COLIN LLOYD won the Irish Regional Final for the Budweiser UK Open, defeating Andy Smith 2-1 in the final at Dublin's Citywest Hotel.
Lloyd, who begins the defence of his Sky Bet World Grand Prix title on Monday, prepared for the tournament in style with a classy display.
He defeated Ray Cornibert, Adrian Gray, Alan Caves, Chris Mason and Alex Roy before edging out Alan Warriner in the semis.
The world number one roared out of the blocks in the final, opening up a one-set lead with three successive legs.
He also took the first leg of the second set in just 12 darts but then paid for missing darts to take the next, Smith stepping in to level matters before taking the set 3-1.
The duo shared the first two legs of the final set before Lloyd once more hit top gear, another 12-dart leg putting him within touching distance of the match.
He needed little time to wrap up victory, landing double ten to take the title and effectively assure a place in the televised UK Open finals next June.
"I'm very pleased," said Lloyd. "I know that I'm playing pretty well and I had to battle to get some of the wins today too, so I'll go into the World Grand Prix in good shape."
Smith, who has had great success in the UK Open during the past two years, produced a superb display to defeat Kevin Painter 2-0 in his semi-final.
Painter had earlier seen off Mark Dudbridge 5-1 in the quarter-finals, while UK Open finalists Phil Taylor and Mark Walsh exited at the last 16 stage.
Budweiser UK Open
Irish Regional Final
Preliminary Round (best of seven legs)
Gary Noonan 4-1 Nigel Peden
Michael Kendrick 4-3 Shane O'Connor
Gary Cartmel 4-1 Robert Hammond
Daniel Sare 4-0 Chris Sargeant
First Round (best of nine legs)
John Magowan 5-2 Andrew Davies
Matt Clark 5-4 Shane Harvey
James Wade 5-3 John Scott
Gary Noonan 5-3 Gary Welding
Steve Hine 5-4 Tom Nagels
Ian Whillis 5-2 Michael Doabe
Jason Roberts 5-1 Dave Jowett
Steve Coote 5-3 Michael Kendrick
Barrie Bates 5-2 Peter Quinn
Erik Clarys 5-3 Ray Farrell
Kevin Pearson 5-1 Nick Fulwell
Jamie Harvey 5-2 Gary Cartmel
Andy Smith 5-4 Gary Bell
Wes Newton 5-1 Bob Avenell
Michael Barnard 5-2 Graham Begby
Jimmy Mann 5-0 Paul Heston
Adrian Lewis 5-0 Eric Bristow
Steve Beaton 5-3 Jason Clark
Kevin Painter 5-0 Mark Pooke
Tony Smith 5-0 Dwaine Kennedy
Wayne Mardle 5-1 Jimmy Dunlop
Graeme Stoddart 5-2 Darren Webster
Andy Jenkins 5-0 Robert Baillie
Tom Kirby 5-2 Chris Hook
Darren Williams 5-2 John Part
Deta Hedman 5-0 Peter Evison
Steve Maish 5-3 Steven Smith
Dennis Priestley 5-0 Kieran Lennon
Mark Lawrence 5-2 Mark Robinson
Eamon Hagen bye (Wayne Atwood)
Simon Whatley 5-1 Yves Cottenge
Mark Dudbridge 5-0 Joeri Raets
Alan Reynolds 5-1 Rod Harrington
Alan Caves 5-0 Rick Andrews
Colin Lloyd 5-2 Ray Cornibert
Adrian Gray 5-0 Darren Johnson
Keith Rooney 5-1 Henry O'Neill
