PETER WRIGHT took victory in the opening Coral UK Open Qualifier as he edged out Adrian Lewis 6-4 in Friday's final in Wigan, securing his ninth ranking title as Michael van Gerwen's unbeaten streak came to an end.
The world number three continued his superb run of form by maintaining his record of reaching at least the quarter-finals of every event he has competed in since October as he picked up his first UK Open Qualifier triumph.
Having overcome Jelle Klaasen on the opening night of the Betway Premier League on Thursday, Wright maintained that form in early wins over Michael Barnard and Mark Barilli.
He then edged out Premier League rival James Wade in a deciding leg, saw off Mark Webster and Steve Beaton and then whitewashed Peter Hudson to reach the final.
There, he picked up three early breaks of throw to open up a 4-1 lead over Lewis, only for the former UK Open champion to show his class by hitting back to level at four-all.
However, a missed double top in the ninth leg from Lewis was punished as Wright - the UK Open runner-up in the past two years - took out 68 to lead 5-4 before closing out the win in style with a 13-dart finish.
Wright's £10,000 first prize ensures his qualification for March's Coral UK Open TV Finals, which will feature the top 96 professionals from the UK Open Order of Merit following the six Qualifiers being staged in Wigan during February.
Lewis, the 2014 UK Open champion, came within touching distance of winning the opening UK Open Qualifier for a third successive year before having to settle for the £5,000 runner-up prize.
The world number four defeated Robert Owen, Stoke rival Mark Frost and Spain's Cristo Reyes to reach the last 16, where he gained revenge for Thursday's Premier League defeat to Raymond van Barneveld with a 6-1 triumph.
He then saw off Australia's Kyle Anderson by the same scoreline before coming from 3-0 down in his semi-final against Ricky Evans.
Hudson's display was his best on the ProTour, following three previous quarter-finals, as the Eccles ace defeated Warrick Scheffer, Callan Rydz, Rob Cross, Mervyn King, Kirk Shepherd and Benito van de Pas in an impressive day.
The £2,500 prize money will secure Hudson his eighth successive UK Open appearance in March as he bids to better three previous runs to the last 64 of the event.
Kettering's Evans also reached the semi-finals to seal his Minehead place, defeating Mark Forman, Ron Meulenkamp, Bernd Roith, Lee Bryant, Alan Tabern, John Michael and William O'Connor on Friday.
Australia's Kyle Anderson made a successful return to action on the PDC circuit with a fine run to the quarter-finals, which included wins over top 16 stars Ian White and Jelle Klaasen.
Dutchman Van de Pas, Irish ace William O'Connor and former Lakeside Champion Steve Beaton also won through to the quarter-finals, while Greece's John Michael and South Africa's Devon Petersen were amongst the last 16 losers.
Two-time UK Open champion Raymond van Barneveld, former World Championship finalist Kirk Shepherd, former Lakeside Champions Jelle Klaasen and Mark Webster, Scotland's John Henderson and youngster Matthew Dennant also reached the fifth round to pick up £1,500 in the race for UK Open spots.
The day, though, was less memorable for World Champion Michael van Gerwen as his unbeaten run - which stretched back to October 16 - was ended with a 6-5 loss to Ritchie Edhouse in the last 64.
The Dutchman had seen off Mick Todd in his opening game, but lost out as the 33-year-old carpet fitter from Enfield, who won his PDC Tour Card at Qualifying School in Wigan a fortnight ago, claimed the biggest win of his career.
Saturday sees the PDC ProTour weekend continue with the second of three £60,000 Coral UK Open Qualifiers, with over 240 players set to be in action.
Live coverage of the event will be broadcast online through www.livepdc.tv for all PDCTV-HD Subscribers worldwide, as well as through a series of bookmakers' websites.
NB: From the original entries, Mensur Suljovic withdrew for family reasons.
WATCH LIVE
Live coverage from two streamed boards will be available online for all PDCTV-HD Subscribers worldwide via www.livepdc.tv.
