PHIL TAYLOR claimed his fifth successive PDC Pro Tour victory with a defeat of Brendan Dolan in the Blue Square UK Open Regional Final.
Taylor won his sixth tournament of March at the Telford International Centre, sweeping aside the field once again to continue his remarkable run of success.
He won the North-West Regional Final in Wigan a fortnight ago before completing a Players Championship double in Germany last weekend, and picked up his second title in as many days in Telford.
Taylor backed up Saturday's Midlands Players Championship victory with another imperious showing, including a whitewash of Northern Ireland's Brendan Dolan in the final.
Taylor kicked off with a 102 checkout, and two maximums from Dolan could do little as Taylor opened up a 3-0 lead.
A 13-darter extended that further and two double 16 finishes put him 6-0 up, with an 11 darter and then a double ten finish earning him another £6,000 winner's cheque.
He had defeated world number one Raymond van Barneveld 7-4 in the semi-finals, and overcame Chris Mason in the quarters after earlier wins against Alan Tabern, Barrie Bates, John Ferrell and Dave Smith.
"I'm over the moon," said Taylor. "I've been practising hard, been dedicated and it's paying off for me now.
"Getting to the last 16 of these tournaments is an achievement in itself so to win five in a row is incredible for me.
"Brendan kept going at me in the final, no matter what the score was, and that made it a tough final and it's always great for me to beat Barney!
"The winning is the most important thing for me at the moment. Getting back playing this month has been key to find out if I'm doing the right things in practice and I guess I must be."
Dolan needed to pick up prize money to earn his place in June's Blue Square UK Open Televised Finals in Bolton - and performed superbly to reach his first PDC Pro Tour final.
He was a 7-5 semi-final winner against Colin Osborne following a game where the lead changed hands five times, and also saw off Colin Lloyd 6-3 in the last eight.
Dolan also included narrow victories over Roland Scholten and Wes Newton as well as seeing off Holland's Vincent van der Voort in reaching the decider, where he earned £3,000 prize money.
Colin Lloyd backed up his two previous Regional Final wins and a run to the final of Saturday's Midlands Players Championship by reaching the last eight, losing 6-3 to Dolan after earlier seeing off world number three James Wade.
The dramatic last Regional Final saw Dolan among a number of players to win a spot in the UK Open Televised Finals in June.
London's Gary Noonan reached the last 16 to earn his place with £400 prize money, while runs for Aaron Turner and York's John Quantock moved them onto £300 in the UK Open Order of Merit.
Nigel Birch overcame John Part and Wayne Mardle to move onto the £200 prize money which should be enough to win him a spot at Bolton, a position also now occupied by Northern Ireland's Geoff Wylie and Colchester's Jamie Robinson.
Whatley's run to the quarter-finals included wins over Alan Caves, Andy Smith and Adrian Gray earned him £800 and will move him further up the Order of Merit.
Peter Manley missed double 12 for a nine-darter in the early rounds, while Alan Tabern hit a 161 finish in the deciding leg of his game with Mervyn King.
Quarter-Final Round-Up
Phil Taylor won the opening quarter-final with a 6-1 defeat of Chris Mason.
Taylor landed a 180 on his way to breaking the throw in the opening leg, and had broken Mason for a second time before a 14-darter put him 4-0 up.
Mason took leg five with a solid 15-darter, only for Taylor to move up a gear.
He took the next with a ten-darter, hitting scores 180, 137 and 144 before taking out double top, and Taylor sealed the win in 11 darts, landing a 177 before taking out tops again.
Taylor will meet Raymond van Barneveld in the semis, following the world number one's 6-2 victory over Colin Monk.
Van Barneveld started the brighter, landing two maximums on his way to a 3-0 lead before Monk, inspired by two 180s of his own, reduced the arrears to one leg.
However, Barneveld took leg six on double 16 and a 12-darter put him 5-2 up before he sealed the win on tops.
Brendan Dolan earned a place in the last four with a 6-3 win over Colin Lloyd.
