JAMES WADE picked up his first tournament victory since last October with victory over Gary Anderson in the final of the eighth UK Open Qualifier, held at the Robin Park Tennis Centre in Wigan.
The world number three gave himself the perfect boost ahead of Thursday's crucial Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts clash with Terry Jenkins, which he needs to win to secure a play-off place later this month.
Wade defeated Gary Anderson 6-2 in the final, brilliantly reeling off five straight legs to come from 2-1 down to take the £6,000 title.
Anderson started well to hold throw in two of the opening three legs, hitting scores of 140 and 137 to set up a double top finish in the latter, while Wade had opened his account on double ten.
Scotland's Anderson missed double top for a 107 finish in the next as Wade levelled on double ten, before dishing out the same punishment to break throw in leg five and take the lead for the first time.
Anderson started the sixth with a 180, but a fine 120 checkout from Wade put him 4-2 up, and he then produced finishes of 144 and 104 for back-to-back 12-dart finishes in wrapping up the win.
"It's very pleasing and I'm delighted to get the win under my belt," said Wade. "I've played well in a lot of the ProTour events this year without getting over the finishing line so it's good to do it at last."
Wade opened the day with 6-1 wins over Bolton's Paul Williams and Kirk Shepherd, before overcoming Steve Beaton 6-3.
Darren Johnson and Brendan Dolan were also defeated as Wade progressed to the last four, while a 6-2 victory against Michael van Gerwen saw him reach the final.
Anderson had reached his fourth final of 2010 with his run on the day, although he was forced to come from 5-3 down to edge his semi-final against Mark Webster.
He was also taken to a deciding leg by Alan Tabern, Dennis Smith and Andy Hamilton on the day before falling victim in the decider, although he claims £3,000 prize money in consolation.
Webster's semi-final appearance was his second of the weekend, after also reaching the last four in Saturday's Players Championship, while van Gerwen's run was his best of the year.
Co Stompe matched Andy Hamilton's achievement of 24 hours earlier by hitting a nine-darter, earning himself a £400 bonus, although he went on to lose his clash with fellow Dutchman Vincent van der Voort in a deciding leg at the last 32 stage.
Brendan Dolan made a superb comeback from 3-0 down to defeat Andy Smith 6-3 in winning through to the quarters, but that fightback was bettered by Matt Clark, who was 5-0 down to Ian Jopling in round three but battled back to take victory and reach the last 16.
Nigel Heydon, Alan Tabern and Mark Walsh were the other quarter-final losers, while St Helens youngster Michael Smith, Yorkshire's Darren Johnson and Saturday's Players Championship winner Simon Whitlock made the last 16.
The tournament was the last of eight UK Open Qualifiers, after which the top 96 players plus ties from the UK Open Order of Merit will progress to compete in the UK Open Finals at Bolton from June 3-6.
The final UK Open Order of Merit will be confirmed on Monday May 10 on this website
Tickets for the UK Open cost from £20 and are available by calling 0844 871 2932 or by visiting the Reebok Stadium Box Office.
UK Open Qualifier 8
Preliminary Round
Geoff Whitworth 6-1 Lee White
Ian Jopling 6-1 Harry Robinson
Sam Allen 6-2 Richie Burnett
Peter Hudson 6-4 Jamie Atkins
Steve Farmer 6-2 Lee Williams
Andy Pearce 6-0 Jim McKevitt
Scott Rand 6-2 Ian Lever
Simon Cunningham 6-3 Sean White
Mareno Michels 6-3 Matt Draper
Arron Monk 6-1 Dave Ladley
Brian Startin 6-4 Mark Jones
Michael Smith 6-5 Andy Pearson
William O'Connor 6-5 Gary Welding
Mark Cox 6-4 Steve Pearson
John Quantock 6-1 Robbie Newland
Dave Smith 6-3 Jimmy Mann
Ron Atwill 6-4 Martyn Bevan
Ian White 6-1 James Barton
Chris Allen 6-1 Brian Whybrow
Anastasia Dobromyslova 6-2 Simon Burt
Aodhagan O'Neill 6-4 Tony Martin
Andy Hutchings 6-4 Joe Cullen
Paul Williams 6-4 Alex Tinsley
Anthony Urmston-Toft 6-2 Paul Hodkin
First Round
