SIMON WHITLOCK picked up a Players Championship victory for the second successive Saturday, defeating Colin Lloyd 6-4 in the final in Derby.
Whitlock won his maiden PDC ProTour title in Barnsley a week ago, and wasted no time in adding a second victory to his roll of honour, as well as a further £6,000, with another fine showing.
The victory included defeats of World Champion Phil Taylor, Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts rival Ronnie Baxter and Gary Anderson, as well as with a high-quality performance in the final against Lloyd.
However, the day could have been much different had he not come from 5-1 down to win in a decider against Kevin Dowling in the first round.
Having overcome that scare, he saw off Paul Rowley 6-1, edged past Gary Anderson 6-5 in the last 32 - taking out 301 with a 180 and 121 bullseye finish in the decider - before defeating Irish newcomer William O'Connor 6-4 to reach the last eight.
He followed up a 6-2 quarter-final win over Ronnie Baxter by defeating Taylor in the same manner in the semis, before coming from behind to win the final.
Lloyd made a strong start to win three of the opening four legs, and a 13-dart finish from the Essex man put him 4-2 up.
Whitlock, though, checked out 90 in the seventh leg, punished three missed doubles from Lloyd to level and then produced a key double three to move 5-4 up, after his opponent missed double 18 for a 106 finish.
The Australian then wrapped up the win in style, hitting scores of 140, 180 and 149 to leave 32, and double 16 saw him post an 11-darter and seal another win.
"It's amazing to win again," said Whitlock. "I played really well in the final and had a little bit of luck with me during the day - both Kevin Dowling and Gary Anderson could have beaten me but I got through it.
"To have beaten Phil too was really good, and the final was a good match to play in."
Lloyd took home £3,000 as runner-up after reaching his second final of 2010, defeating Paul Nicholson 6-2 in the semi-finals after taking earlier wins over Michael Barnard, Mensur Suljovic, Arron Monk, Vincent van der Voort and Mark Frost.
Nicholson's run to the last four was his best in a PDC ProTour event this year - and included a whitewash of Kevin Painter and a comeback from 5-3 down against Mark Walsh - while Taylor's semi-final loss was the first time he has not reached a Players Championship final since last October.
Stoke's Frost enjoyed his best run since June 2006, defeating Andy Hamilton on his way to the last eight, while Wayne Jones was a quarter-finalist for the third successive event.
Holland's Co Stompe and Ireland's Aodhagan O'Neill were unable to travel due to the flight disruption caused by the ash cloud from a volcanic eruption in Iceland.
Players Championship 10
Preliminary Round
Anastasia Dobromyslova 6-0 Jim McKevitt
Matt Gallett 6-5 Ian McFarlane
First Round
Mark Walsh (1) 6-5 John Part
Martyn Bevan 6-5 Mareno Michels
Tony Eccles (32) 6-3 Roland Scholten
Andy Hutchings 6-2 Nigel Birch
Paul Nicholson (16) 6-4 Danny Pinhorne
Steve Musson 6-3 Martyn Turner
Andy Smith (17) 6-0 Andy Pearce
Chris Thompson 6-0 Anastasia Dobromyslova
Wes Newton (8) 6-2 Sam Allen
Mick McGowan 6-5 Robert Alford
Kevin Painter (25) 6-3 Par Riihonen
Robbie Newland 6-1 Dean Allsopp
Jamie Caven (9) 6-4 Dennis Smith
Dave Ladley 6-2 Frazer Hill
Dennis Priestley (24) 6-2 Dave Smith
Gary Eastwood 6-1 Chris Mason
Adrian Lewis (5) 6-0 Colin Monk
Stephen Hardy 6-4 Kirk Shepherd
Peter Wright (28) 6-5 Jason Clark
Tony Randell 6-2 Patrick Pace
Andy Hamilton (12) 6-0 Lee Hayes
Mark Stephenson 6-2 Jon Archer
Mark Frost 6-4 Alan Tabern (21)
Peter Hudson 6-3 Darren Latham
Colin Lloyd (4) 6-5 Michael Barnard
Mensur Suljovic 6-3 Steve Evans
Darren Johnson 6-3 Mark Webster (29)
Arron Monk 6-2 Steve Maish
Vincent van der Voort (13) 6-2 Tony Martin
Steve Farmer 6-4 Matt Clark
Dave Askew 6-2 Barrie Bates (20)
Mark Cox 6-0 Mark Robinson
Phil Taylor (2) 6-2 Alex Roy
