IAN WHITE secured his maiden title on PDC circuit after defeating Premier League star Simon Whitlock 6-3 in the final of Players Championship 8 at the Barnsley Metrodome on Sunday.
The 43-year-old from Stoke had come out second best in the five previous finals he had played on the PDC ProTour, but claimed the £10,000 first prize at the sixth time of asking with an average of 100.97 to defeat the Australian number one.
White’s memorable day began with wins over Steve Hine and Adrian Gray – both by 6-4 margins – before destroying two-time World Champion Adrian Lewis with a 6-1 win in the third round.
White maintained that form as he whitewashed former UK Open finalist Mark Walsh before dropping just a total of three legs against Joe Cullen and Wayne Jones to seal his place in the final against Whitlock.
The Australian started the better of the two players in the decider as he took the opening leg with a 76 finish on double top before White hit back to win the next two and establish a 2-1 lead.
Whitlock levelled by claiming the fourth leg with a 70 finish before White landed double 16 to regain the lead, which was increased to 4-2 in the next when he hit double 14 after Whitlock wasted three chances at double 11.
White landed double eight for the second time in the game to lead 5-2 and move a leg away from victory before Whitlock kept the game alive by converting a 90 finish to win the eigth leg.
The Stoke man had the throw in the ninth and he made it count as he confirmed victory by landing an excellent 100 checkout on double top to close out the game and end Whitlock’s hopes of a second ProTour victory in 2013.
Whitlock, who reached the last four of Saturday’s Players Championship, produced some scintillating darts on Sunday as he defeated Colin Osborne in the second round with a 105 average, hitting seven 180s in the game, before dismissing five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld 6-2 in the next round, averaging over 111.
Whitlock then edged out Germany’s Jyhan Artut in a dramatic deciding leg encounter, which he won thanks to a fantastic 164 checkout, to reach the last 16 of the competition.
The world number four overcame Mervyn King 6-3 before whitewashing Scott Rand 6-0 to remain on course for claiming the first prize, but ran out of steam in the decider as White came out on top.
Coventry’s Rand run to the last four included a sparkling 6-2 victory over Dutch sensation Michael van Gerwen, and the former Players Championship Finals semi-finalist went on to defeat Dean Winstanley and Paul Nicholson before falling to Whitlock in their semi-final clash.
Wolverhampton’s Jones was the other semi-finalist on Sunday, having shown signs of a return to form after reaching the last 16 in Saturday’s Players Championship after a run of indifferent results.
The 2010 European Championship finalist produced his best performance in PDC competition since making the last four of the Dutch Darts Masters last October, recording wins over Stuart Kellett and Darren Webster to reach the semi-finals before finding White too strong an obstacle to pass.
Paul Nicholson and Mervyn King lost at the last eight stage at the Barnsley Metrodome for the second day running alongside Bradford youngster Cullen, who reached his third quarter-final of 2013, and Darren Webster, who enjoyed his best PDC ProTour result since reaching the semi-finals in Killarney last October.
St Helens ace Dave Chisnall, who won Saturday’s Players Championship for back-to-back triumphs, fell back down to earth with a bump as he narrowly lost out to Steve Grubb 6-5 in his opening game of the day, having had one dart at double 18 to progress.
Saturday’s runner-up Peter Wright was also an early casualty as he exited the competition in the second round after losing out to London’s Paul Amos by a 6-4 margin.
Major champions Robert Thornton, Colin Lloyd and Gary Anderson were a number of notable first round casualties on a day of surprises in Barnsley.
The PDC ProTour will head to Germany next weekend for the year's seventh European Tour event, the German Darts Masters at the Glaspalast in Sindelfingen. For tickets, visit www.pdc-europe.net.
Players Championship 8
Barnsley Metrodome, Sunday September 15
First Round
Michael van Gerwen (1) Bye
Scott Rand 6-5 Chris Aubrey
Adam Hunt 6-4 Jamie Lewis (32)
Connie Finnan 6-2 Ronny Huybrechts
Dean Winstanley 6-1 Steve Beaton (16)
Marc Dewsbury 6-5 Andy Pearce
Mick Todd 6-4 Ronnie Baxter (17)
Roland Scholten 6-3 Nick Fullwell
John Part (8) 6-2 Vincent van der Voort
Darren Johnson 6-4 Ricky Sudale
Peter Hudson 6-5 Terry Jenkins (25)
Keith Stephen 6-3 Steve Farmer
Paul Nicholson (9) 6-1 Matthew Dicken
