SIMON WHITLOCK took victory in the year's second Coral UK Open Qualifier with a 6-4 defeat of Gary Anderson in Saturday's final in Wigan.
Australian star Whitlock backed up his two Players Championship victories in the latter stages of 2016 with a promising start to 2017 as he scooped the £10,000 first prize in the second of six UK Open Qualifiers.
The former European Champion is now assured of a top 32 spot for March's Coral UK Open Finals at the Butlins Minehead Resort following a superb display at the Robin Park Tennis Centre.
Whitlock dropped only three legs as he defeated Latvian newcomer Madars Razma and Alan Tabern Jnr in his opening two games before then seeing off Dutchman Jermaine Wattimena 6-4.
He then knocked out Friday's Qualifier One winner Peter Wright 6-3 in the last 16, before overcoming two other rivals in the world's top 16 - Ian White and Dave Chisnall - to reach the final.
After sharing the opening six legs of the final with Anderson, Whitlock broke with the aid of a 180 in leg seven before powering home a 154 finish - with the Scot waiting on 20 - to lead 5-3.
Anderson responded on tops, but was unable to force a decider as Whitlock closed out victory with a 94 finish.
The world number two had defeated Ryan Searle, Luke Woodhouse, Chris Quantock, Jamie Lewis, Brendan Dolan and Jelle Klaasen on his way to the final, as he picked up £5,000 in prize money to ensure his own top seeding for Minehead.
Chisnall's run to the semi-finals including deciding-leg victories against James Wade and Steve Beaton, while Klaasen was pushed all the way by John Henderson and recent PDC Tour Card winner Richard North.
Beaton won through to the quarter-finals for the second successive day, with his run including a notable triumph over World Champion Michael van Gerwen in the last 32.
Northern Ireland's Dolan and Stoke's White also reached the last eight alongside Bristol's Ryan Palmer, a former PDC Unicorn Challenge Tour finalist who enjoyed his best-ever run on the PDC ProTour by defeating Mareno Michels, Andy Jenkins, Richie Corner, Steve Lennon and Mark Barilli.
Two-time UK Open champions James Wade and Raymond van Barneveld were also amongst the last 16 on the day.
Sunday sees the treble-header weekend conclude with Coral UK Open Qualifier Three (12pm start), which will be streamed live online through www.livepdc.tv for all PDCTV-HD Subscribers worldwide, as well as through a series of bookmakers' websites.
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
Saturday February 3
Preliminary Round
Andy Boulton 6-3 Dirk van Duijvenbode
Ronnie Baxter 6-5 Simon Stevenson
Joshua Richardson 6-1 Allan Candlish
John Bowles 6-3 Paul Osmotherley
Ronny Huybrechts 6-3 Diogo Portela
Mario Robbe 6-1 Coni Singh Nagi
Josh Payne 6-4 Matt Clark
