COLIN LLOYD stormed back to form to win the Blue Square UK Open South-West Regional Final with an 8-6 defeat of Andy Hamilton.
Lloyd produced some superb darts on the way to his first tournament win since November 2006 to claim the £6,000 first prize at the Wellsprings Leisure Centre in Taunton.
He dropped just one leg in early wins over Andy Howarth and Stephen Hardy before seeing off world number three James Wade 5-2.
Lloyd then defeated Mervyn King 5-2 in the last 16, Kevin McDine 6-3 in the quarter-finals and Wayne Atwood 7-6 to end a run of ten months without a final appearance.
He stormed into a 5-1 lead in the final before Hamilton hit back, but a 121 finish saw Lloyd regain a cushion at 6-3.
Hamilton edged three of the next four legs to stay in the contest at 7-6, with Lloyd missing two match darts at double 18 in the 13th.
But Lloyd claimed the match in style with a 132 finish of 25, treble 19 and the bullseye to pocket the winner's cheque.
Hamilton was a comfortable 7-1 winner against Stoke rival Adrian Lewis in the semi-finals, after being pushed all the way by Mark Walsh in a high-quality quarter-final which featured nine maximums in 11 legs.
Hamilton also overcame Terry Jenkins and Ronnie Baxter on his way to the final.
Kevin McDine followed up his run to the final of the Irish Regional Final in October by reaching the quarter-finals, dropping only two legs in his first three matches and seeing off Alan Tabern in the last 16.
World Champion John Part included Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts rival Peter Manley and Kevin Painter among his scalps as he reached the last eight, only to go down 6-2 to Lewis.
Atwood's run to the semi-final was his first since last July's Bobby Bourn Players Championship, taking advantage of eight missed match darts from Tony Eccles in the last 16 before defeating Roland Scholten 6-3 in the quarters.
Streamed Stages Round-Up
Quarter-Finals
Wayne Atwood defeated Roland Scholten 6-3 in the first quarter-final.
The Welshman took an early 3-1 lead before being pegged back, but landed a crucial 180 in leg seven before taking out 126 on the bullseye with Scholten sat on 57.
He then punished four missed doubles from the Dutchman to go 5-3 up thanks to a 115 finish, and sealed the win on double 16 in the next.
Atwood will face Colin Lloyd in the last four, following the Essex thrower's 6-3 defeat of Kevin McDine.
Lloyd kicked off with a 121 finish to break the throw in the opening leg, and was 3-0 up before McDine stepped in to take the next two with his opponent sat on a finish.
Lloyd kicked off leg six with scores of 180 and 171 to set up a potential nine-darter, and although that bid failed on his 150 finish, he took out 52 for an 11-darter and a 4-2 lead.
A 76 finish pushed him one leg away from the win, and though that was matched in the next by McDine, Lloyd was able to step in to take leg nine on double ten for victory.
Adrian Lewis defeated World Champion John Part 6-2 in the third quarter-final, pulling clear from two-all with four successive legs, including a 104 finish, to book his semi-final place.
He faces Stoke rival Andy Hamilton in other other final, after the Grand Slam of Darts runner-up showed some fine form to edge out Mark Walsh 6-5.
All 11 legs went with the throw in a tight contest, which saw nine maximums shared 5-4 in Walsh's favour and Hamilton land an 11-darter along the way.
Walsh opened the deciding leg with a 180 against the throw, but Hamilton replied in kind and took the win on double four.
Semi-Finals
Colin Lloyd sneaked past Wayne Atwood 7-6 to reach his first final since last April in the first semi-final.
He included a 112 finish in taking leads of 3-1 and 5-3, only for Atwood two hit back and level matters, the Welshman taking out 140 for the tenth leg.
Lloyd took out double 18 to lead 6-5, but Atwood battled to take the game into a decider on double 16.
However, an early bounceout in the final leg saw Atwood lose momentum and gave Lloyd the breathing space to miss four match darts before booking his place in the final.
Andy Hamilton made light work of Adrian Lewis to join Lloyd in the decider, taking a 7-1 win against his Stoke rival.
Hamilton opened with a 139 finish and also took out 150 on his way to a 5-0 lead, before Lewis finally got off the mark in the sixth leg.
Double 16 put Hamilton a leg away from the win, and he hit a second 180 of the match in the next before sealing victory on double four.
