MICHAEL SMITH won his second professional title with victory in Sunday's Spanish Darts Classic Players Championship in Benidorm, denying Justin Pipe a weekend double with a 6-3 win in the final.
The 21-year-old from St Helens had won a UK Open Qualifier last February in Barnsley, and picked up the £6,000 first prize from the second PDC ProTour event of 2012.
Having missed double 12 for a nine-dart finish during a defeat to Pipe during Saturday's Players Championship, Smith gained revenge against the Taunton ace with a 6-3 win in Sunday's decider.
After edging two of the first three legs in the final, Smith secured the first break of throw with a brilliant fourth leg, hitting a 180 and taking out a 130 checkout on double five.
Tops in the next moved him into a 4-1 lead before Pipe finished double ten and landed a 180 and a 121 checkout to pull back to within a leg.
Pipe, though, crucially missed a dart at double 18 to level as Smith held his nerve on double ten to lead 5-3, and he posted double four to secure the victory.
Smith had started the day with wins over Jose Luis Torres and Magnus Caris before seeing off Paul Nicholson, Peter Wright and St Helens rival Dave Chisnall to reach the semi-finals.
World number three James Wade hit a 161 finish in taking a 3-2 lead, but Smith hit back to win four of the next five and move into the final.
The youngster - who lost 3-0 to Co Stompe on his World Championship debut in December - broke down in tears after the final as he celebrated a triumph which puts him in pole position to qualify for a return to Alexandra Palace as well as the year's other majors.
"It means so much for me to win this," said Smith. "I was so disappointed after the World Championship that I didn't want to pick up my darts again, but my Dad made me watch the game four or five times and after a week off I got back on the board.
"I've come into this year with the hunger to show people what I can do instead of what they saw in the World Championship, because I missed too many doubles at Ally Pally and Co punished me.
"I've got a diary at home which has my goals for the year; to hit a nine-darter, to win a ProTour event and get into the top 40 in the world, so I've ticked one of those off already.
"It's the second PDC tournament I've won and undoubtedly the most important I've ever won, and it's hard to describe how I feel - I'm over the moon.
"I came close to a nine-darter on Saturday but that's only one leg, it's winning matches that gets you championships and I've managed to do that. Justin beat me 6-3 yesterday so it's nice to get the payback against him today."
Pipe had defeated Paul Nicholson in Saturday's final, and his wins on Sunday included a second of the weekend over Mark Webster, defeats of new Tour Card holders John Bowles and Ross Smith, a 6-4 defeat of Andy Hamilton and a narrow 6-5 semi-final win over Matt Clark, where he hit a 14-dart finish to edge victory.
Clark won through to the semis only a week after having to compete in Qualifying School to retain his Tour Card, showing his quality with fine wins over Jelle Klaasen, Tony West, John Part, Mensur Suljovic and Kim Huybrechts in earning £2,000 prize money.
World number three Wade was the other semi-finalist, having come close to repeating the performance which saw him take victory in Benidorm last October.
The left-hander followed up a win over McCoy's Premier League Darts new-boy Kevin Painter by whitewashing Holland's Toon Greebe and coming from 5-3 down to win his quarter-final with Alex Roy.
Roy had also lost out to Wade in Saturday's event, in the Last 32, but defeated Mervyn King and Vincent van der Voort on his way to the quarter-finals of a Players Championship for the first time since 2008.
World Championship quarter-finalist Kim Huybrechts continued his good form by reaching the Last Eight in Spain alongside Dave Chisnall and newcomer Ross Smith, who was another of last week's Tour Card winners.
Former Lakeside Championship finalist Dean Winstanley (right) reached the Last 16 in only his second Players Championship event, defeating fellow newcomer Ted Hankey 6-1 in Sunday's preliminary round and also seeing off Terry Temple, Wayne Jones and Simon Whitlock before losing to Chisnall.