Kevin McDine 6-4 John Michael
Kevin Painter 6-4 John Part
Rowby-John Rodriguez 6-2 Connor Scutt
Darron Brown 6-4 Par Riihonen
Josh McCarthy 6-5 Greg Ritchie
Ross Twell 6-4 Jerry Hendriks
Steve Hine 6-5 Barry Lynn
Nolan Arendse 6-5 Richard Baillie
Bryan De Hoog 6-2 Michael Rasztovits
Yuki Yamada 6-3 Maik Langendorf
Paul Nicholson 6-3 Scott Rollings
Mark Barilli 6-3 Colin Roelofs
Mark Dudbridge 6-1 Matthew Edgar
Roxy-James Rodriguez 6-3 Jeff Batham
David Pallett 6-3 Steve West
Tim Hope 6-5 Kevin Dowling
First Round
Peter Wright Bye
Sven Groen 6-1 Karsten Kornath
Ben Ward 6-0 Rhys Jackson
Martin Thomas 6-5 Zoran Lerchbacher
Cristo Reyes Bye
Jimmy Hendriks 6-4 Justin Smith
Ian Lever 6-4 Jack Todd
Andy Boulton 6-1 Barrie Bates
Simon Whitlock Bye
Alan Tabern Jnr 6-4 Vincent Kamphuis
Nick Fullwell 6-3 Bernd Roith
Madars Razma 6-5 Ronnie Baxter
Joe Cullen Bye
Paul Rowley 6-2 James Hubbard
Jermaine Wattimena 6-2 Kevin Simm
Christian Kist 6-2 Joshua Richardson
Adrian Lewis Bye
Rob Cross 6-0 Ricky Evans
Chris Dobey 6-5 Andy Parsons
Ryan Meikle 6-2 Curtis Hammond
Stephen Bunting Bye
Jeffrey de Zwaan 6-5 Martyn Turner
Ted Evetts 6-5 Berry van Peer
John Bowles 6-4 Joe Davis
Gerwyn Price Bye
Mark Stephenson 6-4 Aden Kirk
Callum Loose 6-3 Ken MacNeil
Ronny Huybrechts 6-2 Kirk Shepherd
Ian White Bye
Kevin Garcia 6-4 Dave Ladley
Nathan Rafferty 6-5 Rene Eidams
Mario Robbe 6-1 Derek Brand
Kim Huybrechts Bye
Eddie Dootson 6-3 Dick van Dijk
James Richardson 6-4 Mark Hylton
Josh Payne 6-5 Joe Murnan
James Wade Bye
Michael van Dijk 6-1 Steven Harbert
Mark Walsh 6-4 John Crossley
Nathan Aspinall 6-4 Marc Dewsbury
Dave Chisnall Bye
Adrian Gray 6-3 James Wilson
William O'Connor 6-5 Jeffrey de Graaf
Scott Taylor 6-3 Brian Woods
Daryl Gurney Bye
Ryan De Vreede 6-3 James Hajdar
Kurt Parry 6-2 Jamie Guilfoyle
Kevin McDine 6-1 Mike De Decker
Mark Webster Bye
Dimitri Van den Bergh 6-4 Martin Schindler
Michael Barnard 6-4 Yordi Meeuwisse
Mick Todd 6-3 Kevin Painter
Benito van de Pas Bye
Ricky Williams 6-5 Adam Smith-Neale
Dean Stewart 6-4 Stephen Burton
Rowby-John Rodriguez 6-2 Richie Burnett
Steve Beaton Bye
Jason Wilson 6-4 Ioannis Selachoglou
Nigel Daniels 6-2 Gary Gullan
Darron Brown 6-4 Arron Monk
Michael van Gerwen Bye
Nathan Derry 6-1 Billy Holmes
Wilco Vermeulen 6-3 Ray Campbell
Kevin Thomas 6-3 Kelvin Hart
Vincent van der Voort Bye
Chris Quantock 6-4 Ritchie Edhouse
Martin Lukeman 6-3 Lee Bryant
Alan Tabern 6-2 Josh McCarthy
Gary Anderson Bye
Ryan Searle 6-0 Devon Petersen
Dennis Smith 6-3 Jay Foreman
Luke Woodhouse 6-3 James Lane
Darren Webster Bye
Ron Meulenkamp 6-4 Nigel Pinchen
Jon Jukes 6-4 Jim Moston
Ross Twell 6-2 Stuart Dutton
Jamie Lewis Bye
Jonathan Worsley 6-3 Mark Forman
Harry Ward 6-4 Eelco Sieperda
Steve Hine 6-5 Andrew Currivan
