MARK WALSH celebrated victory in a UK Open Qualifier in Derby for a second successive year with a 6-2 defeat of Phil Taylor in Sunday's final.
Walsh had defeated Raymond van Barneveld to take the £6,000 title at the Moorways Centre in 2009, and this time overcame the World Champion in the decider.
He had held off a Co Stompe fightback to win their semi-final 6-4, having led 3-0 and 4-1 before the Dutchman levelled.
Walsh also took some notable scalps in the early rounds with wins over Colin Lloyd, Mark Webster and Dennis Priestley, before seeing off Colin Monk 6-1 in the quarter-finals.
He saved perhaps his best form for the final, taking out double five for the opening leg after Taylor missed two darts to break throw, before finishing 100 in the second leg to move two legs up.
Taylor hit back with a 14-darter, but paid for missed doubles in the next two as Walsh took out a brace of 14-darters on 62 in reply to move 4-1 up.
Taylor hit a 177 score to lead 28 in taking leg six, but was waiting on 40 as Walsh landed a 14-dart finish to move a leg away from the win.
Taylor missed double top for a 104 finish in the next leg, and Walsh followed up a 177 to leave 40 by hitting the bed for a 13-dart finish in celebrating the victory.
"I must love this venue and it's a great confidence boost for me," said Walsh. "I've had a bad six months or so but I think my game is coming together again.
"Defeating Phil at any time is memorable but to do so in a final is very special. Hopefully I can build on this now and have a good year."
Taylor had dropped only six legs in seven matches in taking victory in Saturday's Players Championship, and was in fine form again 24 hours later.
Only Andy Callaby won more than one leg against Taylor in his run to the final, losing 6-3 in round two, as Andy Hutchings, Kevin Painter, Nick Fullwell, Jelle Klaasen and Andy Hamilton lost 6-1.
World number three James Wade reached the last eight, including wins over Paul Nicholson, Andy Smith and Wayne Mardle to warm up for Thursday's Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts clash with Adrian Lewis in Exeter.
Lewis won through to the quarters before losing to Hamilton, while Monk's run to the last eight was his best showing since October.
UK Open Qualifier Two
Preliminary Round
Nigel Heydon 6-5 Dave Smith
Gary Welding 6-0 Andy Relf
Matt Padgett 6-0 Frazer Hill
Ian McFarlane 6-0 Lee White
Joe Cullen 6-5 Gary Blades
Dave Askew 6-3 Jimmy Mann
Bryan de Hoog 6-4 Anton Liscsey
Michael Smith 6-5 Ian Eames
Stephen Hardy 6-0 Tony Comerford
Rick Lowther 6-0 Steve Cupitt
Robert Alford 6-2 Andy Pearson
Richie Burnett 6-3 Mark Stephenson
Mark Cox 6-5 Stuart Bousfield
Lee Hayes 6-2 Andy Fulton
Andy Hutchings 6-0 Steve Perkins
Andy Callaby 6-1 Anastasia Dobromyslova
Ian Critchett 6-3 Robert Parker
Robbie Newland 6-4 Mareno Michels
John Quantock 6-3 Sean White
Martyn Bevan 6-1 James Barton
Mark Jones 6-5 Kevin Dowling
Ian Jopling 6-5 Tom Martin
Kevin Harris 6-3 Steve Musson
Nigel Birch 6-5 Mark Hylton
Tony Blundell 6-1 Mike Roberts
Tony Clark 6-4 Andy Pearce
Ron Atwill 6-3 Chris Sargeant
Terry Temple 6-5 Patrick Pace
Anthony Urmston-Toft 6-1 Tony Martin
Chris Allen 6-3 Steven Perry
Matt Gallett 6-3 Henry Zapata
Steve Farmer 6-2 Simon Burt
Chris Loudon 6-5 Paul Rowley
Peter Hudson 6-2 Par Riihonen
First Round
Stuart Dutton 6-2 Steve Grubb
Mervyn King 6-4 Nigel Heydon
Wayne Atwood 6-1 Gary Welding
Matt Padgett 6-0 Martyn Turner
Adrian Lewis 6-0 Tommy McIntosh
Steve Hine 6-1 Matthew Wenham
Mark Frost 6-2 Ian McFarlane
Joe Cullen 6-3 Matt Clark
Darren Webster 6-3 Kirk Shepherd
Steve Beaton 6-2 Sam Allen
Andy Hamilton 6-1 Dave Askew
