RONNIE BAXTER defeated James Wade 3-1 to taste victory in the Windy City Open Players Championship.
The victory was Baxter's first since February 2006 on the PDC circuit as he overcame the in-form Stan James World Matchplay champion Wade.
Baxter had five-set wins over Darren Webster and Kevin Painter on his way to the final, and also saw off Peter Manley 3-1 in the quarter-finals and top American lady Stacy Bromberg earlier in the event.
He then matched Wayne Mardle's feat in Atlanta recently by coming from a set down to defeat Wade in the final and pick up the £5,000 winner's cheque, taking out a 121 finish on double 18 in the final leg of the contest.
Runs to the semi-finals were encouraging for Colin Lloyd and Kevin Painter, who was a quarter-finalist in the Ireland Open Classic tournament a week ago and saw a two-set lead slip against Baxter, who took out 106 in the deciding leg of their game.
Emerging duo Adrian Gray and Steve Brown and Dutchman Vincent van der Voort enhanced their standings in the Players Championship Order of Merit by reaching the last eight, with the four qualifying places for the SkyBet World Grand Prix decided after next Saturday's event in Newport.
American-based Steve Brown joined his namesake in the main event by coming through the Qualifier for North Americans ahead of the tournament, but was a second round casualty to Steve Beaton.
Windy City Open Players Championship
Round One
Steve Drew 3-0 Adrian W Lewis (USA)
George Lane 3-2 Wade Tannahill
John Ankerey 3-1 Dan DeRose
Wes Newton 3-0 Tim McVicker
Frederick Krueger 3-0 Bruce Graham
Todd Drew 3-2 Brenda Roush
John Kuczynski 3-1 Neil Quenon
Stephen Panuncialman 3-2 James Jordan
Jason Naert 3-0 Joseph Chaney
Adrian Gray 3-1 Dieter Schutsch
Mark Wiegman 3-0 Michael Rowntree
Kevin Harris 3-2 Mark Nielsen
Jim Widmayer Bye (Ken MacNeil)
Chuck Pankow 3-0 Gary Carpenter
Vincent van der Voort 3-0 Dean Blake
Gary Mawson 3-0 Craig Zuehlke
Ed Debenkhe 3-2 Richard Espinosa
Dave DePriest 3-1 Ricky Williams
Steve Hertzfeld 3-2 Kurt Hartman
Brian Blake 3-1 Bob Anderson
Terry Stewart 3-2 Suzie Hall
Ben Burton 3-0 John McCreery
Kurt Tyson 3-2 Joseph Swick
Steve Brown (UK) 3-0 Dan Lauby
Alan Warriner-Little 3-1 Brad Wethington
Bob Adamson 3-0 William Hellman
John Adams 3-0 Joey Beecroft
Michael van Gerwen 3-0 Kory Nichols
Tony Eccles 3-0 Mallory Restis
John Ferrell 3-0 Phil Fried
Matt Clark 3-1 Isen Veljic
Dan Zimmerman 3-0 David Minasian
Larry Butler 3-2 Dan Olson
Stacy Bromberg 3-0 Tony Booth
Scott Kirchner 3-0 Barry Loveless
Darren Webster 3-0 Joe DaVanti
Jason Hill 3-0 Manuel Lairson
Scott Ingram 3-1 Bill Bell
Tony Payne 3-1 Patrick Kovack
Mike Brewer 3-1 Tom Curtin
Steve Beaton 3-0 Joey Giammarino
Steve Brown (USA) 3-1 Earl Dunkelberger
Round Two
James Wade 3-0 Steve Drew
Bill Davis 3-0 George Lane
Denis Ovens 3-0 John Ankerey
Wes Newton 3-2 Frederick Kreuger
Todd Drew Bye (Wayne Mardle)
Stephen Panuncialman 3-1 John Kuczynski
John Part 3-2 Jason Naert
Adrian Gray 3-0 Mark Wiegman
Dennis Priestley 3-0 Kevin Harris
Jim Widmmayer 3-2 Ray Carver
Andy Jenkins 3-0 Chuck Pankow
Vincent van der Voort 3-1 Gary Mawson
Colin Lloyd 3-0 Ed Debenkhe
Dave DePriest 3-2 Jason Clark
Mark Dudbridge 3-1 Steve Hertzfeld
Brian Blake 3-0 Terry Stewart
Terry Jenkins 3-0 Ben Burton
Darin Young 3-0 Kurt Tyson
Steve Brown (UK) 3-2 Colin Osborne
Alan Warriner-Little 3-2 Bob Adamson
Andy Hamilton 3-0 John Adams
Tony Eccles 3-1 Michael van Gerwen
Kevin Painter 3-1 John Ferrell
Matt Clark 3-0 Dan Zimmerman
Larry Butler Bye (Roland Scholten)
Stacy Bromberg Bye (Steve Smith)
Ronnie Baxter 3-0 Scott Kirchner
Darren Webster 3-0 Jason Hill
Peter Manley 3-1 Scott Ingram
Tony Payne Bye (Wayne Atwood)
Chris Mason 3-1 Mike Brewer
Steve Beaton 3-1 Steve Brown (USA)
Losers £75
Round Three
James Wade 3-1 Bill Davis
Denis Ovens 3-2 Wes Newton
Stephen Panuncialman 3-1 Todd Drew
Adrian Gray 3-2 John Part
Dennis Priestley 3-0 Jim Widmayer
Vincent van der Voort 3-2 Andy Jenkins
Colin Lloyd 3-0 Dave DePriest
Mark Dudbridge 3-0 Brian Blake
Terry Jenkins 3-1 Darin Young
Steve Brown (UK) 3-1 Alan Warriner-Little
Andy Hamilton 3-2 Tony Eccles
Kevin Painter 3-2 Matt Clark
Stacy Bromberg 3-1 Larry Butler
Ronnie Baxter 3-2 Darren Webster
Peter Manley 3-0 Tony Payne
Chris Mason 3-2 Steve Beaton
Losers £150
Round Four
James Wade 3-0 Denis Ovens
Adrian Gray 3-1 Stephen Panuncialman
Vincent van der Voort 3-1 Dennis Priestley
Colin Lloyd 3-0 Mark Dudbridge
Steve Brown (UK) 3-1 Terry Jenkins
Kevin Painter 3-0 Andy Hamilton
Ronnie Baxter 3-0 Stacy Bromberg
Peter Manley 3-2 Chris Mason
Losers £300
Quarter-Finals
James Wade 3-0 Adrian Gray
Colin Lloyd 3-1 Vincent van der Voort
Kevin Painter 3-2 Steve Brown (UK)
Ronnie Baxter 3-1 Peter Manley
Losers £600
Semi-Finals
James Wade 3-1 Colin Lloyd
Ronnie Baxter 3-2 Kevin Painter
Losers £1,250
Final
Ronnie Baxter 3-1 James Wade
Winner £5,000
Runner-Up £2,500