Joe Collins 5-2 Bob Anderson
Vic Hubbard 5-2 Robert Watson-Lang
Chris Mason 5-3 Paul Everson
Harry Anderson bye (Mick Manning)
Phil Taylor 5-0 Kieran Leal
Peter Manley 5-2 Andrew Coulter
Steve Johnson 5-2 Geoff Wylie
Wayne Jones 5-4 Terry Hayes
Alex Roy 5-3 Steven Hyatt
Cliff Lazarenko 5-1 Lee Palfreyman
Keith Deller bye (Bob Lang)
Alan Warriner-Little 5-4 Lee White
Sean Palfrey 5-3 Dave Honey
Colin Osborne 5-4 Mick McGowan
Richie Burnett 5-3 Gareth Gray
Roland Scholten 5-0 Josephus Schenk
Mark Thomson 5-2 Brian Whybrow
Lionel Sams 5-0 John Bork
Paul Williams 5-0 Don Healy
Dennis Smith 5-4 Guy Christyn
Dave Askew 5-2 Paul Dillon
Terry Jenkins 5-2 Paul Redfearn
Mark Walsh 5-3 Daniel Sare
Colin Monk bye (Dean Williams)
Ronnie Baxter 5-1 Jim Leighton
Tom Wilson 5-4 Geoffrey Matthews
Denis Ovens 5-1 David Johnson
Second Round
John Magowan 5-3 Matt Clark
James Wade 5-1 Gary Noonan
Ian Whillis 5-2 Steve Hine
Jason Roberts 5-4 Steve Coote
Barrie Bates 5-3 Erik Clarys
Kevin Pearson 5-0 Jamie Harvey
Andy Smith 5-3 Wes Newton
Jimmy Mann 5-2 Michael Barnard
Adrian Lewis 5-2 Steve Beaton
Kevin Painter 5-4 Tony Smith
Graeme Stoddart 5-4 Wayne Mardle
Tom Kirby 5-4 Andy Jenkins
Darren Williams 5-3 Deta Hedman
Dennis Priestley 5-3 Steve Maish
Mark Lawrence 5-3 Eamon Hagen
Mark Dudbridge 5-0 Simon Whatley
Alan Caves 5-1 Alan Reynolds
Colin Lloyd 5-2 Adrian Gray
Joe Collins 5-3 Keith Rooney
Chris Mason 5-1 Vic Hubbard
Phil Taylor 5-0 Harry Anderson
Peter Manley 5-2 Steve Johnson
Alex Roy 5-2 Wayne Jones
Cliff Lazarenko 5-3 Keith Deller
Alan Warriner-Little 5-3 Sean Palfrey
Richie Burnett 5-3 Colin Osborne
Roland Scholten 5-3 Mark Thomson
Lionel Sams 5-2 Paul Williams
Dave Askew 5-3 Dennis Smith
Mark Walsh 5-4 Terry Jenkins
Colin Monk 5-3 Ronnie Baxter
Denis Ovens 5-2 Tom Wilson
Third Round
John Magowan 5-3 James Wade
Ian Whillis 5-2 Jason Roberts
Barrie Bates 5-3 Kevin Pearson
Andy Smith 5-3 Jimmy Mann
Kevin Painter 5-4 Adrian Lewis
Graeme Stoddart 5-1 Tom Kirby
Dennis Priestley 5-2 Darren Williams
Mark Dudbridge 5-3 Mark Lawrence
Colin Lloyd 5-3 Alan Caves
Chris Mason 5-2 Joe Collins
Phil Taylor 5-3 Peter Manley
Alex Roy 5-4 Cliff Lazarenko
Alan Warriner-Little 5-1 Richie Burnett
Lionel Sams 5-3 Roland Scholten
Mark Walsh 5-1 Dave Askew
Colin Monk 5-4 Denis Ovens
Fourth Round
John Magowan 5-1 Ian Whillis
Andy Smith 5-3 Barrie Bates
Kevin Painter 5-2 Graeme Stoddart
Mark Dudbridge 5-1 Dennis Priestley
Colin Lloyd 5-3 Chris Mason
Alex Roy 5-1 Phil Taylor
Alan Warriner-Little 5-4 Lionel Sams
Colin Monk 5-1 Mark Walsh
Quarter-Finals
Andy Smith 5-1 John Magowan
Kevin Painter 5-1 Mark Dudbridge
Colin Lloyd 5-3 Alex Roy
Alan Warriner-Little 5-3 Colin Monk
Semi-Finals (best of three sets, five legs per set)
Andy Smith 2-0 Kevin Painter
Colin Lloyd 2-1 Alan Warriner-Little
Final
Colin Lloyd 2-1 Andy Smith