RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD continued his winning streak with victory in the first Blue Square UK Open Regional Final of 2007 at the Park Hotel, Tynemouth.
The Dutchman picked up the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship title on Monday with a stunning 7-6 win over Phil Taylor, and backed that up in style in the north-east.
He overcame players of the calibre of Chris Mason, Kevin Painter, Denis Ovens and Terry Jenkins on his way to the final, before dropping just one leg against Roland Scholten.
Van Barneveld won the first set of the final 3-0, taking the opening leg against the darts after Scholten missed his doubles before reeling off the next two in quick-time.
He landed a second 180 of the game in the opening leg of the second set, which he won with a superb 121 finish for a 12-darter.
Scholten levelled matters with a two-dart 46 checkout in leg two, but successive 14-darts from the World Champion, including two further maximums and finishes of 86 and 84, gave van Barneveld the win and a £5,000 cheque.
"What a week!" said van Barneveld, who picked up £100,000 for his World Championship win. "When I was practising before the tournament earlier I thought I needed a rest because it has been an unbelievable week.
"I've been living with my phone to my ear, and there has been so much happening since winning the World Championship.
"But it was important to get back to playing and beating players like Mason and Painter was huge for me.
"Terry Jenkins in the semi-final was an unbelievable match, I think we were both close to a 40 average per dart and I'm not sure a game went over 13 darts.
"To then beat my fellow countryman in the final was great and I know I'm looking forward to this year."
Scholten had to come from a set down in his semi-final against Alan Tabern before taking a 2-1 victory, having earlier seen off Andy Hamilton, Andy Smith and Welsh duo Richie Burnett and Wayne Atwood.
Hamilton came close to landing a nine-dart leg during his 5-4 win over Colin Lloyd, while Peter Manley was forced to take out a 141 finish - treble 17, double top and bull - to win a final leg against Adrian Gray.
Bob Anderson twice came from 4-1 down to win 5-4, against Rico Vonck and Kieron Leal, before losing to Terry Jenkins.
Van Barneveld's victory gave him a third consecutive Regional Final win, following last year's triumphs in Ireland and Scotland.
The remaining Regional Finals will be held in the South-West (expected to be Bristol), South (London), North-West (Manchester) and Midlands (Nottingham/Derby).
Blue Square UK Open North-East Regional Final
Preliminary Round
Nick Fulwell 4-1 Jon Archer
John Quantock Bye (John Lowe)
Peter Green 4-1 Kurt Delahouse
John Watson 4-1 Daniel Cook
Kevin McDine 4-1 Robbie Parker
Martin Burchell 4-2 Ian Eames
Steve Cusick 4-2 Dean Brown
Lee Smith 4-3 Mitchell Butler
Martin Angel 4-0 Eamon Hagen
Martin Turner 4-1 Dave Prins
Stuart Dutton 4-1 Darren Richardson
Ray Farrell 4-2 Rocco Maes
Barry French 4-0 Thomas McIntosh