The Northern Irelander's consistent 140 scoring helped him into a 2-0 lead before Lloyd hit back to level, including a maximum in a 12-darter.
Lloyd landed another 180 in the next leg, but five missed darts at double top cost him dear, with Dolan taking out double 12 to regain the lead and then move 4-2 up with his opponent sat on a finish in the next.
Lloyd kicked off leg seven with a maximum and took out double 18 for a 13-darter, but a 70 finish on double 16 put Dolan a leg away from the win.
Lloyd, the winnner of two Regional Finals this year, missed double 15 for a 150 finish in the next, and Dolan took his chance with a 76 checkout on double top to progress.
Colin Osborne completed the semi-final line-up with a comfortable 6-1 victory over Somerset's Simon Whatley.
Osborne, the winner of January's North-East Regional Final, win the first three legs, before checking-out 76 to seal victory and earn a place in the last four.
For Whatley there was the consolation of £800 prize money to move him up the final Blue Square UK Open Order of Merit ahead of the June finals in Bolton.
Semi-Final Round-Up
Phil Taylor came from behind to book his place in yet another PDC Pro Tour final with a 7-4 defeat of Raymond van Barneveld.
Van Barneveld took an early 2-0 lead, including a 156 finish in the opener, before Taylor - inspired by a maximum to open leg three - landed double four to get off the mark and 88 to level.
Successive double top finishes put him 4-2 up, and despite a maximum from van Barneveld he took the seventh with a 49 checkout to move three clear.
The pair traded double 16 finishes to leave Taylor 6-3 up before van Barneveld landed a 180 and then a 116 finish to stay in the game.
But Taylor sealed the win with a 67 finish to earn his seventh final in eight Pro Tour events this month.
Taylor meets Brendan Dolan in the final, after the Northern Irelander edged out Colin Lloyd 7-5 in a thriller.
The lead changed hands five times during the contest, with a two-dart 78 finish seeing Osborne from behind to lead 2-1 before a 101 checkout put Dolan 4-2 up.
Osborne took three in a row, including a 110 finish, to push himself ahead, but Dolan responded with a second maximum of the game in levelling after the Derby man missed two doubles.
Dolan took a 6-5 lead on double eight, with Osborne waiting on tops, before defying a 180 from the North-East Regional Final winner to take out double 16 for the win.
Blue Square UK Open Midlands Regional Final
Preliminary Round
Robert Watson-Lang 5-4 Michael Smith
Gary Noonan 5-2 David Platt
Dale Pinch 5-2 Shayne Burgess
Russell Mason 5-1 Ian Lever
Rick Andrews 5-0 Darren Sutton
Peter Wright 5-1 Graeme Stoddart
Kevin Harris 5-0 Stuart Stubbs
Mick Savvery 5-1 Fraser Hill
Chris Allen 5-2 Kieran Leal
Tony Ayres 5-3 Matt Sheehan
