Gary Anderson claimed the first PDC ranking title of 2020 with victory at Players Championship 1 in Barnsley on Saturday.

Anderson defeated Canada's Jeff Smith 8-4 in the final to get his 2020 campaign off to a perfect start following an injury-ravaged 2019.

The two-time World Champion was in fine form all day, hitting four ton-plus averages, including a 107.5 against Christian Bunse in the first round.

After a win over Simon Whitlock, a 104.4 average saw Anderson defeat rival Gerwyn Price for the second time in a week, which he followed up with a 106.1 to overcome Rob Cross and reach the quarter-finals.

There, the Scottish World Cup winner beat Joe Cullen 6-2 before averaging 102.2 to claim a 7-3 win over Adrian Lewis in the semi-finals.

The final saw Anderson race into a 6-2 lead before Smith, who was competing in his first Players Championship event since 2013, fought back to trail 6-4.

However, two-time World Champion Anderson was not to be denied and he went on to pick up his first PDC ranking title since the 2018 World Matchplay.

"It's been a while since I won something, but I've got the hunger back," Anderson revealed.

"I want to get back to how I was throwing before [injury], I don't mind if I win or lose, but as long as I throw them how I used to then I'll be alright.

"I still have work to do, but it's not a bad start."

The first of 30 Players Championship events in 2020 saw two nine-dart finishes hit, both in the first round, by Northern Ireland's Mickey Mansell and Dutchman Mike van Duivenbode.

The day was also a significant one for another Dutch youngster, Maik Kuivenhoven, who reached his first PDC ranking quarter-final.