Ian Gunion Jnr 4-3 Paul Whitworth
First Round
Tony Mitchell 4-2 Ian Branks
Martin Whatmough Bye (Eric Bristow)
Chris Dalglish 4-2 Robert Watson-Lang
Nick Fulwell 4-3 Anto McCracken
Tony Randell def Stuart Hopton
Sean Palfrey 4-1 Dave Jowett
Chris Hook 4-3 S Venn
John Quantock 4-3 Andrew Davies
Mark Frost 4-0 Steven Blythe
Mark Lawrence 4-3 Gary Noonan
Brian Cathcart Bye (Kerry Bannister)
Peter Green 4-1 Kurt Delahouse
Shane Passey 4-0 David Calvert
Sean Dowling 4-3 Kevin Harris
Garrett Gray 4-0 Ian Gunion Snr
John Watson 4-1 Daniel Cook
Nigel Langton 4-3 John Young
Joe Palfreyman 4-1 Graeme Stoddart
Ken Dobson Bye (Chris Gough)
Steve Brown 4-1 Davie Knowles
Anthony Lupton 4-2 Neil Pointon
Jim Young 4-3 Scott Marsh
Michael Kendrick 4-2 Deta Hedman
Kevin McDine 4-1 Steve Hayton
Simon Craven 4-3 Lee White
Darrell Thorpe 4-0 Yves Cottenge
Chris Thompson def Lee Evans
Martin Burchell def Ben Burton
Norman Fletcher def Ant Brown
Matt Chapman 4-3 Ricky Williams
Eddie Lovely 4-1 Mark Stephenson
Steve Cusick 4-2 Jimmy Dunlop
Dave Smith 4-2 Paul Dillon
Gary Blades 4-3 Paul Everson
Ian Whillis 4-2 Stephen Leek
Lee Smith 4-1 Tom Martin
Rico Vonck 4-1 Bruce Terret
Kieron Leal 4-1 Jason Hollingworth
Darren Latham 4-0 Lewis Russell
Alan Green 4-3 Martin Angel
Trevor Higginson 4-0 Kevin Reade
Scott Mitton 4-0 Ian Crichett
Martin Turner 4-2 Henry O'Neill
Shaun McDonald 4-3 Darren Moulsley
Ernie Brown 4-1 Steve Johnson
Steve Grubb 4-1 Rich Corner
Peter Evison 4-2 Paul Knighton
Garry Spedding 4-2 Chris Sargeant
Lee Palfreyman 4-3 Stuart Kendrick
Steve Evans 4-0 Stuart Slesser
Stuart Dutton 4-0 Kevin Hill
Dave Ladley 4-3 Ian Gleeson
Robbie Green 4-0 Chris Forsyth
Jamie Caven Bye (Alan Taylor)
Ray Farrell 4-0 Dave Pugh
Mark Cox 4-1 John Kiernan
Paul Harrison 4-1 Bob Avenell
Dennis McCarthy 4-2 Andrew Coulter
Chris Allen 4-0 Barry French
Kirk Shepherd 4-0 Dave Honey Jnr
James Keogh 4-2 Carl Cooper
Matt Sheehan 4-1 Lee Gregory
Ian Gunion Jnr 4-1 Rod Harrington
Second Round
Roland Scholten 5-1 Tony Mitchell
Richie Burnett 5-4 Martin Whatmough
Geoff Wylie 5-0 Chris Dalglish
Andy Smith 5-3 Nick Fulwell
Wayne Atwood 5-3 Tony Randell
Sean Palfrey 5-1 Steve Maish
Mark Dudbridge 5-4 Chris Hook
Alan Caves 5-1 John Quantock
Mark Frost 5-2 Mark Robinson
Colin Lloyd 5-3 Mark Lawrence
Andy Hamilton 5-0 Brian Cathcart
Peter Green 5-4 Dennis Smith
Alex Roy 5-1 Shane Passey
Sean Dowling 5-3 David Platt
Barrie Bates 5-2 Garrett Gray
Colin Osborne 5-1 John Watson
Dave Askew 5-1 Nigel Langton
Alan Warriner-Little 5-3 Joe Palfreyman
Mick McGowan 5-2 Ken Dobson
Steve Brown Bye (Michael Barnard)
Jimmy Mann 5-2 Anthony Lupton
James Wade 5-0 Jim Young
Darren Webster 5-3 Michael Kendrick
Kevin McDine 5-2 Ronnie Baxter
Adrian Lewis 5-1 Simon Craven
Darren Williams 5-3 Darrell Thorpe
Jason Clark 5-4 Chris Thompson
Dave Honey 5-4 Martin Burchell
Owen Caffrey 5-3 Norman Fletcher
Alan Tabern 5-2 Matt Chapman
Lionel Sams 5-2 Eddie Lovely
Keith Deller 5-3 Steve Cusick
John MaGowan 5-3 Dave Smith
Gary Welding 5-0 Gary Blades