Michael Smith Bye
Prakash Jiwa 6-5 Matthew Dennant
Mick McGowan 6-3 Kai Fan Leung
Willy van de Wiel 6-1 Terry Roach
Raymond van Barneveld Bye
Ryan Harrington 6-3 Paul Harvey
Robbie Green 6-3 Wes Newton
Wayne Jones 6-3 Andy Hamilton
Mervyn King Bye
Ricky Sudale 6-3 Terry Temple
Shaun Griffiths 6-3 Jim Walker
Nolan Arendse 6-5 Steve Douglas
Brendan Dolan Bye
Sam Head 6-4 Peter Hudson
Gary Stone 6-0 Bradley Brooks
Matt Padgett 6-2 Bryan De Hoog
Justin Pipe Bye
Richie Corner 6-5 Keegan Brown
Ryan Palmer 6-5 Mareno Michels
Andy Jenkins 6-0 Yuki Yamada
Jamie Caven Bye
Stuart Kellett 6-3 Rob Hewson
Steve Lennon 6-2 Michael Wood
Paul Nicholson 6-3 Antonio Alcinas
Andrew Gilding Bye
Michael Burgoine 6-1 Callan Rydz
Eikichi Nakanishi 6-4 Dylan Duo
Mark Barilli 6-5 Tony Newell
Robert Thornton Bye
Ryan Murray 6-1 James Young
Paul Milford 6-2 Jim Brown
Mark Dudbridge 6-5 Craig Gilchrist
John Henderson Bye
Jonny Clayton 6-0 Jim McKevitt
Ting Chi Royden Lam 6-1 Robert Owen
Michael Huntley 6-2 Roxy-James Rodriguez
Jelle Klaasen Bye
Dyson Parody 6-2 Sheamus Hagan
Scott Dale 6-2 Rohit Rabadia
Mark Westgarth 6-5 Max Hopp
Alan Norris Bye
Richard North 6-1 Darren Johnson
Jamie Bain 6-0 Roger Scrivens
David Pallett 6-3 John Brown
Kyle Anderson Bye
Dawson Murschell 6-1 Mark Frost
Warrick Scheffer 6-3 Charlie Jackson
Jan Dekker 6-3 Tim Hope
Second Round
Peter Wright 6-4 Sven Groen
Martin Thomas 6-4 Ben Ward
Cristo Reyes 6-3 Jimmy Hendriks
Ian Lever 6-1 Andy Boulton
Simon Whitlock 6-2 Alan Tabern Jnr
Madars Razma 6-5 Nick Fullwell
Joe Cullen 6-4 Paul Rowley
Jermaine Wattimena 6-2 Christian Kist
Rob Cross 6-4 Adrian Lewis
Chris Dobey 6-3 Ryan Meikle
Stephen Bunting 6-5 Jeffrey de Zwaan
John Bowles 6-3 Ted Evetts
Gerwyn Price 6-4 Mark Stephenson
Ronny Huybrechts 6-2 Callum Loose
Ian White 6-0 Kevin Garcia
Mario Robbe 6-5 Nathan Rafferty
Kim Huybrechts 6-2 Eddie Dootson
Josh Payne 6-2 James Richardson
James Wade 6-1 Michael van Dijk
Mark Walsh 6-2 Nathan Aspinall
Dave Chisnall 6-1 Adrian Gray
Scott Taylor 6-1 William O'Connor
Ryan De Vreede 6-4 Daryl Gurney
Kurt Parry 6-3 Kevin McDine
Mark Webster 6-3 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Mick Todd 6-5 Michael Barnard
Benito van de Pas 6-3 Ricky Williams
Dean Stewart 6-1 Rowby-John Rodriguez
Steve Beaton 6-4 Jason Wilson
Darron Brown 6-4 Nigel Daniels
Michael van Gerwen 6-3 Nathan Derry
Kevin Thomas 6-4 Wilco Vermeulen
Chris Quantock 6-4 Vincent van der Voort
Martin Lukeman 6-4 Alan Tabern
Gary Anderson 6-0 Ryan Searle
Luke Woodhouse 6-5 Dennis Smith
Ron Meulenkamp 6-4 Darren Webster
Jon Jukes 6-3 Ross Twell
Jamie Lewis 6-0 Jonathan Worsley
Steve Hine 6-3 Harry Ward
Michael Smith 6-3 Prakash Jiwa
Mick McGowan 6-3 Willy van de Wiel
Raymond van Barneveld 6-5 Ryan Harrington
Wayne Jones 6-5 Robbie Green
