PETER WRIGHT secured his first ranking title courtesy of a superb 6-1 victory against Robert Thornton in the final of the Gleneagle Hotel Players Championship on Saturday.
The Scotsman, who is based in Lowestoft, defeated Mark Jones, Benny Grace and Matthew Edgar, before coming out on top against Stoke's Ian White by a 6-4 margin to reach the quarter-finals
Wright beat Steve Beaton 6-4 at that stage before triumphing against Adrian Gray by the same scoreline to reach his first final on the PDC Pro Tour since last September.
In the final against Thornton, the 42-year-old stamped his authority on the contest by establishing a 4-0 lead, before going on to record a 6-1 victory with the aid of a fantastic 107 average, to secure the £6,000 winners prize and become the PDC's 50th difference ProTour event winner.
Thornton defeated Stuart Kellett, Prakash Jiwa and Damien O'Driscoll in his opening three matches, before edging out Jamie Caven and Andy Smith by 6-5 scorelines to reach the semi-finals.
The Scotsman produced three-ton plus finishes and a 105 average in his last four clash against Darren Webster, to reach his third Pro Tour final in a row, before being outplayed by Wright in the decider.
Gray enjoyed his best performance on the PDC ProTour since 2008. The 31-year-old, who retained his full-time place on the circuit by coming through the PDC Qualifying School in January, shocked Brendan Dolan with a whitewash 6-0 victory in his second match of the day.
Gray then went on to defeat Darren Johnson, Andy Jenkins, before a 6-5 triumph over top ten star Andy Hamilton, saw him into the semi-finals.
The Hastings thrower's superb run came to an end in the last four as he lost out to Wright by a 6-4 scoreline, but came away from the event with a cheque for £2,000.
Darren Webster, who returned to the PDC circuit in January, produced his best performance of 2012.
The former World Championship quarter-finalist began his run to the last four with victories over Irish duo Mark Hurley and William Fouhy before reaching the last 32 with a deciding-leg victory over St Helens youngster Michael Smith.
The Norwich man secured impressive wins over Vincent van der Voort, Dean Winstanley and Colin Osborne before losing out to Thornton by a 6-3 margin for a place in the final.
Andy Smith, Colin Osborne, Steve Beaton all reached the last eight, along with World Championship runner-up Andy Hamilton, whose five year wait for a ranking title continues.
Early casualties included the recently crowned European Champion Simon Whitlock, plus two-time major winner Colin Lloyd and reigning Players Championship Finals winner Kevin Painter.
The double-header weekend at the INEC in Killarney will conclude on Sunday with the John McEvoy Gold Dart Classic Players Championship, where 144 direct entries plus 32 qualifiers from Ireland and Northern Ireland will compete.
Gleneagle Hotel Players Championship
Saturday October 20, INEC Killarney
Preliminary Round
Liam Gallagher 6-5 Ross O'Brian
Adrian Wright 6-1 John McEvoy
Gerry O'Hara 6-3 David Stack
Denis Corr 6-4 Ben Forder
Clifford Doyle 6-0 Jason Kavanagh
Paul Murphy 6-4 George McGivern
Dylan Routledge 6-3 Damien Harrington
Craig Pope 6-0 Kevin Corbley
Damien O'Driscoll 6-1 Stephen Lennon
Kevin McDonnell 6-4 Mike O'Sullivan
Noel Redmond 6-5 Ben Corcoran
Gary Bradley 6-4 Laurence Collins
John-Paul Dowdall 6-2 Paul Davison
Conor Hughes 6-0 Liam Condron
Jason McCann 6-5 Scott Coleman
Darren Webster 6-2 Mark Hurley
William Fouhy 6-4 James Kinsella
Terry Barrett 6-5 Aidan McCabe
Martin Murphy 6-0 Martin Fleming
Peter Quinn 6-4 Ross Kelly
Darren Johnson 6-3 Mark Lawrence
Steve Heneghan 6-5 David O'Donovan
Dave Ladley 6-0 John Nyhan
Mick McGowan 6-2 Colm Ryan
Darren Hodgson 6-3 Jim McKevitt
Campbell Jackson 6-1 Mick Egan
Daniel Day 6-4 Harry Strahm
Benny Grace 6-3 John O'Hara
Ryan Maher 6-4 John Seagrave
Daryl Gurney 6-5 Chris Aubrey
Kevin Dowling 6-0 Mark Willis
Joe Byrne 6-5 Kevin Burness
Glen Fitzpatrick 6-3 Richie Walsh
First Round
Dave Chisnall (1) 6-3 Michael Mansell
Michael Barnard 6-4 Paddy Meaney
Steve Hine 6-4 John Part (32)
Liam Gallager 6-1 Adrian Wright
