quarter Finals
Phil Taylor 6-5 Terry Jenkins
Mark Walsh 6-1 Steve Beaton
Co Stompe 6-0 Mervyn King
Ronnie Baxter 6-2 Alan Tabern
Losers £800
Semi Finals
Phil Taylor 6-2 Mark Walsh
Ronnie Baxter 6-3 Co Stompe
Losers £1,500
FINAL
Phil Taylor 6-2 Ronnie Baxter
Winner £6,000
Runner-up £3,000