PHIL TAYLOR defeated James Wade 6-4 to take victory in the Virgin Atlantic South African Masters - while Mervyn King hit a nine-darter in the tournament.
Taylor claimed victory at the Emperors Palace Casino for a third successive year with a fine display in Johannesburg.
He defeated South African Christo Meiring 4-1 and then saw off John Part 5-2 to reach the final, before battling from behind to see off world number two Wade.
Wade led 2-1 and had chances to extend that lead, only for Taylor to level and edge 3-2, 4-3 and 5-4 up - despite a 116 checkout from Wade.
He then sealed victory on double top, earning a South African treble to extend his unbeaten record in the country and warm up in style for the forthcoming Skybet World Grand Prix.
"I'm delighted to have won the South African Masters again," said Taylor. "I love coming out here and playing in South Africa and it's a good tournament.
"The South African players were very good and each year they are getting better and better. They are more confident and have been on stage a few times, but they need more competition against the big boys.
"Once they get that, they will become more competitive and start to challenge us."
Wade defied the pain of a cut finger, injured on a saw at home, to reach the final, defeating former South African number on Wynand Havenga 4-1 in the last eight before making a miracle comeback against King in the semis.
King led 3-1 before hitting a nine-darter to move a leg away from victory - only to fail to close out the win as Wade took the next four legs to progress to the final.
"My finger was uncomfortable and I thought about it a bit so I'm pleased to have got through to the final," said Wade.
"I played reasonably well overall and am happy. I probably got away with it in the semi-final because Mervyn should have beaten me, but he let me back in after the nine-darter."
There was consolation for King, who receives a £10,000 bonus from the Emperors Palace Casino for the nine-darter, which is the first live televised perfect leg hit outside Europe.
"I'm obviously delighted to have hit the nine-darter but gutted to have lost the match," said King. "It's a great achievement but I couldn't finish James off after that."
Part defeated 23-year-old South African Open runner-up Devon Petersen 4-1 in the quarter-finals, before losing to Taylor in the semis in a repeat of the 2008 final.
Virgin Atlantic South African Masters
Quarter-Finals
Phil Taylor 4-1 Christo Meiring
John Part 4-1 Devon Petersen
James Wade 4-1 Wynand Havenga
Mervyn King 4-1 Les Francis
Semi-Finals
Phil Taylor 5-2 John Part
James Wade 5-4 Mervyn King - including nine-darter from Mervyn King
Final
Phil Taylor 6-4 James Wade
QUARTER-FINALS
Phil Taylor 4-1 Christo Meiring
Phil Taylor began the defence of his Virgin Atlantic South African Masters title with a 4-1 win over Christo Meiring - although the final scoreline did little justice to a quality performance from the South African.
Taylor took the opening leg on double eight, but Meiring - had reached the semi-finals of Saturday's Emperors Palace PDC South African Open - took the second to level and then missed five darts to lead against the 14-time World Champion.
Taylor recovered to take out double nine for a 2-1 advantage, and stepped up a gear to finish 71 for the fourth leg and landed a 180 and an 85 finish in wrapping up victory.
John Part 4-1 Devon Petersen
John Part began his Virgin Atlantic South African Masters challenge with by defeating Devon Petersen 4-1.
Petersen, a 23-year-old from Mitchell's Plain, began well and hit a 180 to leave 16 in the opening leg, only for Part to hit a pressure double 18 to lead.
Part hit a maximum of sorts in the second leg, landing a 177 to leave 36, although missed doubles meant he eventually took the leg by hitting double four and double 14.
Petersen missed the bull to win the third as Part landed double eight for a 3-0 lead, but the South African Open runner-up did step in to take the next on double five following missed doubles for the match from the Canadian.
However, Part hit double eight in the next to set up a semi-final against Phil Taylor.
James Wade 4-1 Wynand Havenga
James Wade battled past Wynand Havenga to win his quarter-final 4-1.
Wade took out 115 for the game's opening leg, and stepped in to take the second after the 2006 South African champion missed three darts to level.
Double nine in the third got Havenga off the mark, but he missed a further two doubles to square the game in leg four as Wade took out 86 in two darts, and then sealed the win on double top.
Mervyn King 4-1 Les Francis
Mervyn King held off Les Francis' challenge to progress to the semi-finals of the Virgin Atlantic South African Masters with a 4-1 win.
Francis has qualified for the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship by winning the Emperors Palace PDC South African Open on Saturday, but gave himself too much to do against King after going 2-0 down.
King won the opening leg on double ten and then hit a 180 and double 16 in taking the second, before five missed doubles gave Francis his chance in the third, with the South African hitting double 16 to get off the mark.
He then missed double 16 for a 104 checkout which would have levelled in the fourth, with double eight putting King 3-1 up.
A further three misses from Francis proved costly in leg five, as King wrapped up the win on double nine.
SEMI-FINALS
Phil Taylor 5-2 John Part
Phil Taylor booked his place in a third successive South African Masters final with a 5-2 win over John Part.
Part took the game's opening leg with a 124 bullseye finish, only for Taylor to open the second with seven perfect darts - incentivised by the bonus of £10,000 on offer from Emperors Palace should a nine-darter be hit.
While a missed treble 19 saw that chance go begging, double four saw Taylor level, and he took the next three with a pair of double top finishes and double ten to lead 4-1.
Part took the fourth on double one, following two missed match darts from Taylor, but the defending champion opened the next with a 180 and landed double eight for victory.
James Wade 5-4 Mervyn King
Mervyn King hit a nine-dart finish during his semi-final with James Wade - but went on to lose 5-4.
King landed the first televised perfect leg of his career and earned a £10,000 bonus from hosts Emperors Palace, marking his move into a 4-1 lead.
After the first two legs were shared, King took out 56 and 64 to lead 3-1 before hitting two 180s and then a 141 finish for the nine-darter.
That took him a leg away from victory, but Wade hit back with double top and double ten in the next leg, aided by a 180 against the darts, and stepped in to level after three missed match darts from King.
King was first to the finish in the decider, but failed to leave a double when on 90 as Wade took out double top to move into the final.
"I'm obviously delighted to have hit the nine-darter but gutted to have lost the match," said King. "It's a great achievement but I couldn't finish James off after that."
Wade admitted: "I can't believe I won the game. He gave it to me really, he didn't win a leg after that."