Mervyn King 6-4 Ricky Sudale
Nolan Arendse 6-5 Shaun Griffiths
Brendan Dolan 6-1 Sam Head
Matt Padgett 6-5 Gary Stone
Richie Corner 6-2 Justin Pipe
Ryan Palmer 6-2 Andy Jenkins
Stuart Kellett 6-3 Jamie Caven
Steve Lennon 6-3 Paul Nicholson
Andrew Gilding 6-1 Michael Burgoine
Mark Barilli 6-0 Eikichi Nakanishi
Ryan Murray 6-0 Robert Thornton
Paul Milford 6-1 Mark Dudbridge
John Henderson 6-4 Jonny Clayton
Ting Chi Royden Lam 6-1 Michael Huntley
Jelle Klaasen 6-2 Dyson Parody
Scott Dale 6-4 Mark Westgarth
Richard North 6-4 Alan Norris
David Pallett 6-5 Jamie Bain
Kyle Anderson 6-3 Dawson Murschell
Jan Dekker 6-5 Warrick Scheffer
Third Round
Peter Wright 6-3 Martin Thomas
Cristo Reyes 6-3 Ian Lever
Simon Whitlock 6-1 Madars Razma
Jermaine Wattimena 6-5 Joe Cullen
Chris Dobey 6-4 Rob Cross
Stephen Bunting 6-2 John Bowles
Gerwyn Price 6-1 Ronny Huybrechts
Ian White 6-3 Mario Robbe
Kim Huybrechts 6-3 Josh Payne
James Wade 6-2 Mark Walsh
Dave Chisnall 6-4 Scott Taylor
Ryan De Vreede 6-5 Kurt Parry
Mick Todd 6-3 Mark Webster
Benito van de Pas 6-0 Dean Stewart
Steve Beaton 6-2 Darron Brown
Michael van Gerwen 6-3 Kevin Thomas
Chris Quantock 6-5 Martin Lukeman
Gary Anderson 6-3 Luke Woodhouse
Ron Meulenkamp 6-3 Jon Jukes
Jamie Lewis 6-2 Steve Hine
Michael Smith 6-3 Mick McGowan
Raymond van Barneveld 6-5 Wayne Jones
Mervyn King 6-1 Nolan Arendse
Brendan Dolan 6-4 Matt Padgett
Ryan Palmer 6-4 Richie Corner
Steve Lennon 6-4 Stuart Kellett
Mark Barilli 6-3 Andrew Gilding
Ryan Murray 6-5 Paul Milford
John Henderson 6-4 Ting Chi Royden Lam
Jelle Klaasen 6-1 Scott Dale
Richard North 6-5 David Pallett
Jan Dekker 6-3 Kyle Anderson
Losers £250
Fourth Round
Peter Wright 6-5 Cristo Reyes
Simon Whitlock 6-4 Jermaine Wattimena
Chris Dobey 6-1 Stephen Bunting
Ian White 6-5 Gerwyn Price
James Wade 6-1 Kim Huybrechts
Dave Chisnall 6-3 Ryan De Vreede
Benito van de Pas 6-1 Mick Todd
Steve Beaton 6-2 Michael van Gerwen
Gary Anderson 6-2 Chris Quantock
Jamie Lewis 6-3 Ron Meulenkamp
Raymond van Barneveld 6-4 Michael Smith
Brendan Dolan 6-5 Mervyn King
Ryan Palmer 6-3 Steve Lennon
Mark Barilli 6-4 Ryan Murray
Jelle Klaasen 6-5 John Henderson
Richard North 6-4 Jan Dekker
Losers £750
Fifth Round
Simon Whitlock 6-3 Peter Wright
Ian White 6-2 Chris Dobey
Dave Chisnall 6-5 James Wade
Steve Beaton 6-4 Benito van de Pas
Gary Anderson 6-3 Jamie Lewis
Brendan Dolan 6-5 Raymond van Barneveld
Ryan Palmer 6-1 Mark Barilli
Jelle Klaasen 6-5 Richard North
Losers £1,500
Quarter-Finals
Simon Whitlock 6-5 Ian White
Dave Chisnall 6-5 Steve Beaton
Gary Anderson 6-1 Brendan Dolan
Jelle Klaasen 6-1 Ryan Palmer
Losers £2,000
Semi-Finals
Simon Whitlock 6-2 Dave Chisnall
Gary Anderson 6-3 Jelle Klaasen
Losers £2,500
Final
Simon Whitlock 6-4 Gary Anderson
Winner £10,000
Runner-Up £5,000