ALAN Norris secured the first PDC title of his career on Saturday as he won Players Championship 18 on an extraordinary day which also saw two nine-dart finishes hit at the Citywest Hotel in Dublin.
Norris, who sealed his switch to the PDC in January after winning a Tour Card at Qualifying School, was in blistering form on the day as he swept through the field before producing an astonishing display to defeat Kim Huybrechts in the final.
There would also be cause for celebration for Michael van Gerwen and Phil Taylor as they both landed nine-dart finishes on the day against Raymond van Barneveld and Stephen Bunting respectively.
2014 Lakeside finalist Norris began his route to a maiden PDC crown with hard-fought 6-4 victories over Matt Clark and Vincent van der Voort before he then defeated Mervyn King 6-3 to win his board and reach the Last 16.
It would not get any easier for the 43-year-old as he came up world number eight and recent European Darts Trophy Champion Michael Smith in his next match, again securing a 6-4 victory to set up a quarter-final clash with Darren Webster.
After breezing past Webster 6-1, Norris then matched up with World Champion Gary Anderson in the last four, finishing with a 100.82 average and landing three 180s in a fourth 6-4 success of the afternoon.
Huybrechts would head into the final in similarly strong form having defeated Andy Hamilton, whose return to form saw him overcome world number one van Gerwen en route to a quarter-final spot, and Taylor in his previous two matches.
However, it would be Norris who would maintain his form in the final as he saved his best for last, storming past the Belgian (6-1) with a 108.06 average as he took the £10,000 top prize in stunning style and set the standard ahead of the 2015 partypoker.com World Grand Prix which begins on Saturday in Dublin.
Players Championship 18
Saturday October 3, Citywest Hotel, Dublin
First Round
Michael van Gerwen 6-2 Darren Johnson
Andy Smith 6-5 Steve Hine
Raymond van Barneveld 6-1 Luke Woodhouse
Curtis Hammond 6-2 Kurt Parry
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-3 Benito van de Pas
Andy Hamilton 6-1 Arron Monk
Simon Whitlock 6-2 Alan Tabern
Nathan Derry 6-4 Dean Winstanley
Robert Thornton 6-0 Jamie Robinson
Lee Palfreyman 6-0 Jason Lovett
Jamie Lewis 6-1 Jyhan Artut
David Ladley 6-4 Terry Temple
Kim Huybrechts 6-4 Cristo Reyes
Connie Finnan 6-4 Gary Stone
Jason Marriott 6-5 John Henderson
James Wilson 6-4 Jay Foreman
Ian White 6-2 Roxy-James Rodriguez
Christian Kist 6-3 Johnny Haines
Andrew Gilding 6-4 Kevin McDine
Matthew Edgar 6-5 Chris Dobey
Brendan Dolan 6-0 Jim Walker
Michael Barnard 6-3 Ron Meulenkamp
Phil Taylor 6-1 Ronnie Baxter
Dennis Smith 6-4 Andy Jenkins
Adrian Lewis 6-2 John Part
Max Hopp 6-3 Ben Ward
Keegan Brown 6-1 Kevin Bambrick
Stephen Willard 6-1 Mike Zuydwijk
Jason Wilson 6-5 Terry Jenkins
Kevin Painter 6-4 Nathan Aspinall
Stephen Bunting 6-3 Jan Dekker
Robert Owen 6-0 Colin Osborne
Michael Smith 6-0 Steve Brown
Mick Todd 6-5 Jonny Clayton
Daryl Gurney 6-2 Ian Moss
Jeffrey De Zwaan 6-3 Ross Smith
Vincent van der Voort 6-3 Mark Walsh
Alan Norris 6-4 Matt Clark
Mervyn King 6-3 Ross Twell