Paul Williams 5-1 Ian Whillis
Dale Newton 5-4 Lee Smith
Bob Anderson 5-4 Rico Vonck
Kieron Leal 5-4 Darren Johnson
Terry Jenkins 5-4 Darren Latham
Alan Green 5-1 Tom Kirby
Andy Jenkins 5-0 Trevor Higginson
Kevin Dowling 5-1 Darrell Townsend
Matt Clark 5-3 Scott Mitton
Steve Smith 5-2 Martin Turner
Jamie Harvey 5-4 Shaun McDonald
Steve Hine 5-4 Ernie Brown
Andy Callaby 5-4 Steve Grubb
Wes Newton 5-3 Peter Evison
Garry Spedding Bye (Wayne Mardle)
Lee Palfreyman 5-3 Josephus Schenk
Mark Thomson 5-4 Steve Evans
Denis Ovens 5-3 Stuart Dutton
Dave Ladley 5-4 Dennis Priestley
Robbie Green 5-0 Pete Allen
Adrian Gray 5-2 Jamie Caven
Peter Manley 5-4 Ray Farrell
Mark Cox Bye (Steve Beaton)
Kevin Painter 5-1 Paul Harrison
Wayne Jones 5-3 Dennis McCarthy
Chris Allen 5-2 Colin Monk
Raymond van Barneveld 5-1 Kirk Shepherd
Chris Mason 5-1 James Keogh
Matt Sheehan 5-3 Mark Walsh
Ian Gunion Jnr Bye (Tomas Seyler)
Third Round
Roland Scholten 5-2 Richie Burnett
Andy Smith 5-3 Geoff Wylie
Wayne Atwood 5-4 Sean Palfrey
Mark Dudbridge 5-4 Alan Caves
Colin Lloyd 5-3 Mark Frost
Andy Hamilton 5-0 Peter Green
Alex Roy 5-0 Sean Dowling
Colin Osborne 5-4 Barrie Bates
Dave Askew 5-4 Alan Warriner-Little
Mick McGowan 5-1 Steve Brown
James Wade 5-2 Jimmy Mann
Kevin McDine 5-1 Darren Webster
Adrian Lewis 5-2 Darren Williams
Jason Clark 5-1 Dave Honey
Alan Tabern 5-2 Owen Caffrey
Keith Deller 5-2 Lionel Sams
Gary Welding 5-1 John MaGowan
Dale Newton 5-3 Paul Williams
Bob Anderson 5-4 Kieron Leal
Terry Jenkins 5-1 Alan Green
Andy Jenkins 5-3 Kevin Dowling
Matt Clark 5-1 Steve Smith
Steve Hine 5-1 Jamie Harvey
Wes Newton 5-0 Andy Callaby
Garry Spedding 5-3 Lee Palfreyman
Denis Ovens 5-0 Mark Thomson
Robbie Green 5-4 Dave Ladley
Peter Manley 5-4 Adrian Gray
Kevin Painter 5-1 Mark Cox
Wayne Jones 5-4 Chris Allen
Raymond van Barneveld 5-3 Chris Mason
Matt Sheehan 5-4 Ian Gunion Jnr
Losers £75
Fourth Round
Roland Scholten 5-3 Andy Smith
Wayne Atwood 5-4 Mark Dudbridge
Andy Hamilton 5-4 Colin Lloyd
Alex Roy 5-3 Colin Osborne
Dave Askew 5-3 Mick McGowan
James Wade 5-2 Kevin McDine
Adrian Lewis 5-3 Jason Clark
Alan Tabern 5-3 Keith Deller
Gary Welding 5-4 Dale Newton
Terry Jenkins 5-1 Bob Anderson
Andy Jenkins 5-1 Matt Clark
Wes Newton 5-3 Steve Hine
Denis Ovens 5-1 Gary Spedding
Peter Manley 5-1 Robbie Green
Kevin Painter 5-1 Wayne Jones
Raymond van Barneveld 5-0 Matt Sheehan
Losers £150
Fifth Round
Roland Scholten 5-2 Wayne Atwood
Andy Hamilton 5-2 Alex Roy
Jame Wade 5-2 Dave Askew
Alan Tabern 5-2 Adrian Lewis
Terry Jenkins 5-4 Gary Welding
Andy Jenkins 5-4 Wes Newton
Denis Ovens 5-2 Peter Manley
Raymond van Barneveld 5-3 Kevin Painter
Losers £300
Quarter-Finals
Roland Scholten 5-3 Andy Hamilton
Alan Tabern 5-4 James Wade
Terry Jenkins 5-4 Andy Jenkins
Raymond van Barneveld 5-0 Denis Ovens
Losers £600
Semi-Finals
Roland Scholten 2-1 Alan Tabern (1-3, 3-1, 3-0)
Raymond van Barneveld 2-1 Terry Jenkins (3-2, 2-3, 3-0)
Losers £1,250
Final
Raymond van Barneveld 2-0 Roland Scholten (3-0, 3-1)
Winner £5,000
Runner-Up £2,500