Ronnie Baxter 6-5 Bryan de Hoog
Mark Lawrence 6-1 Geoff Whitworth
Gary Anderson 6-0 Matt Draper
Michael van Gerwen 6-3 Michael Smith
Stephen Hardy 6-2 Toon Greebe
Mark Dudbridge 6-0 Brian Jones
Vincent van der Voort 6-0 Mark Jodrill
Tony Eccles 6-2 Rick Lowther
Peter Wright 6-2 Robert Alford
John Part 6-1 Jamie Atkins
Jelle Klaasen 6-3 Richie Burnett
Mark Cox 6-5 Louis Blundell
Lee Hayes 6-4 Alex Roy
Michael Barnard 6-1 James Dunlop
Kevin Painter 6-1 Daz Mawer
Phil Taylor 6-1 Andy Hutchings
Andy Callaby 6-4 Simon Whitlock
Peter Edmonds 6-3 Tony Ayres
Terry Jenkins 6-5 Paul Williams
Nick Fullwell 6-4 Ian Critchett
Robbie Newland 6-4 Adrian Gray
Co Stompe 6-3 Dean Allsopp
Darren Latham 6-2 Dennis Smith
Wes Newton 6-2 John Quantock
Steve Maish 6-0 Martyn Bevan
Steve Brown 6-3 Lee Williams
Peter Manley 6-0 Steve Watts
Jamie Caven 6-1 Mark Jones
Wayne Jones 6-0 Ian Jopling
James Wade 6-0 Jon Archer
Wayne Mardle 6-4 Mark Carter
Kevin McDine 6-3 Kevin Harris
Andy Smith 6-2 Nigel Birch
Arron Monk 6-5 Mick McGowan
Dave Ladley 6-1 Dave Honey
Steve Evans 6-1 Tony Blundell
Paul Nicholson 6-0 Tony Clark
Chris Thompson 6-2 Danny Pinhorne
Alan Tabern 6-2 Ian Lever
Dylan Duo 6-4 Ron Atwill
Jyhan Artut 6-4 Terry Temple
Barrie Bates 6-1 Justin Pipe
Colin Monk 6-1 Andy Fordham
Brendan Dolan 6-3 Anthony Urmston-Toft
Denis Ovens 6-3 Chris Allen
Colin Lloyd 6-2 Tony Randell
Mark Walsh 6-2 Darren Weaver
Roland Scholten 6-3 Matt Gallett
Mark Webster 6-3 Steve Farmer
Dennis Priestley 6-1 Peter Allen
Chris Mason Bye (Andrew Downs withdrew)
Chris Loudon 6-4 Darren Johnson
Peter Hudson 6-5 Robert Thornton
Second Round
Stuart Dutton 6-2 Mervyn King
Wayne Atwood 6-3 Matt Padgett
Adrian Lewis 6-2 Steve Hine
Mark Frost 6-3 Joe Cullen
Darren Webster 6-5 Steve Beaton
Andy Hamilton 6-4 Ronnie Baxter
Gary Anderson 6-1 Mark Lawrence
Stephen Hardy 6-5 Michael van Gerwen
Vincent van der Voort 6-5 Mark Dudbridge
Tony Eccles 6-5 Peter Wright
Jelle Klaasen 6-5 John Part
Mark Cox 6-2 Lee Hayes
Kevin Painter 6-4 Michael Barnard
Phil Taylor 6-3 Andy Callaby
Terry Jenkins 6-2 Peter Edmonds
Nick Fullwell 6-3 Robbie Newland
Co Stompe 6-3 Darren Latham
Wes Newton 6-3 Steve Maish
Peter Manley 6-2 Steve Brown
Jamie Caven 6-2 Wayne Jones
James Wade 6-0 Wayne Mardle
Andy Smith 6-2 Kevin McDine
Arron Monk 6-4 Dave Ladley
Paul Nicholson 6-1 Steve Evans
Chris Thompson 6-3 Alan Tabern
Jyhan Artut 6-2 Dylan Duo
Colin Monk 6-2 Barrie Bates
Brendan Dolan 6-5 Denis Ovens
Mark Walsh 6-2 Colin Lloyd
Mark Webster 6-4 Roland Scholten
Dennis Priestley 6-4 Chris Mason
Peter Hudson 6-2 Chris Loudon
Losers £200
Third Round
Stuart Dutton 6-2 Wayne Atwood
Adrian Lewis 6-3 Mark Frost
Andy Hamilton 6-3 Darren Webster
Gary Anderson 6-4 Stephen Hardy
Vincent van der Voort 6-3 Tony Eccles
Jelle Klaasen 6-1 Mark Cox
Phil Taylor 6-1 Kevin Painter
Nick Fullwell 6-4 Terry Jenkins
Co Stompe 6-2 Wes Newton
Jamie Caven 6-1 Peter Manley
James Wade 6-3 Andy Smith
Paul Nicholson 6-1 Arron Monk
Chris Thompson 6-3 Jyhan Artut
Colin Monk 6-4 Brendan Dolan
Mark Walsh 6-4 Mark Webster
Dennis Priestley 6-1 Peter Hudson
Losers £300
Fourth Round
Adrian Lewis 6-5 Stuart Dutton
Andy Hamilton 6-1 Gary Anderson
Jelle Klaasen 6-2 Vincent van der Voort
Phil Taylor 6-1 Nick Fullwell
Co Stompe 6-2 Jamie Caven
James Wade 6-2 Paul Nicholson
Colin Monk 6-3 Chris Thompson
Mark Walsh 6-5 Dennis Priestley
Losers £500
Quarter-Finals
Andy Hamilton 6-4 Adrian Lewis
Phil Taylor 6-1 Jelle Klaasen
Co Stompe 6-1 James Wade
Mark Walsh 6-1 Colin Monk
Losers £1,000
Semi-Finals
Phil Taylor 6-1 Andy Hamilton
Mark Walsh 6-4 Co Stompe
Losers £1,500
Final
Mark Walsh 6-2 Phil Taylor
Winner £6,000
Runner-Up £3,000