Dimitri van den Bergh 6-1 William O'Connor
Dave Chisnall 6-5 Mike De Decker
Darren Webster 6-5 Ronny Huybrechts
Andy Boulton 6-3 Joe Murnan
Adam Hunt 6-2 Tomas Seyler
Jelle Klaasen 6-2 Steve West
Brian Woods 6-5 Mark Dudbridge
Jermaine Wattimena 6-2 Steve Beaton
Wayne Jones 6-5 Barrie Bates
Robbie Green 6-3 Peter Wright
Mickey Mansell 6-5 Magnus Caris
Josh Payne 6-3 Mark Webster
Paul Milford 6-2 Joey Ten Berge
Gary Anderson 6-2 Jamie Bain
Rowby-John Rodriguez 6-4 Andy Parsons
Nigel Heydon 6-5 Gerwyn Price
Michael Beal 6-3 Joe Cullen
Eddie Dootson 6-3 James Wade
Ken MacNeil 6-2 Wes Newton
Jamie Caven 6-3 Colin Lloyd
Tony Newell 6-2 Mark Barilli
Justin Pipe 6-1 Stephen McNally
Devon Petersen 6-5 Stuart Kellett
Mensur Suljovic 6-5 John Bowles
David Pallett 6-0 Ricky Evans
Second Round
Michael van Gerwen 6-1 Andy Smith
Raymond van Barneveld 6-1 Curtis Hammond
Andy Hamilton 6-1 Dirk van Duijvenbode
Simon Whitlock 6-3 Nathan Derry
Lee Palfreyman 6-4 Robert Thornton
Jamie Lewis 6-4 Dave Ladley
Kim Huybrechts 6-5 Connie Finnan
James Wilson 6-3 Jason Marriott
Christian Kist 6-1 Ian White
Andrew Gilding v Matthew Edgar
Brendan Dolan 6-3 Michael Barnard
Phil Taylor 6-1 Dennis Smith
Max Hopp 6-1 Adrian Lewis
Stephen Willard 6-5 Keegan Brown
Kevin Painter 6-3 Jason Wilson
Stephen Bunting 6-3 Robert Owen
Michael Smith 6-1 Mick Todd
Daryl Gurney 6-3 Jeffrey de Zwaan
Alan Norris 6-4 Vincent van der Voort
Mervyn King 6-1 Dimitri van den Bergh
Darren Webster 6-1 Dave Chisnall
Andy Boulton 6-2 Adam Hunt
Jelle Klaasen 6-1 Brian Woods
Wayne Jones 6-1 Jermaine Wattimena
Mickey Mansell 6-4 Robbie Green
Josh Payne 6-4 Paul Milford
Gary Anderson 6-5 Rowby-John Rodriguez
Nigel Heydon 6-3 Michael Beal
Ken MacNeil 6-3 Eddie Dootson
Jamie Caven 6-5 Tony Newell
Justin Pipe 6-2 Devon Petersen
Mensur Suljovic 6-1 David Pallett
Third Round
Michael van Gerwen 6-5 Raymond van Barneveld (Michael van Gerwen nine-darter)
Andy Hamilton 6-2 Simon Whitlock
Lee Palfreyman 6-4 Jamie Lewis
Kim Huybrechts 6-4 James Wilson
Christian Kist 6-2 Matthew Edgar
Phil Taylor 6-0 Brendan Dolan
Stephen Willard 6-4 Max Hopp
Stephen Bunting 6-0 Kevin Painter
Michael Smith 6-1 Daryl Gurney
Alan Norris 6-3 Mervyn King
Darren Webster 6-4 Andy Boulton
Wayne Jones 6-4 Jelle Klaasen
Josh Payne 6-3 Mickey Mansell
Gary Anderson 6-2 Nigel Heydon
Ken MacNeil 6-3 Jamie Caven
Justin Pipe 6-4 Mensur Suljovic
Last 16
Andy Hamilton 6-4 Michael van Gerwen
Kim Huybrechts 6-1 Lee Palfreyman
Phil Taylor 6-2 Christian Kist
Stephen Bunting 6-1 Stephen Willard
Alan Norris 6-4 Michael Smith
Darren Webster 6-2 Wayne Jones
Gary Anderson 6-3 Josh Payne
Ken MacNeil 6-1 Justin Pipe
Quarter-Finals
Kim Huybrechts 6-2 Andy Hamilton
Phil Taylor 6-1 Stephen Bunting (Phil Taylor Nine-Darter)
Alan Norris 6-1 Darren Webster
Gary Anderson 6-1 Ken MacNeil
Semi-Finals
Kim Huybrechts 6-5 Phil Taylor
Alan Norris 6-4 Gary Anderson
Final
Alan Norris 6-1 Kim Huybrechts
Winner: £10,000
Runner-Up: £5,000
Norris, who sealed his switch to the PDC in January after winning a Tour Card at Qualifying School, was in blistering form on the day as he swept through the field before producing an astonishing display to defeat Kim Huybrechts in the final.