Reece Robinson 6-0 Leon de Geus
Michael Smith 6-2 Arron Monk (24)
Colin Fowler 6-5 Keith Rooney
Michael Barnard 6-4 Robert Thornton (5)
Ian Walters 6-5 Steve West
Stephen Hardy 6-1 Jelle Klaasen (28)
John Henderson 6-5 Mark Hylton
Mervyn King (12) 6-1 Magnus Caris
Keegan Brown 6-4 Ryan Harrington
Dan Russell 6-4 Justin Pipe (21)
Mark Lawrence 6-5 Kevin McDine
Simon Whitlock (4) 6-3 Campbell Jackson
Colin Osborne 6-1 Sean Ryan
Raymond van Barneveld (29) 6-0 Andrew Gilding
Martyn Turner 6-4 Mark Jones
Terry Temple 6-5 Gary Anderson (13)
James Hubbard 6-5 Shaun Griffiths
Kevin Painter (20) 6-1 Ricky Evans
Jyhan Artut 6-4 Richie Howson
Dave Chisnall (2) Bye
Steve Grubb 6-2 David Copley
Mark Walsh (31) 6-4 Antonio Alcinas
Matthew Edgar 6-5 Co Stompe
Ian White (15) 6-4 Steve Hine
Adrian Gray 6-4 James Richardson
Adrian Lewis (18) 6-2 John Scott
Darron Brown 6-1 Matt Clark
Wes Newton (7) 6-3 Mark Dudbridge
Dennis Priestley 6-1 Jon Jukes
Steve Brown 6-2 Mark Webster (26)
Joe Cullen 6-3 Nigel Heydon
Kim Huybrechts (10) 6-2 Kirk Shepherd
Dennis Smith 6-5 Daryl Gurney
Ian Moss 6-1 Colin Lloyd (23)
Joe Murnan 6-5 Paul Barham
Jamie Caven (6) 6-4 Josh Payne
Darren Webster 6-2 Andy Jenkins
Richie Burnett (27) 6-3 Alex Roy
Mark Frost 6-4 David Dodds
Andy Hamilton (11) 6-4 Ross Smith
Mark Cox 6-3 Michael Mansell
Andy Smith (22) 6-5 Kevin Dowling
Alan Tabern 6-3 John Bowles
Peter Wright (3) 6-1 Prakash Jiwa
Paul Amos 6-2 Vernon Sheppard
Wayne Jones (30) 6-3 Johnny Haines
David Pallett 6-1 Bernd Roith
Stuart Kellett (14) 6-3 Gino Vos
Joey Palfreyman 6-2 Tomas Seyler
Brendan Dolan (19) 6-5 William O'Connor
Gaz Cousins 6-4 Jim Walker
Second Round
Scott Rand 6-2 Michael van Gerwen
Connie Finnan 6-2 Adam Hunt
Dean Winstanley 6-4 Marc Dewsbury
Roland Scholten 6-5 Mick Todd
Darren Johnson 6-3 John Part
Peter Hudson 6-2 Keith Stephen
Paul Nicholson 6-2 Reece Robinson
Colin Fowler 6-2 Michael Smith
Michael Barnard 6-2 Ian Walters
John Henderson 6-5 Stephen Hardy
Mervyn King 6-4 Keegan Brown
Mark Lawrence 6-2 Dan Russell
Simon Whitlock 6-4 Colin Osborne
Raymond van Barneveld 6-1 Martyn Turner
Terry Temple 6-2 James Hubbard
Jyhan Artut 6-5 Kevin Painter
Steve Grubb 6-5 Dave Chisnall
Mark Walsh 6-2 Matthew Edgar
Ian White 6-4 Adrian Gray
Adrian Lewis 6-2 Darron Brown
Wes Newton 6-4 Dennis Priestley
Joe Cullen 6-5 Steve Brown
Dennis Smith 6-4 Kim Huybrechts
Ian Moss 6-4 Joe Murnan
Darren Webster 6-5 Jamie Caven
Mark Frost 6-4 Richie Burnett
Andy Hamilton 6-2 Mark Cox
Andy Smith 6-2 Alan Tabern
Paul Amos 6-4 Peter Wright
Wayne Jones 6-5 David Pallett
Stuart Kellett 6-1 Joey Palfreyman
Gaz Cousins 6-5 Brendan Dolan
Losers £250
Third Round
Scott Rand 6-2 Connie Finnan
Dean Winstanley 6-5 Roland Scholten
Peter Hudson 6-4 Darren Johnson
Paul Nicholson 6-4 Colin Fowler
John Henderson 6-5 Michael Barnard
Mervyn King 6-4 Mark Lawrence
Simon Whitlock 6-2 Raymond van Barneveld
Jyhan Artut 6-5 Terry Temple
Mark Walsh 6-5 Steve Grubb
Ian White 6-1 Adrian Lewis
Joe Cullen 6-2 Wes Newton
Dennis Smith 6-5 Ian Moss
Darren Webster 6-1 Mark Frost
Andy Hamilton 6-4 Andy Smith
Wayne Jones 6-4 Paul Amos
Stuart Kellett 6-3 Gaz Cousins
Losers £500
Fourth Round
Scott Rand 6-3 Dean Winstanley
Paul Nicholson 6-1 Peter Hudson
Mervyn King 6-2 John Henderson
Simon Whitlock 6-5 Jyhan Artut
Ian White 6-0 Mark Walsh
Joe Cullen 6-2 Dennis Smith
Darren Webster 6-0 Andy Hamilton
Wayne Jones 6-5 Stuart Kellett
Losers £1,000
Quarter-Finals
Scott Rand 6-4 Paul Nicholson
Simon Whitlock 6-3 Mervyn King
Ian White 6-2 Joe Cullen
Wayne Jones 6-3 Darren Webster
Losers £1,500
Semi-Finals
Simon Whitlock 6-0 Scott Rand
Ian White 6-1 Wayne Jones
Losers £2,500
Final
Ian White 6-3 Simon Whitlock
Winner £10,000
Runner-Up £5,000
Final - Leg-by-Leg
Simon Whitlock v Ian White
1-0 - Whitlock starts the final confidently as he breaks at the first of time asking thanks to a 76 finish on tops.
1-1 - White hits back straight away as he takes out 65 to level the game.
1-2 - The Stoke thrower lands double eight to hold throw and lead the match for the first time.
2-2 - Whitlock converts a 70 finish to level after White missed a dart at bullseye for a two-leg advantage.
2-3 - White records the first 180 of the game and goes on to hit double 16 to regain the lead.
2-4 - Whitlock fires in a 171 score, but three missed attempts at double 11 prove crucial as White lands double 14 successfully.
2-5 - White hits two 140s and lands double eight to move one leg away from victory.
3-5 - Whitlock hits a 90 checkout to keep his hopes alive.
3-6 - Whitlock leaves 95 after 12 darts, but White takes out 100 to win the match and claim his maiden title on the PDC circuit.