Spanish Darts Classic Players Championship (PC2, Sunday)
Preliminary Round
Brendan Dolan 6-1 Bernd Schmidt
Darren Johnson 6-5 Gino Vos
Tomas Cristobal 6-3 Jacinto Nieto
Adrian Gray 6-3 Eric Basullas
Kim Huybrechts 6-0 Chris Aubrey
Darren Whittingham 6-4 Juan Carlos Albaladejo
Jose Garcia Ruiz 6-3 Jerry Hendriks
Kirk Shepherd 6-5 Brian Woods
Dean Winstanley 6-1 Ted Hankey
Sam Hill 6-5 Rudy Van der Zande
Sergio Garcia 6-5 Eduardo Sales Lopez
Steve Evans 6-1 Antonio Alcinas
First Round
Justin Pipe (1) 6-1 Jesus Noguera
John Bowles 6-2 Armando Jesus Frias
Andy Hamilton (32) 6-1 Paul Rowley
Matthew Edgar 6-2 Bernd Roith
Mark Webster (16) 6-4 James Richardson
Dyson Parody 6-1 Manolo Vilerio
Jamie Lewis 6-2 Denis Ovens (17)
Brendan Dolan 6-4 Boris Krcmar
Mark Walsh (8) 6-0 Guillermo Corella
Michael Mansell 6-1 Dave Smith
Colin Lloyd (25) 6-2 Devon Petersen
Darren Johnson 6-4 Joe Murnan
Ross Smith 6-4 Jamie Caven (9)
Darren Webster 6-1 Nick Fullwell
Kevin Munch 6-5 Alan Tabern (24)
Mick Todd 6-1 Tomas Cristobal
Ronnie Baxter (5) 6-1 Jose Antonio Alvarez
Steve Grubb 6-3 Chris Mason
Raymond van Barneveld (28) 6-0 Mark Stephenson
Adrian Gray 6-3 Prakash Jiwa
Steve Brown (12) 6-2 Justin Broton
Adam Smith-Neale 6-1 Steve Maish
Mark Hylton (21) 6-2 Martin Marti
Kim Huybrechts 6-1 Joe Cullen
John Part (4) 6-3 James Hubbard
Manuel Fernandez Josende 6-2 Simon Barker-Davies
Tony West 6-3 Co Stompe (29)
Matt Clark 6-2 Jelle Klaasen
Colin Osborne (13) 6-5 Steve Hine
John Henderson 6-3 Toni Munoz
Andy Smith (20) 6-1 Jesus Sanchez
Mensur Suljovic 6-3 Darren Whittingham
Paul Nicholson (2) 6-5 Antonio Jiminez
Barrie Bates 6-1 Paul Barham
Michael Smith (31) 6-2 Jose Luis Torres
Magnus Caris 6-1 Diego Rufo
Peter Wright (15) 6-4 Reece Robinson
Jose Antonio Justicia 6-0 Wolfgang Manzl
Steve Beaton (18) 6-0 David Jiminez
Keith Stephen 6-1 Jose Garcia Ruiz
Dave Chisnall (7) 6-5 Kevin McDine
Peter Manley 6-3 Simon Craven
Richie Burnett (26) 6-1 Nigel Heydon
Kirk Shepherd 6-4 Christian Kallinger
Simon Whitlock (10) 6-4 Peter Hudson
Arron Monk 6-1 Chris Thompson
Wayne Jones (23) 6-1 Stefanie Luck
Dean Winstanley 6-4 Terry Temple
Vincent van der Voort (6) 6-4 Jyhan Artut
Michael Barnard 6-1 Jon Archer
Terry Jenkins (27) 6-3 Roland Scholten
Ian White 6-2 Sam Hill
Alex Roy 6-5 Mervyn King (11)
Jose de Sousa 6-4 Mark Dudbridge
Scott Rand (22) 6-1 Kurt Van De Rijck
Shaun Griffiths 6-2 Sergio Garcia
Wes Newton (3) 6-2 Dennis Smith
William O'Connor 6-2 Jose Luis Rodriguez
Michael van Gerwen (30) 6-3 Carlos Rodriguez
Toon Greebe 6-0 Ignacio Basullas
James Wade (14) 6-3 Julio Barbero
Carlos Jiminez 6-0 Jesus Gonzalez
Kevin Painter (19) 6-3 Dylan Duo
Mareno Michels 6-5 Steve Evans
Second Round
Justin Pipe 6-4 John Bowles
Andy Hamilton 6-2 Matthew Edgar
Mark Webster 6-2 Dyson Parody
Brendan Dolan 6-4 Jamie Lewis
Mark Walsh 6-4 Michael Mansell
Darren Johnson 6-3 Colin Lloyd
Ross Smith 6-4 Darren Webster
Kevin Munch 6-0 Mick Todd
Ronnie Baxter 6-0 Steve Grubb
Raymond van Barneveld 6-4 Adrian Gray
Steve Brown 6-2 Adam Smith-Neale
Kim Huybrechts 6-3 Mark Hylton
John Part 6-0 Manuel Fernandez Josende
Matt Clark 6-2 Tony West
Colin Osborne 6-5 John Henderson
Mensur Suljovic 6-3 Andy Smith
Paul Nicholson 6-3 Barrie Bates
Michael Smith 6-4 Magnus Caris
Peter Wright 6-3 Jose Antonio Justicia
Steve Beaton 6-4 Keith Stephen
Dave Chisnall 6-3 Peter Manley
Richie Burnett 6-1 Kirk Shepherd
Simon Whitlock 6-5 Arron Monk
Dean Winstanley 6-1 Wayne Jones
Vincent van der Voort 6-5 Michael Barnard
Terry Jenkins 6-3 Ian White
Alex Roy 6-0 Jose de Sousa
Shaun Griffiths 6-5 Scott Rand
Wes Newton 6-5 William O'Connor
Toon Greebe 6-5 Michael van Gerwen
James Wade 6-0 Carlos Jiminez
Kevin Painter 6-5 Mareno Michels
Losers £200
Third Round
Justin Pipe 6-4 Andy Hamilton
Mark Webster 6-3 Brendan Dolan
Darren Johnson 6-4 Mark Walsh
Ross Smith 6-4 Kevin Munch
Raymond van Barneveld 6-4 Ronnie Baxter
Kim Huybrechts 6-3 Steve Brown
Matt Clark 6-5 John Part
Mensur Suljovic 6-5 Colin Osborne