Live coverage is also available through the following bookmakers' websites:
188 Bet
Aspen
Bet365
Fonbet
Nike
TAB NZ
Vivarobet
Coral UK Open Qualifier One
Friday February 3
Preliminary Round
Zoran Lerchbacher 6-1 Jon Jukes
Ronnie Baxter 6-2 Dennis Smith
Stephen Burton 6-4 John Bowles
Warrick Scheffer 6-2 Alan Tabern Jnr
Tony Newell 6-4 Mario Robbe
Joe Murnan 6-3 Billy Holmes
James Wilson 6-3 Andy Boulton
Matthew Dennant 6-4 Gary Stone
Martin Thomas 6-4 Jimmy Hendriks
Yuki Yamada 6-2 James Young
Andy Jenkins 6-1 Ross Twell
Ryan Murray 6-2 Wes Newton
Rowby-John Rodriguez 6-5 Richard North
Mareno Michels 6-3 Connor Scutt
Steve West 6-3 Wilco Vermeulen
Eelco Sieperda 6-5 Willy van de Wiel
Nathan Rafferty 6-0 Rhys Jackson
Ricky Evans 6-3 Mark Forman
Ryan De Vreede 6-3 Joshua Richardson
Christian Kist 6-3 Jeffrey de Graaf
First Round
Jamie Lewis Bye
Kevin Painter 6-4 Jason Wilson
Rob Hewson 6-4 Scott Dale
Zoran Lerchbacher 6-2 Joe Davis
Justin Pipe Bye
Richard Baillie 6-4 Barrie Bates
Kirk Shepherd 6-4 Dean Stewart
Eikichi Nakanishi 6-5 Ronnie Baxter
Mervyn King Bye
Curtis Hammond 6-2 Dylan Duo
Mark Walsh 6-2 Aden Kirk
Stephen Burton 6-3 Karsten Kornath
Simon Whitlock Bye
Rob Cross 6-3 Nigel Pinchen
Callan Rydz 6-1 Garath Illidge
Peter Hudson 6-4 Warrick Scheffer
Vincent van der Voort Bye
Mike De Decker 6-3 Dyson Parody
Nathan Derry 6-4 Matt Clark
Rene Eidams 6-4 Tony Newell
Benito van de Pas Bye
Steve Douglas 6-4 Stuart Dutton
Prakash Jiwa 6-0 Jeff Batham
Joe Murnan 6-4 Eddie Dootson
Darren Webster Bye
Ken MacNeil 6-0 Ray Campbell
Martin Lukeman 6-3 Jack Todd
Jan Dekker 6-4 James Wilson
Stephen Bunting Bye
Jay Foreman 6-2 James Hajdar
Kevin Garcia 6-3 Steven Harbert
Matthew Dennant 6-4 Terry Temple
James Wade Bye
Kevin McDine 6-4 Sam Head
Par Riihonen 6-4 James Lane
Tim Hope 6-4 Michael Wood
Peter Wright Bye
Michael Barnard 6-3 Dick van Dijk
Mark Barilli 6-1 Luke Woodhouse
Jim Walker 6-4 Mark Stephenson
Mark Webster Bye
Ronny Huybrechts 6-3 Barry Lynn
Jermaine Wattimena 6-3 Kevin Dowling
Martin Thomas 6-1 Ioannis Selachoglou
Robert Thornton Bye
Chris Dobey 6-3 Adrian Gray
Richie Burnett 6-2 Ted Evetts
Paul Rowley 6-2 Greg Ritchie
Andrew Gilding Bye
Darron Brown 6-3 Kurt Parry
Ian Lever 6-1 Gary Gullan
Yuki Yamada 6-5 Andrew Currivan
Steve Beaton Bye
Mick McGowan 6-4 Simon Stevenson
Andy Hamilton 6-5 Yordi Meeuwisse
Andy Jenkins 6-5 Kelvin Hart
John Henderson Bye
James Richardson 6-2 David Pallett
Dimitri Van den Bergh 6-2 Brian Woods
Ryan Murray 6-5 Robbie Green
Gary Anderson Bye
Nathan Aspinall 6-1 Derek Brand
Sheamus Hagan 6-4 Coni Singh Nagi
Paul Milford 6-5 Matthew Edgar
Kyle Anderson Bye
Ryan Palmer 6-3 Craig Gilchrist
Madars Razma 6-3 Harry Ward
Rowby-John Rodriguez 6-4 Allan Candlish
Ian White Bye
Stuart Kellett 6-3 John Part
Terry Roach 6-5 Darren Johnson
Kai Fan Leung 6-4 Ricky Sudale
Jelle Klaasen Bye
Ryan Meikle 6-5 Colin Roelofs
Sven Groen 6-3 Steve Hine
Jamie Bain 6-1 Roger Scrivens