There would also be cause for celebration for Michael van Gerwen and Phil Taylor as they both landed nine-dart finishes on the day against Raymond van Barneveld and Stephen Bunting respectively.
2014 Lakeside finalist Norris began his route to a maiden PDC crown with hard-fought 6-4 victories over Matt Clark and Vincent van der Voort before he then defeated Mervyn King 6-3 to win his board and reach the Last 16.
It would not get any easier for the 43-year-old as he came up world number eight and recent European Darts Trophy Champion Michael Smith in his next match, again securing a 6-4 victory to set up a quarter-final clash with Darren Webster.
After breezing past Webster 6-1, Norris then matched up with World Champion Gary Anderson in the last four, finishing with a 100.82 average and landing three 180s in a fourth 6-4 success of the afternoon.
Huybrechts would head into the final in similarly strong form having defeated Andy Hamilton, whose return to form saw him overcome world number one van Gerwen en route to a quarter-final spot, and Taylor in his previous two matches.
However, it would be Norris who would maintain his form in the final as he saved his best for last, storming past the Belgian (6-1) with a 108.06 average as he took the £10,000 top prize in stunning style and set the standard ahead of the 2015 partypoker.com World Grand Prix which begins on Saturday in Dublin.
Players Championship 18
Saturday October 3, Citywest Hotel, Dublin
First Round
Michael van Gerwen 6-2 Darren Johnson
Andy Smith 6-5 Steve Hine
Raymond van Barneveld 6-1 Luke Woodhouse
Curtis Hammond 6-2 Kurt Parry
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-3 Benito van de Pas
Andy Hamilton 6-1 Arron Monk
Simon Whitlock 6-2 Alan Tabern
Nathan Derry 6-4 Dean Winstanley
Robert Thornton 6-0 Jamie Robinson
Lee Palfreyman 6-0 Jason Lovett
Jamie Lewis 6-1 Jyhan Artut
David Ladley 6-4 Terry Temple
Kim Huybrechts 6-4 Cristo Reyes
Connie Finnan 6-4 Gary Stone
Jason Marriott 6-5 John Henderson
James Wilson 6-4 Jay Foreman
Ian White 6-2 Roxy-James Rodriguez
Christian Kist 6-3 Johnny Haines
Andrew Gilding 6-4 Kevin McDine
Matthew Edgar 6-5 Chris Dobey
Brendan Dolan 6-0 Jim Walker
Michael Barnard 6-3 Ron Meulenkamp
Phil Taylor 6-1 Ronnie Baxter
Dennis Smith 6-4 Andy Jenkins
Adrian Lewis 6-2 John Part
Max Hopp 6-3 Ben Ward
Keegan Brown 6-1 Kevin Bambrick
Stephen Willard 6-1 Mike Zuydwijk
Jason Wilson 6-5 Terry Jenkins
Kevin Painter 6-4 Nathan Aspinall
Stephen Bunting 6-3 Jan Dekker
Robert Owen 6-0 Colin Osborne
Michael Smith 6-0 Steve Brown
Mick Todd 6-5 Jonny Clayton
Daryl Gurney 6-2 Ian Moss
Jeffrey De Zwaan 6-3 Ross Smith
Vincent van der Voort 6-3 Mark Walsh
Alan Norris 6-4 Matt Clark
Mervyn King 6-3 Ross Twell
Dimitri van den Bergh 6-1 William O'Connor
Dave Chisnall 6-5 Mike De Decker
Darren Webster 6-5 Ronny Huybrechts