Michael Smith 6-3 Paul Nicholson
Peter Wright 6-5 Steve Beaton
Dave Chisnall 6-2 Richie Burnett
Dean Winstanley 6-4 Simon Whitlock
Vincent van der Voort 6-5 Terry Jenkins
Alex Roy 6-5 Shaun Griffiths
Toon Greebe 6-3 Wes Newton
James Wade 6-1 Kevin Painter
Losers £400
Fourth Round
Justin Pipe 6-5 Mark Webster
Ross Smith 6-3 Darren Johnson
Kim Huybrechts 6-3 Raymond van Barneveld
Matt Clark 6-5 Mensur Suljovic
Michael Smith 6-1 Peter Wright
Dave Chisnall 6-3 Dean Winstanley
Alex Roy 6-5 Vincent van der Voort
James Wade 6-0 Toon Greebe
Losers £600
Quarter-Finals
Justin Pipe 6-3 Ross Smith
Matt Clark 6-4 Kim Huybrechts
Michael Smith 6-3 Dave Chisnall
James Wade 6-5 Alex Roy
Losers £1,000
Semi-Finals
Justin Pipe 6-5 Matt Clark
Michael Smith 6-4 James Wade
Losers £2,000
Final
Michael Smith 6-3 Justin Pipe
Winner £6,000
Runner-Up £3,000
Semi-Finals
Michael Smith v James Wade
1-0 - Wade hits a 180 but Smith finishes 72 for the opening leg.
1-1 - Wade levels on double top.
2-1 - Smith posts double ten to regain the advantage.
2-2 - Smith hits 171 to leave 94, but misses tops for the finish and Wade takes out 70 on double top to level.
2-3 - Both players open with 180s, and Wade breaks with a brilliant 161 checkout.
3-3 - Smith hits a 180 in immediately breaking back.
4-3 - Smith lands another maximum, and posts double eight to regain the lead after Wade misses the bull for a 121 finish.
4-4 - Wade wins a dramatic eighth leg on double ten, having been given a reprieve for three misses at the bed in his previous visit when Smith, needing 79, missed the single 20 to leave him tops.
5-4 - Smith finishes 52 on tops to move a leg away from the final.
6-4 - Smith misses the bull for a 121 checkotu, but when Wade misses two darts at tops the youngster finishes double ten to secure his place in the final.
Justin Pipe v Matt Clark
1-0 - Pipe hits a 174 to leave 32 and lands double 16 at the first time of asking.
2-0 - Pipe opens with a 180 and finishes double 14 for a 13-dart finish.
3-0 - Pipe breaks for a second time, winning the leg in 14 darts on double 16 after hitting scores of 140, 140 and 134 in the leg.
3-1 - Clark breaks back to get off the mark, finishing 76 in two darts for a 14-dart leg.
3-2 - Pipe misses four darts to take the leg, at double six, three and one, and Clark steps in on double ten to pull back to within a leg.
4-2 - Pipe hits a 180 and posts double 18 to regain his two-leg cushion.
4-3 - Pipe misses tops to win a fifth leg, and Clark follows a 180 by finishing 56 on tops.
5-3 - Pipe lands double four to move a leg away from victory.
5-4 - Clark misses tops for a 107 finish, but Pipe misses the same bed to take the win and his opponent hits tops to stay in the contest.
5-5 - Clark hits 137 to leave 24, but misses two darts at double 12 and one at double six, before being allowed back in to hit double six and force a decider.
6-5 - Clark can only open with a 22 score, and Pipe hits two 140s to be first to a finish, as he takes out double 16 for a 14-darter to win through to his second successive final.
Final
Justin Pipe v Michael Smith
0-0 - Michael Smith wins the bull and throws first.
0-1 - Smith opens the final with a 180, and after Pipe misses the bull for a 90 finish the youngster wins the opening leg on double ten.
1-1 - Pipe levels by posting double top for a 54 finish.
1-2 - Smith hits a 180 to leave 66, which he finishes on double top.
1-3 - Smith lands another maximum, and when Pipe misses a dart at tops he takes out 130 on double five to break.
1-4 - Smith posts tops to move three legs clear.
2-4 - Pipe hits back by landing double ten.
3-4 - Pipe opens with a 180 and finishes 121 on the bull to break throw and pull back to within a leg.
3-5 - Pipe misses double 18, and Smith steps in to break with a pressure double ten with his third dart to move a leg away from only his second professional title.
3-6 - Double four gives Michael Smith victory and his first Players Championship title.