Dave Chisnall Bye
Dawson Murschell 6-0 Bradley Brooks
James Hubbard 6-5 John Brown
Michael Huntley 6-2 Kevin Thomas
Joe Cullen Bye
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-2 Adam Smith-Neale
Ricky Williams 6-5 Roxy-James Rodriguez
Mareno Michels 6-2 John Crossley
Raymond van Barneveld Bye
Matt Padgett 6-2 David Wilson
Paul Nicholson 6-3 Nigel Daniels
Jim Brown 6-5 Josh Payne
Cristo Reyes Bye
Jonny Clayton 6-2 Ting Chi Royden Lam
Nolan Arendse 6-4 Nick Fullwell
Andy Parsons 6-4 Steve West
Adrian Lewis Bye
Robert Owen 6-5 Vincent Kamphuis
Mark Frost 6-1 Paul Osmotherley
Wayne Jones 6-4 Bryan De Hoog
Brendan Dolan Bye
John Michael 6-3 Maik Langendorf
Jeffrey de Zwaan 6-5 Josh McCarthy
Michael Rasztovits 6-5 Eelco Sieperda
Daryl Gurney Bye
Jonathan Worsley 6-4 Ben Ward
Chris Quantock 6-3 Charlie Jackson
Nathan Rafferty 6-3 Shaun Griffiths
Michael Smith Bye
Ryan Searle 6-5 Steve Lennon
Martyn Turner 6-4 Ryan Harrington
Alan Tabern 6-3 Michael van Dijk
Jamie Caven Bye
Lee Bryant 6-1 Callum Loose
Bernd Roith 6-3 Jerry Hendriks
Ricky Evans 6-3 Ron Meulenkamp
Kim Huybrechts Bye
Dave Ladley 6-3 Kevin Simm
Devon Petersen 6-5 Michael Burgoine
Martin Schindler 6-2 Rohit Rabadia
Alan Norris Bye
Scott Taylor 6-1 Jim McKevitt
Diogo Portela 6-4 Mark Westgarth
Ryan De Vreede 6-4 Mark Hylton
Gerwyn Price Bye
Keegan Brown 6-2 Jim Moston
William O'Connor 6-1 Max Hopp
Christian Kist 6-3 Justin Smith
Michael van Gerwen Bye
Mick Todd 6-1 Arron Monk
Richie Corner 6-3 Antonio Alcinas
Ritchie Edhouse 6-3 Berry van Peer
Second Round
Kevin Painter 6-3 Jamie Lewis
Zoran Lerchbacher 6-4 Rob Hewson
Richard Baillie 6-2 Justin Pipe
Kirk Shepherd 6-1 Eikichi Nakanishi
Mervyn King 6-3 Curtis Hammond
Stephen Burton 6-3 Mark Walsh
Rob Cross 6-1 Simon Whitlock
Peter Hudson 6-3 Callan Rydz
Mike De Decker 6-5 Vincent van der Voort
Nathan Derry 6-3 Rene Eidams
Benito van de Pas 6-4 Steve Douglas
Joe Murnan 6-4 Prakash Jiwa
Darren Webster 6-1 Ken MacNeil
Jan Dekker 6-3 Martin Lukeman
Jay Foreman 6-2 Stephen Bunting
Matthew Dennant 6-2 Kevin Garcia
James Wade 6-3 Kevin McDine
Tim Hope 6-0 Par Riihonen
Peter Wright 6-1 Michael Barnard
Mark Barilli 6-3 Jim Walker
Mark Webster 6-2 Ronny Huybrechts
Jermaine Wattimena 6-2 Martin Thomas
Robert Thornton 6-5 Chris Dobey
Paul Rowley 6-2 Richie Burnett
Andrew Gilding 6-4 Darron Brown
Ian Lever 6-3 Yuki Yamada
Steve Beaton 6-4 Mick McGowan
Andy Jenkins 6-3 Andy Hamilton
John Henderson 6-2 James Richardson
Dimitri Van den Bergh 6-2 Ryan Murray
Gary Anderson 6-5 Nathan Aspinall
Paul Milford 6-4 Sheamus Hagan
Kyle Anderson 6-3 Ryan Palmer
Rowby-John Rodriguez 6-4 Madars Razma
Ian White 6-3 Stuart Kellett
Kai Fan Leung 6-5 Terry Roach
Jelle Klaasen 6-1 Ryan Meikle
Jamie Bain 6-2 Sven Groen
Dave Chisnall 6-2 Dawson Murschell
James Hubbard 6-1 Michael Huntley
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-3 Joe Cullen
Ricky Williams 6-3 Mareno Michels
Raymond van Barneveld 6-1 Matt Padgett