Sean Dowling 5-0 Geoff Daniels
James Keogh Bye (Jimmy O'Regan)
Dave Smith 5-3 Lee Palfreyman
Matt Chapman 5-3 Danny King
Scott Marsh 5-3 Ian Eames
Darren Latham 5-2 Robbie Newland
Geoff Wylie 5-1 Andy Mason
Mark Jodrill 5-3 Lee Williams
Brian Jones 5-2 Gary Barnett
Gary Blades 5-2 Kevin Reade
Stephen Hardy 5-4 Alan Reynolds
Pat Orreal 5-1 Darren Whittingham
Louis Blundell 5-1 Daniel Sare
Ian Critchett 5-0 Simon Craven
Carlos Rodriguez 5-0 Dave Ansell
Martin Whatmough 5-1 Dean Stewart
Steve Cusick 5-2 Peter Aleman
Lee White 5-4 Tom Wilson
Tom Martin Bye (Gary Witcombe)
Danny Pinhorne 5-0 Dan Cook
Eddie Lovely 5-1 Darren Green
Ben Burton 5-2 Andrew Gourlay
Brendan Dolan 5-1 Peter Walford
Aaron Turner 5-4 Steve Grubb
Mark Layton 5-0 Chris Sargeant
Michael Barnard 5-4 Jimmy Dunlop
Ian Jopling Bye (Darren Moulsley)
Kelvin Painter 5-3 Karl Loiseau
Nigel Birch 5-1 Ricky Williams
Tony Littleton 5-3 Mark Carter
Andy Relf 5-3 Chris Daglish
Richard McLaughlin 5-2 Jim Leighton
Isen Veljic 5-2 Jason Crawley
Robbie Parker 5-2 Lee Holden
Brian Whybrow 5-2 Sean White
Matt Jackson Bye (Jim Young)
Mark Frost Bye (Joey Palfreyman)
Ian Walters 5-2 Colin Wonnacott
Chris Cooper 5-0 Jon Archer
Simon Whatley 5-0 Richard Plowman
Peter Edmonds 5-1 Glyn Humphries
John Quantock 5-4 Richard Foster
Jamie Robinson 5-2 Jamie Harvey
Martyn Turner 5-2 James Barton
Scott Kirchner 5-3 Pete Allen
Jonathan Overton Bye (Darrell Thorpe)
Nick Fulwell 5-3 Andy Pearson
Chris Oprey 5-3 Lyndon Davies
Ken Dobson 5-3 Ben Simpson
Chris Beeston 5-1 Derek Box
First Round
Mark Dudbridge 5-1 Stuart Holden
Jelle Klaasen 5-1 Robert Watson-Lang
Gary Noonan 5-4 Dave Ladley
Steve Hine 5-2 Dale Pinch
Chris Mason 5-0 Russell Mason
Gary Mawson 5-1 Rick Andrews
Ronnie Baxter 5-4 Peter Wright
Steve Maish 5-4 Kevin Harris
Alex Roy 5-3 Mick Savvery
Terry Jenkins 5-0 Chris Allen
Mervyn King 5-1 Tony Ayres
Alan Tabern 5-1 Sean Dowling
John Ferrell 5-4 James Keogh
Phil Taylor 5-0 Dave Smith
Lionel Sams 5-2 Matt Chapman
Barrie Bates 5-4 Scott Marsh
Colin Monk 5-2 Darren Latham
Geoff Wylie 5-4 Owen Caffrey
Andy Hamilton 5-4 Mark Jodrill
Steve Beaton 5-0 Brian Jones
Kevin Dowling 5-2 Gary Blades
Mark Walsh 5-4 Stephen Hardy
Steve Evans 5-1 Pat Orreal
Louis Blundell 5-2 Denis Ovens
Mick McGowan 5-3 Ian Critchett
Tony Eccles 5-4 Carlos Rodriguez
Peter Manley 5-3 Martin Whatmough
Michael van Gerwen 5-0 Steve Cusick
Matt Clark 5-0 Andy Howarth
Lee White 5-4 Alan Green
Wayne Atwood 5-2 Tom Martin
Raymond van Barneveld 5-0 Danny Pinhorne
Roland Scholten 5-1 Sean Cain
John MaGowan 5-1 Eddie Lovely
Ben Burton Bye (Kirk Shepherd withdrew ill)
Brendan Dolan 5-3 Vincent van der Voort
Aaron Turner 5-2 Dennis Smith
Darren Johnson 5-1 Mark Layton
Miloslav Navratil 5-4 Michael Barnard
Wes Newton 5-2 Ian Jopling
Wayne Mardle 5-2 Kelvin Painter
Nigel Birch 5-4 John Part