Blue Square UK Open South-West Regional Final
Preliminary Round
Eddie Lovely 5-1 Jason Crawley
Yves Cottenge 5-1 Chris Sargeant
Lee Williams 5-0 Aaron Monk
Brian Jones 5-4 Andy Mason
Shayne Burgess 5-0 Jimmy O'Regan
Scott Marsh 5-2 Gary Witcombe
Jimmy Dunlop 5-3 Stuart Holden
Ian Critchett 5-3 Darren Williams
Simon Whatley 5-0 Bob Crawley
Chris Daglish 5-0 Ian Harford
Andrew Gourlay 5-1 Steve Cupitt
Matt Sheehan 5-2 Dean Stewart
Danny King 5-4 Tony Littleton
Steve Grubb 5-1 Steve Cusick
Robbie Newland 5-4 Kelvin Painter
Simon Cunningham 5-3 Kevin Hill
Stephen Hardy 5-1 Tony Ayres
Andy Howarth 5-4 Chris Hook
Tom Wilson 5-4 Simon Craven
Paul Williams 5-1 Mark Carter
Darrell Thorpe 5-1 Ian Walters
Daniel Sare 5-4 Karl Loiseau
Ben Simpson 5-3 Jon Archer
Peter Aleman 5-3 Pete Allen
Jonathan Overton 5-4 David Pugh
Alan Reynolds 5-4 Chris Cooper
James Keogh 5-2 Neil Wild
Ian Lever 5-0 Geoff Daniels
Brendan Dolan 5-1 Peter Walford
Dave Smith 5-3 Mark Tiller
Darren Latham 5-3 Gary Blades
Darren Moulsley 5-4 Robert Watson-Lang
Sean Dowling 5-1 Peter Wright
Joey Palfreyman 5-2 Ben Burton
Chris Allen 5-2 Rick Andrews
Gary Noonan 5-1 Andy Relf
Paul Knighton Bye (Kieran Lennon)
Ricky Williams 5-3 Richard McLaughlin
Jim Leighton Bye (Colin Wonnacott)
David Platt 5-1 Matt Chapman
Steve Webb 5-3 Aaron Turner
Daniel Cook 5-1 Richie Plowman
Steve Lane 5-3 Danny Pinhorne
Geoff Wylie 5-4 Shane Passey
Michael Smith 5-3 Russell Mason
Michael Barnard 5-0 Lee Gregory
Paul Cooper 5-2 Dave Ansell
Darren Sutton 5-4 Norman Fletcher
Round One
Mark Lawrence 5-2 Matt Jackson
Eddie Lovely 5-4 Jan van der Rassel
Michael van Gerwen 5-0 Yves Cottenge
Roland Scholten 5-4 Lee Williams
Lee White 5-4 Lionel Sams
Jelle Klaasen 5-1 Brian Jones
Steve Brown 5-3 Shayne Burgess
Adrian Gray 5-0 Scott Marsh
Richie Burnett 5-3 Kevin Harris
Colin Monk 5-0 Jimmy Dunlop
Ian Critchett 5-3 Jimmy Mann
Wayne Atwood 5-3 Simon Whatley
Steve Beaton 5-2 Harry Anderson
Chris Daglish 5-3 Alex Roy
Matt Clark 5-1 Andrew Gourlay
Tony Eccles 5-1 Matt Sheehan
Mervyn King 5-3 Dale Pinch
Danny King 5-2 Martin Burchell
Denis Ovens 5-1 Steve Grubb
Kirk Shepherd 5-0 Robbie Newland
James Wade 5-1 Mick Savvery
Dave Ladley 5-4 Simon Cunningham
Stephen Hardy 5-3 Bob Anderson
Colin Lloyd 5-0 Andy Howarth
Alan Green 5-2 Darrell Townsend
Alan Tabern 5-3 Tom Wilson
Lee Palfreyman 5-0 Paul Williams
Jason Barry 5-4 Darrell Thorpe
Mark Dudbridge 5-2 Tom Martin
Kevin McDine 5-1 Daniel Sare
Gary Welding 5-2 Ben Simpson
John Ferrell 5-2 Peter Aleman
Steve Evans Bye (Alan Reilly)
Peter Manley 5-1 Jonathan Overton
Darren Johnson 5-3 Alan Reynolds
John Part 5-4 James Keogh
Dave Askew 5-2 Andrew Coulter
Kevin Painter 5-0 Ian Lever
Chris Mason 5-3 Brendan Dolan
Mick McGowan 5-2 Dave Smith
Jamie Caven 5-3 Martin Whatmough