Paul Nicholson 6-3 Jim Brown
Cristo Reyes 6-2 Jonny Clayton
Andy Parsons 6-2 Nolan Arendse
Adrian Lewis 6-0 Robert Owen
Mark Frost 6-4 Wayne Jones
John Michael 6-3 Brendan Dolan
Jeffrey de Zwaan 6-3 Michael Rasztovits
Jonathan Worsley 6-4 Daryl Gurney
Chris Quantock 6-5 Nathan Rafferty
Michael Smith 6-3 Ryan Searle
Alan Tabern 6-3 Martyn Turner
Lee Bryant 6-2 Jamie Caven
Ricky Evans 6-2 Bernd Roith
Kim Huybrechts 6-3 Dave Ladley
Devon Petersen 6-1 Martin Schindler
Alan Norris 6-4 Scott Taylor
Diogo Portela 6-3 Ryan De Vreede
Keegan Brown 6-2 Gerwyn Price
William O'Connor 6-3 Christian Kist
Michael van Gerwen 6-3 Mick Todd
Ritchie Edhouse 6-1 Richie Corner
Third Round
Kevin Painter 6-3 Zoran Lerchbacher
Kirk Shepherd 6-4 Richard Baillie
Mervyn King 6-2 Stephen Burton
Peter Hudson 6-5 Rob Cross
Mike De Decker 6-2 Nathan Derry
Benito van de Pas 6-1 Joe Murnan
Jan Dekker 6-2 Darren Webster
Matthew Dennant 6-4 Jay Foreman
James Wade 6-0 Tim Hope
Peter Wright 6-4 Mark Barilli
Mark Webster 6-2 Jermaine Wattimena
Paul Rowley 6-3 Robert Thornton
Andrew Gilding 6-3 Ian Lever
Steve Beaton 6-2 Andy Jenkins
John Henderson 6-5 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Gary Anderson 6-2 Paul Milford
Kyle Anderson 6-1 Rowby-John Rodriguez
Ian White 6-0 Kai Fan Leung
Jelle Klaasen 6-4 Jamie Bain
Dave Chisnall 6-1 James Hubbard
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-2 Ricky Williams
Raymond van Barneveld 6-5 Paul Nicholson
Cristo Reyes 6-5 Andy Parsons
Adrian Lewis 6-4 Mark Frost
John Michael 6-3 Jeffrey de Zwaan
Chris Quantock 6-3 Jonathan Worsley
Alan Tabern 6-4 Michael Smith
Ricky Evans 6-4 Lee Bryant
Devon Petersen 6-4 Kim Huybrechts
Diogo Portela 6-4 Alan Norris
William O'Connor 6-5 Keegan Brown
Ritchie Edhouse 6-5 Michael van Gerwen
Losers £250
Fourth Round
Kirk Shepherd 6-4 Kevin Painter
Peter Hudson 6-0 Mervyn King
Benito van de Pas 6-2 Mike De Decker
Matthew Dennant 6-5 Jan Dekker
Peter Wright 6-5 James Wade
Mark Webster 6-5 Paul Rowley
Steve Beaton 6-3 Andrew Gilding
John Henderson 6-2 Gary Anderson
Kyle Anderson 6-4 Ian White
Jelle Klaasen 6-5 Dave Chisnall
Raymond van Barneveld 6-5 Dirk van Duijvenbode
Adrian Lewis 6-5 Cristo Reyes
John Michael 6-5 Chris Quantock
Ricky Evans 6-5 Alan Tabern
Devon Petersen 6-2 Diogo Portela
William O'Connor 6-3 Ritchie Edhouse
Losers £750
Fifth Round
Peter Hudson 6-3 Kirk Shepherd
Benito van de Pas 6-4 Matthew Dennant
Peter Wright 6-1 Mark Webster
Steve Beaton 6-1 John Henderson
Kyle Anderson 6-2 Jelle Klaasen
Adrian Lewis 6-1 Raymond van Barneveld
Ricky Evans 6-3 John Michael
William O'Connor 6-2 Devon Petersen
Losers £1,500
Quarter-Finals
Peter Hudson 6-4 Benito van de Pas
Peter Wright 6-3 Steve Beaton
Adrian Lewis 6-1 Kyle Anderson
Ricky Evans 6-2 William O'Connor
Losers £2,000
Semi-Finals
Peter Wright 6-0 Peter Hudson
Adrian Lewis 6-4 Ricky Evans
Losers £2,500
Final
Peter Wright 6-4 Adrian Lewis
Winner £10,000
Runner-Up £5,000