Adrian Gray 6-2 Chris Loudon
Jelle Klaasen (31) 6-5 Dave Honey
Matt Padgett 6-3 Kevin Harris
Denis Ovens (15) 6-2 Andy Callaby
Nigel Heydon 6-4 Justin Pipe
Mark Dudbridge (18) 6-1 Chris Sargeant
Darren Webster 6-0 Matt Gallett
James Wade (7) 6-0 James Barton
Daz Mawer 6-4 Tom Martin
Mark Lawrence 6-3 Michael van Gerwen (26)
Steve Hine 6-1 Richie Burnett
Wayne Jones (10) 6-0 Simon Burt
Jimmy Mann 6-4 Brian Startin
Terry Jenkins (23) 6-1 Lee Williams
Terry Temple 6-3 Jamie Atkins
Gary Anderson (6) 6-0 Steven Pearson
Kevin McDine 6-5 Ian Lever
Simon Whitlock (27) 6-5 Kevin Dowling
Paul Rowley 6-1 Andy Fordham
Michael Smith 6-5 Steve Beaton (11)
William O'Connor 6-2 Ian White
Scott Rand 6-5 Brendan Dolan (22)
Nick Fullwell 6-1 Ron Atwill
Colin Osborne (3) 6-5 Louis Blundell
Gary Mawson 6-3 Paul Williams
Joe Cullen 6-2 Steve Brown (30)
Andy Relf 6-5 Steve Grubb
Ronnie Baxter (14) 6-4 Wayne Mardle
Geoff Whitworth 6-3 Steve Perkins
Robert Thornton (19) 6-4 Rick Lowther
Stuart Dutton 6-2 Stuart Bousfield
Second Round
Mark Walsh 6-1 Martyn Bevan
Tony Eccles 6-2 Andy Hutchings
Paul Nicholson 6-2 Steve Musson
Andy Smith 6-4 Chris Thompson
Wes Newton 6-2 Mick McGowan
Kevin Painter 6-3 Robbie Newland
Jamie Caven 6-3 Dave Ladley
Dennis Priestley 6-2 Gary Eastwood
Adrian Lewis 6-3 Stephen Hardy
Tony Randell 6-5 Peter Wright
Andy Hamilton 6-5 Mark Stephenson
Mark Frost 6-1 Peter Hudson
Colin Lloyd 6-5 Mensur Suljovic
Arron Monk 6-4 Darren Johnson
Vincent van der Voort 6-5 Steve Farmer
Mark Cox 6-3 Dave Askew
Phil Taylor 6-0 Adrian Gray
Matt Padgett 6-5 Jelle Klaasen
Denis Ovens 6-1 Nigel Heydon
Mark Dudbridge 6-5 Darren Webster
James Wade 6-0 Daz Mawer
Steve Hine 6-1 Mark Lawrence
Wayne Jones 6-3 Jimmy Mann
Terry Temple 6-5 Terry Jenkins
Gary Anderson 6-2 Kevin McDine
Simon Whitlock 6-1 Paul Rowley
William O'Connor 6-4 Michael Smith
Scott Rand 6-3 Nick Fullwell
Colin Osborne 6-3 Gary Mawson
Joe Cullen 6-2 Andy Relf
Ronnie Baxter 6-3 Geoff Whitworth
Stuart Dutton 6-1 Robert Thornton
Losers £200
Third Round
Mark Walsh 6-1 Tony Eccles
Paul Nicholson 6-3 Andy Smith
Kevin Painter 6-5 Wes Newton
Dennis Priestley 6-1 Jamie Caven
Tony Randell 6-1 Adrian Lewis
Mark Frost 6-4 Andy Hamilton
Colin Lloyd 6-3 Arron Monk
Vincent van der Voort 6-2 Mark Cox
Phil Taylor 6-2 Matt Padgett
Mark Dudbridge 6-5 Denis Ovens
Steve Hine 6-5 James Wade
Wayne Jones 6-4 Terry Temple
Simon Whitlock 6-5 Gary Anderson
William O'Connor 6-2 Scott Rand
Joe Cullen 6-3 Colin Osborne
Ronnie Baxter 6-1 Stuart Dutton
Losers £300
Fourth Round
Paul Nicholson 6-5 Mark Walsh
Kevin Painter 6-3 Dennis Priestley
Mark Frost 6-3 Tony Randell
Colin Lloyd 6-3 Vincent van der Voort
Phil Taylor 6-2 Mark Dudbridge
Wayne Jones 6-4 Steve Hine
Simon Whitlock 6-4 William O'Connor
Ronnie Baxter 6-4 Joe Cullen
Losers £500
Quarter-Finals
Paul Nicholson 6-0 Kevin Painter
Colin Lloyd 6-1 Mark Frost
Phil Taylor 6-1 Wayne Jones
Simon Whitlock 6-2 Ronnie Baxter
Losers £1,000
Semi-Finals
Colin Lloyd 6-2 Paul Nicholson
Simon Whitlock 6-2 Phil Taylor
Losers £1,500
Final
Simon Whitlock 6-4 Colin Lloyd
Winner £6,000
Runner-Up £3,000
Final Updates
1-0 - Lloyd breaks throw on double top for a 15-dart leg
1-1 - Whitlock levels in 12 darts, hitting a maximum and a 116 finish
2-1 - Whitlock misses double top and Lloyd hits the same bed to break again
3-1 - Lloyd checks out 76 in two darts to lead 3-1
3-2 - Lloyd misses double top for a 110 finish and Whitlock lands double ten
4-2 - Lloyd finishes double eight for a 13-darter, which included a maximum, after Whitlock misses the bull for a 164 finish
4-3 - Whitlock takes out 90 on double 15
4-4 - The pair trade 180s but Lloyd misses three darts for the leg and Whitlock breaks on double ten
4-5 - Whitlock moves ahead with a crucial double three on his final dart, after Lloyd missed double 18 for a 106 finish
4-6 - Whitlock hits scores of 140, 180 and 149 to leave 32 after nine darts, and seals victory with an 11-darter