Tony Littleton 5-1 Steve Brown
Colin Lloyd 5-0 Andy Relf
Steve Smith 5-3 Richard McLaughlin
Isen Veljic 5-1 John Kuczynski
James Wade 5-2 Robbie Parker
Dave Jowett 5-3 Brian Whybrow
Alan Warriner-Little 5-3 Matt Jackson
Adrian Gray 5-4 Mark Frost
Jan van der Rassel 5-0 Ian Walters
Martin Burchell 5-4 Chris Cooper
Simon Whatley 5-3 Alan Caves
Andy Smith 5-1 Pete Edmonds
John Quantock 5-4 Gary Welding
Jamie Robinson 5-4 Jason Barry
Jamie Caven 5-1 Martyn Turner
Wayne Jones 5-2 Scott Kirchner
Ian Branks 5-4 Jonathan Overton
Colin Osborne 5-3 Nick Fulwell
Kevin Painter 5-1 Arron Monk
Dave Askew 5-4 Chris Oprey
Ken Dobson 5-4 Kevin McDine
Chris Thompson 5-1 Chris Beeston
Second Round
Mark Dudbridge 5-2 Jelle Klaasen
Gary Noonan 5-2 Steve Hine
Chris Mason 5-1 Gary Mawson
Ronnie Baxter 5-2 Steve Maish
Alex Roy 5-4 Terry Jenkins
Alan Tabern 5-4 Mervyn King
Phil Taylor 5-2 John Ferrell
Barrie Bates 5-3 Lionel Sams
Colin Monk 5-2 Geoff Wylie
Andy Hamilton 5-2 Steve Beaton
Mark Walsh 5-1 Kevin Dowling
Louis Blundell 5-4 Steve Evans
Tony Eccles 5-4 Mick McGowan
Peter Manley 5-3 Michael van Gerwen
Matt Clark 5-0 Lee White
Raymond van Barneveld 5-1 Wayne Atwood
Roland Scholten 5-2 John MaGowan
Brendan Dolan 5-2 Ben Burton
Aaron Turner 5-4 Darren Johnson
Wes Newton 5-3 Miloslav Navratil
Nigel Birch 5-4 Wayne Mardle
Colin Lloyd 5-1 Tony Littleton
Steve Smith 5-3 Isen Veljic
James Wade 5-1 Dave Jowett
Adrian Gray 5-4 Alan Warriner-Little
Martin Burchell 5-2 Jan van der Rassel
Simon Whatley 5-3 Andy Smith
John Quantock 5-4 Jamie Robinson
Wayne Jones 5-2 Jamie Caven
Colin Osborne 5-2 Ian Branks
Kevin Painter 5-3 Dave Askew
Chris Thompson 5-4 Ken Dobson
Losers £100
Third Round
Gary Noonan 5-3 Mark Dudbridge
Chris Mason 5-1 Ronnie Baxter
Alan Tabern 5-0 Alex Roy
Phil Taylor 5-1 Barrie Bates
Colin Monk 5-4 Andy Hamilton
Louis Blundell 5-3 Mark Walsh
Peter Manley 5-3 Tony Eccles
Raymond van Barneveld 5-3 Matt Clark
Brendan Dolan 5-4 Roland Scholten
Wes Newton 5-4 Aaron Turner
Colin Lloyd 5-2 Nigel Birch
James Wade 5-0 Steve Smith
Adrian Gray 5-2 Martin Burchell
Simon Whatley 5-2 John Quantock
Colin Osborne 5-2 Wayne Jones
Kevin Painter 5-3 Chris Thompson
Losers £200
Fourth Round
Chris Mason 5-3 Gary Noonan
Phil Taylor 5-3 Alan Tabern
Colin Monk 5-3 Louis Blundell
Raymond van Barneveld 5-3 Peter Manley
Brendan Dolan 5-4 Wes Newton
Colin Lloyd 5-2 James Wade
Simon Whatley 5-3 Adrian Gray
Colin Osborne 5-3 Kevin Painter
Losers £400
Quarter-Finals
Phil Taylor 6-1 Chris Mason
Raymond van Barneveld 6-2 Colin Monk
Brendan Dolan 6-3 Colin Lloyd
Colin Osborne 6-1 Simon Whatley
Best of 11 legs
Losers £800
Semi-Finals
Phil Taylor 7-4 Raymond van Barneveld
Brendan Dolan 7-5 Colin Osborne
Best of 13 legs
Losers £1,600
Final
Phil Taylor 8-0 Brendan Dolan
Best of 15 legs
Winner £6,000
Runner-Up £3,000