Darren Latham 5-1 Kevin Dowling
Owen Caffrey 5-0 Darren Moulsley
Wayne Jones 5-2 Sean Dowling
Vincent van der Voort 5-0 Sean Cain
Joey Palfreyman 5-4 Dave Honey
Adrian Lewis 5-1 Chris Allen
Alan Warriner-Little 5-1 Gary Noonan
Colin Osborne 5-1 Lee Holden
Paul Knighton 5-2 Sean Palfrey
Ricky Williams 5-1 Tony Randell
Barrie Bates 5-0 Jim Leighton
Mark Walsh 5-1 John Quantock
David Platt 5-0 Rico Vonck
Wes Newton 5-2 Steve Webb
Andy Smith 5-3 Daniel Cook
Terry Jenkins 5-1 Lyndon Davies
Steve Lane 5-1 Ian Branks
Geoff Wylie 5-1 Alan Caves
Andy Hamilton 5-1 Michael Smith
Andy Jenkins 5-4 Ian Eames
Michael Barnard 5-2 Steve Hine
Steve Maish 5-3 Paul Cooper
Ronnie Baxter 5-1 Darren Sutton
Round Two
Mark Lawrence 5-3 Eddie Lovely
Roland Scholten 5-1 Michael van Gerwen
Jelle Klaasen 5-1 Lee White
Adrian Gray 5-0 Steve Brown
Colin Monk 5-2 Richie Burnett
Wayne Atwood 5-1 Ian Critchett
Steve Beaton 5-0 Chris Daglish
Tony Eccles 5-2 Matt Clark
Mervyn King 5-3 Danny King
Denis Ovens 5-2 Kirk Shepherd
James Wade 5-2 Dave Ladley
Colin Lloyd 5-1 Stephen Hardy
Alan Tabern 5-0 Alan Green
Jason Barry 5-4 Lee Palfreyman
Kevin McDine 5-0 Mark Dudbridge
Gary Welding 5-4 John Ferrell
Peter Manley 5-0 Steve Evans
John Part 5-0 Darren Johnson
Kevin Painter 5-2 Dave Askew
Chris Mason 5-1 Mick McGowan
Jamie Caven 5-4 Darren Latham
Wayne Jones 5-1 Owen Caffrey
Vincent van der Voort 5-0 Joey Palfreyman
Adrian Lewis 5-3 Alan Warriner-Little
Colin Osborne 5-3 Paul Knighton
Barrie Bates 5-3 Ricky Williams
Mark Walsh 5-3 David Platt
Wes Newton 5-3 Andy Smith
Terry Jenkins 5-2 Steve Lane
Andy Hamilton 5-0 Geoff Wylie
Andy Jenkins 5-4 Michael Barnard
Ronnie Baxter 5-4 Steve Maish
Losers £100
Round Three
Roland Scholten 5-4 Mark Lawrence
Jelle Klaasen 5-1 Adrian Gray
Wayne Atwood 5-2 Colin Monk
Tony Eccles 5-4 Steve Beaton
Mervyn King 5-2 Denis Ovens
Colin Lloyd 5-2 James Wade
Alan Tabern 5-3 Jason Barry
Kevin McDine 5-1 Gary Welding
John Part 5-2 Peter Manley
Kevin Painter 5-4 Chris Mason
Jamie Caven 5-3 Wayne Jones
Adrian Lewis 5-4 Vincent van der Voort
Barrie Bates 5-0 Colin Osborne
Mark Walsh 5-2 Wes Newton
Andy Hamilton 5-3 Terry Jenkins
Ronnie Baxter 5-0 Andy Jenkins
Losers £200
Round Four
Roland Scholten 5-4 Jelle Klaasen
Wayne Atwood 5-4 Tony Eccles
Colin Lloyd 5-2 Mervyn King
Kevin McDine 5-3 Alan Tabern
John Part 5-1 Kevin Painter
Adrian Lewis 5-3 Jamie Caven
Mark Walsh 5-3 Barrie Bates
Andy Hamilton 5-3 Ronnie Baxter
Losers £400
Quarter-Finals
Wayne Atwood 6-3 Roland Scholten
Colin Lloyd 6-3 Kevin McDine
Adrian Lewis 6-2 John Part
Andy Hamilton 6-5 Mark Walsh
Best of 11 legs
Losers £800
Semi-Finals
Colin Lloyd 7-6 Wayne Atwood
Andy Hamilton 7-1 Adrian Lewis
Best of 13 legs
Losers £1,600
Final
Colin Lloyd 8-6 Andy Hamilton
Best of 15 legs
Winner £6,000
Runner-Up £3,000