Richie Burnett (16) 6-1 Liam Kelly
Nick Fullwell 6-2 Gerry O'Hara
Andy Smith (17) 6-4 Kevin McDine
Clifford Doyle 6-4 Denis Corr
John Bowles 6-3 Ronnie Baxter (8)
Bernd Roith 6-4 Sam Hill
Jamie Caven (25) 6-4 Denis Ovens
Dylan Routledge 6-3 Paul Murphy
Robert Thornton (9) 6-3 Stuart Kellett
Prakash Jiwa 6-4 Mick Cummins
Gary Anderson (24) 6-1 Jim Walker
Damien O'Driscoll 6-5 Craig Pope
Michael van Gerwen (5) 6-4 Michael Rosenauer
Connie Finnan 6-3 Philip Grave
Scott Rand (28) 6-3 Stephen Hardy
Noel Redmond 6-2 Kevin McDonnell
Colin Osborne (12) 6-5 Paul Rowley
John Scott 6-5 Steven Hartigan
Roland Scholten 6-4 Paul Nicholson
John-Paul Dowdall 6-1 Gary Bradley
Terry Temple 6-4 Simon Whitlock (4)
Andrew Gilding 6-1 Paul Barham
Dean Winstanley (29) 6-3 Adam Smith-Neale
Jason McCann 6-2 Conor Hughes
Vincent van der Voort (13) 6-1 Tony Littleton
Shaun Griffiths 6-0 Billy McAuliffe
Michael Smith (20) 6-2 Peter Hudson
Darren Webster 6-0 William Fouhy
Justin Pipe (2) 6-4 Alex Roy
Andy Jenkins 6-4 Barrie Bates
John Henderson 6-2 Wayne Jones (31)
Martin Murphy 6-0 Terry Barrett
Brendan Dolan (15) 6-2 Ross Smith
Adrian Gray 6-4 Marty Moreland
Mick Todd 6-5 Mark Walsh (18)
Darren Johnson 6-0 Peter Quinn
Kim Huybrechts (7) 6-2 Keith Stephen
Gaz Cousins 6-2 David A Murphy (Limerick)
Joe Cullen 6-5 Alan Tabern
Dave Ladley 6-2 Steve Heneghan
Andy Hamilton (10) 6-1 Steve Brown
Richie Howson 6-0 Diarmuid Buckley
Steve Grubb 6-5 Kevin Painter (23)
Mick McGowan 6-4 Darren Hodgson
Ian White (6) 6-4 Brian Woods
Arron Monk 6-0 Dwayne McEvoy
Ted Hankey 6-3 James Richardson
Campbell Jackson 6-3 Daniel Day
Matthew Edgar 6-4 Colin Lloyd (11)
Jamie Lewis 6-1 David B Murphy (Wexford)
Peter Wright (22) 6-3 Mark Jones
Benny Grace 6-1 Ryan Maher
Wes Newton (3) 6-2 Mark Hylton
Dennis Smith 6-1 William O'Connor
James Hubbard (30) 6-5 Mareno Michels
Kevin Dowling 6-3 Daryl Gurney
Mark Webster (14) 6-2 Nigel Heydon
Joe Murnan 6-1 John Dunne
Steve Beaton (19) 6-5 Steve Maish
Joe Byrne 6-4 Glen Fitzpatrick
Second Round
Dave Chisnall 6-4 Michael Barnard
Steve Hine 6-0 Liam Gallagher
Nick Fulwell 6-4 Richie Burnett
Andy Smith 6-2 Clifford Doyle
Bernd Roith 6-3 John Bowles
Jamie Caven 6-3 Dylan Routledge
Robert Thornton 6-5 Prakash Jiwa
Damien O'Driscoll 6-2 Gary Anderson
Michael van Gerwen 6-0 Connie Finnan
Scott Rand 6-3 Noel Redmond
Colin Osborne 6-0 John Scott
Roland Scholten 6-0 John-Paul Dowdall
Terry Temple 6-4 Andrew Gilding
Dean Winstanley 6-3 Jason McCann
Vincent van der Voort 6-3 Shaun Griffiths
Darren Webster 6-5 Michael Smith
Andy Jenkins 6-5 Justin Pipe
John Henderson 6-3 Martin Murphy
Adrian Gray 6-0 Brendan Dolan
Darren Johnson 6-5 Mick Todd
Kim Huybrechts 6-4 Gaz Cousins
Joe Cullen 6-2 Dave Ladley
Andy Hamilton 6-4 Richie Howson
Steve Grubb 6-1 Mick McGowan
Ian White 6-4 Arron Monk
Campbell Jackson 6-3 Ted Hankey
Matthew Edgar 6-2 Jamie Lewis
Peter Wright 6-1 Benny Grace
Wes Newton 6-3 Dennis Smith
James Hubbard 6-5 Kevin Dowling
Mark Webster 6-0 Joe Murnan
Steve Beaton 6-3 Joe Byrne
Losers £200
Third Round
Steve Hine 6-4 Dave Chisnall
Andy Smith 6-1 Nick Fulwell
Jamie Caven 6-2 Bernd Roith
Robert Thornton 6-0 Damien O'Driscoll
Scott Rand 6-5 Michael van Gerwen
Colin Osborne 6-2 Roland Scholten
Dean Winstanley 6-2 Terry Temple
Darren Webster 6-5 Vincent van der Voort
Andy Jenkins 6-3 John Henderson
Adrian Gray 6-3 Darren Johnson
Joe Cullen 6-4 Kim Huybrechts
Andy Hamilton 6-2 Steve Grubb
Ian White 6-1 Campbell Jackson
Peter Wright 6-2 Matthew Edgar
James Hubbard 6-5 Wes Newton
Steve Beaton 6-3 Mark Webster
Losers £400
Fourth Round
Andy Smith 6-1 Steve Hine
Robert Thornton 6-5 Jamie Caven
Colin Osborne 6-5 Scott Rand
Darren Webster 6-1 Dean Winstanley
Adrian Gray 6-4 Andy Jenkins
Andy Hamilton 6-4 Joe Cullen
Peter Wright 6-4 Ian White
Steve Beaton 6-4 James Hubbard
Losers £600
Quarter-Finals
Robert Thornton 6-5 Andy Smith
Darren Webster 6-5 Colin Osborne
Adrian Gray 6-5 Andy Hamilton
Peter Wright 6-4 Steve Beaton
Losers £1,000
Semi-Finals
Robert Thornton 6-3 Darren Webster
Peter Wright 6-4 Adrian Gray
Losers £2,000
Final
Peter Wright 6-1 Robert Thornton
Winner £6,000
Runner Up £3,000