Paul Rowley 6-5 Justin Pipe
Matt Clark 6-1 Nigel Birch
Lionel Sams 6-5 Geoff Whitworth
Ian Jopling 6-3 Louis Blundell
Nick Fullwell 6-3 Dean Allsopp
Mark Webster 6-3 Patrick Pace
Adrian Gray 6-2 Sam Allen
Mark Frost 6-1 Peter Hudson
Andy Jenkins 6-2 Gary Eastwood
Nigel Heydon 6-5 Robert Thornton
Wayne Atwood 6-0 Terry Temple
Steve Farmer 6-3 Steve Grubb
Wes Newton 6-0 Peter Edmonds
Dave Honey 6-2 Trevor Frost
Jamie Caven 6-2 Daz Mawer
Mark Lawrence 6-4 Andy Pearce
Andy Hamilton 6-1 Steve Perkins
Gary Anderson 6-2 Danny Pinhorne
Scott Rand 6-3 Steve Hine
Simon Cunningham 6-2 Gary Mawson
Dennis Priestley 6-1 Kevin Harris
Colin Osborne 6-3 Anton Liscsey
Dennis Smith 6-2 Mareno Michels
Peter Manley 6-3 Arron Monk
Alan Tabern 6-4 Mark Stephenson
Colin Lloyd 6-0 Nicholas Ogier
Kevin Dowling 6-4 Martyn Turner
Jyhan Artut 6-4 Brian Startin
Terry Jenkins 6-0 Dave Ahmet
Wayne Jones 6-0 Jimmy Dunlop
Adrian Lewis 6-1 Jon Archer
Michael Smith 6-1 Steve Brown
Jelle Klaasen 6-0 Par Riihonen
Steve Evans 6-2 Stuart Bousfield
Mark Walsh 6-4 William O'Connor
Mark Cox 6-1 Alex Roy
Co Stompe 6-4 Jason Clark
Vincent van der Voort 6-4 Dave Askew
John Quantock 6-5 Steve Maish
Mervyn King 6-5 Dave Smith
Denis Ovens 6-5 Steve Musson
Simon Whitlock 6-0 Andy Fulton
Tony Eccles 6-2 Darren Webster
Roland Scholten 6-3 Ron Atwill
John Part 6-4 Chris Loudon
Michael van Gerwen 6-0 Tony Blundell
Chris Mason 6-1 Steve Cupitt
Ian White 6-3 Tony Ayres
Chris Thompson 6-3 Mark Hylton
Andy Smith 6-5 Stephen Hardy
Mark Dudbridge 6-5 Chris Allen
Ronnie Baxter 6-2 Anastasia Dobromyslova
Paul Nicholson 6-5 Darren Weaver
Matt Padgett 6-1 Colin Monk
Kevin Painter 6-1 Aodhagan O'Neill
Brendan Dolan 6-4 Andy Hutchings
Barrie Bates 6-5 Tony Randell
Steve Beaton 6-0 Shaun Dring
Kirk Shepherd 6-3 Mark Jodrill
James Wade 6-1 Paul Williams
Michael Barnard 6-3 Ian McFarlane
Mick McGowan 6-0 Tony Comerford
Darren Johnson 6-4 Andy Relf
Peter Wright 6-4 Anthony Urmston-Toft
Second Round
Matt Clark 6-5 Paul Rowley
Ian Jopling 6-4 Lionel Sams
Mark Webster 6-3 Nick Fullwell
Mark Frost 6-0 Adrian Gray
Nigel Heydon 6-0 Andy Jenkins
Steve Farmer 6-1 Wayne Atwood
Wes Newton 6-3 Dave Honey
Jamie Caven 6-5 Mark Lawrence
Gary Anderson 6-5 Andy Hamilton
Simon Cunningham 6-3 Scott Rand
Dennis Priestley 6-2 Colin Osborne
Dennis Smith 6-0 Peter Manley
Alan Tabern 6-3 Colin Lloyd
Kevin Dowling 6-5 Jyhan Artut
Terry Jenkins 6-4 Wayne Jones
Michael Smith 6-3 Adrian Lewis
Jelle Klaasen 6-5 Steve Evans
Mark Walsh 6-2 Mark Cox
Vincent van der Voort 6-5 Co Stompe - Co Stompe hits nine-darter
Mervyn King 6-4 John Quantock
Simon Whitlock 6-4 Denis Ovens
Tony Eccles 6-2 Roland Scholten
Michael van Gerwen 6-3 John Part
Chris Mason 6-5 Ian White
Andy Smith 6-2 Chris Thompson
Ronnie Baxter 6-5 Mark Dudbridge
Paul Nicholson 6-1 Matt Padgett
Brendan Dolan 6-5 Kevin Painter
Steve Beaton 6-1 Barrie Bates
James Wade 6-1 Kirk Shepherd
Mick McGowan 6-3 Michael Barnard
Darren Johnson 6-4 Peter Wright
Losers £200
Third Round
Matt Clark 6-5 Ian Jopling
Mark Webster 6-1 Mark Frost
Nigel Heydon 6-5 Steve Farmer
Wes Newton 6-4 Jamie Caven
Gary Anderson 6-4 Simon Cunningham
Dennis Smith 6-4 Dennis Priestley
Alan Tabern 6-4 Kevin Dowling
Michael Smith 6-5 Terry Jenkins
Mark Walsh 6-2 Jelle Klaasen
Vincent van der Voort 6-4 Mervyn King
Simon Whitlock 6-2 Tony Eccles
Michael van Gerwen 6-1 Chris Mason
Andy Smith 6-3 Ronnie Baxter
Brendan Dolan 6-3 Paul Nicholson
James Wade 6-3 Steve Beaton
Darren Johnson 6-1 Mick McGowan
Losers £300
Fourth Round
Mark Webster 6-5 Matt Clark
Nigel Heydon 6-5 Wes Newton
Gary Anderson 6-5 Dennis Smith
Alan Tabern 6-1 Michael Smith
Mark Walsh 6-2 Vincent van der Voort
Michael van Gerwen 6-3 Simon Whitlock
Brendan Dolan 6-3 Andy Smith
James Wade 6-1 Darren Johnson
Losers £500
Quarter-Finals
Mark Webster 6-4 Nigel Heydon
Gary Anderson 6-5 Alan Tabern
Michael van Gerwen 6-2 Mark Walsh
James Wade 6-3 Brendan Dolan
Losers £1,000
Semi-Finals
Gary Anderson 6-5 Mark Webster
James Wade 6-2 Michael van Gerwen
Losers £1,500
Final
James Wade 6-2 Gary Anderson
Winner £6,000
Runner-Up £3,000