Andy Boulton 6-3 Joe Murnan
Adam Hunt 6-2 Tomas Seyler
Jelle Klaasen 6-2 Steve West
Brian Woods 6-5 Mark Dudbridge
Jermaine Wattimena 6-2 Steve Beaton
Wayne Jones 6-5 Barrie Bates
Robbie Green 6-3 Peter Wright
Mickey Mansell 6-5 Magnus Caris
Josh Payne 6-3 Mark Webster
Paul Milford 6-2 Joey Ten Berge
Gary Anderson 6-2 Jamie Bain
Rowby-John Rodriguez 6-4 Andy Parsons
Nigel Heydon 6-5 Gerwyn Price
Michael Beal 6-3 Joe Cullen
Eddie Dootson 6-3 James Wade
Ken MacNeil 6-2 Wes Newton
Jamie Caven 6-3 Colin Lloyd
Tony Newell 6-2 Mark Barilli
Justin Pipe 6-1 Stephen McNally
Devon Petersen 6-5 Stuart Kellett
Mensur Suljovic 6-5 John Bowles
David Pallett 6-0 Ricky Evans
Second Round
Michael van Gerwen 6-1 Andy Smith
Raymond van Barneveld 6-1 Curtis Hammond
Andy Hamilton 6-1 Dirk van Duijvenbode
Simon Whitlock 6-3 Nathan Derry
Lee Palfreyman 6-4 Robert Thornton
Jamie Lewis 6-4 Dave Ladley
Kim Huybrechts 6-5 Connie Finnan
James Wilson 6-3 Jason Marriott
Christian Kist 6-1 Ian White
Andrew Gilding v Matthew Edgar
Brendan Dolan 6-3 Michael Barnard
Phil Taylor 6-1 Dennis Smith
Max Hopp 6-1 Adrian Lewis
Stephen Willard 6-5 Keegan Brown
Kevin Painter 6-3 Jason Wilson
Stephen Bunting 6-3 Robert Owen
Michael Smith 6-1 Mick Todd
Daryl Gurney 6-3 Jeffrey de Zwaan
Alan Norris 6-4 Vincent van der Voort
Mervyn King 6-1 Dimitri van den Bergh
Darren Webster 6-1 Dave Chisnall
Andy Boulton 6-2 Adam Hunt
Jelle Klaasen 6-1 Brian Woods
Wayne Jones 6-1 Jermaine Wattimena
Mickey Mansell 6-4 Robbie Green
Josh Payne 6-4 Paul Milford
Gary Anderson 6-5 Rowby-John Rodriguez
Nigel Heydon 6-3 Michael Beal
Ken MacNeil 6-3 Eddie Dootson
Jamie Caven 6-5 Tony Newell
Justin Pipe 6-2 Devon Petersen
Mensur Suljovic 6-1 David Pallett
Third Round
Michael van Gerwen 6-5 Raymond van Barneveld (Michael van Gerwen nine-darter)
Andy Hamilton 6-2 Simon Whitlock
Lee Palfreyman 6-4 Jamie Lewis
Kim Huybrechts 6-4 James Wilson
Christian Kist 6-2 Matthew Edgar
Phil Taylor 6-0 Brendan Dolan
Stephen Willard 6-4 Max Hopp
Stephen Bunting 6-0 Kevin Painter
Michael Smith 6-1 Daryl Gurney
Alan Norris 6-3 Mervyn King
Darren Webster 6-4 Andy Boulton
Wayne Jones 6-4 Jelle Klaasen
Josh Payne 6-3 Mickey Mansell
Gary Anderson 6-2 Nigel Heydon
Ken MacNeil 6-3 Jamie Caven
Justin Pipe 6-4 Mensur Suljovic
Last 16
Andy Hamilton 6-4 Michael van Gerwen
Kim Huybrechts 6-1 Lee Palfreyman
Phil Taylor 6-2 Christian Kist
Stephen Bunting 6-1 Stephen Willard
Alan Norris 6-4 Michael Smith
Darren Webster 6-2 Wayne Jones
Gary Anderson 6-3 Josh Payne
Ken MacNeil 6-1 Justin Pipe
Quarter-Finals
Kim Huybrechts 6-2 Andy Hamilton
Phil Taylor 6-1 Stephen Bunting (Phil Taylor Nine-Darter)
Alan Norris 6-1 Darren Webster
Gary Anderson 6-1 Ken MacNeil
Semi-Finals
Kim Huybrechts 6-5 Phil Taylor
Alan Norris 6-4 Gary Anderson
Final
Alan Norris 6-1 Kim Huybrechts
Winner: £10,000
Runner-Up: £5,000