RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD won his fifth Pro Tour title of 2007 with a 3-0 win over Alex Roy in the final of the Welsh Players Championship.
The World Champion looked back to his imperious best at the Newport Centre, erasing memories of his first round loss in the Bullit World Darts Trophy earlier this month with a classy showing.
He dropped just two legs in the final against Roy, and was never taken to a deciding set in his seven games throughout the tournament,
Van Barneveld opened with 3-0 wins over Wayne Atwood and Matt Clark, and also swept past John MaGowan by the same scoreline in the last eight.
Dennis Smith, Vincent van der Voort and Wayne Mardle all took a set from the Dutchman, but could get no closer as he claimed his ninth tournament win of 2007 and fifth on the PDC Pro Tour.
Roy's performance lifted him up in the Players Championship Order of Merit, and in a dramatic day won him a place in the SkyBet World Grand Prix.
The top four non-qualified players in the Players Championship Order of Merit following the event were to be awarded a berth in Dublin next month - with Mervyn King, Vincent van der Voort, Adrian Gray and Michael van Gerwen beginning the day in the positions.
Van Gerwen's early loss to John Ferrell - where the Dutchman missed two darts to win their second round game - saw him leave the door open for Alan Warriner-Little.
The 2001 World Grand Prix winner earned £75 prize money from a third round loss to Scotland's Shaun McDonald - enough to move him above van Gerwen.
However, the progress of Steve Beaton, Mark Walsh and Roy left Warriner-Little nervously pacing the Newport Centre.
Beaton and Walsh were defeated in the last 16, while both Phil Taylor and Alan Tabern saw leads slip as Roy progressed to the final and won himself a place in Dublin.
Dennis Priestley was an early casualty against Adrian Gray, missing a host of darts for victory, while James Wade, Terry Jenkins, Ronnie Baxter and Adrian Lewis also suffered first-game losses.
St Helens' Alan Tabern and Wayne Mardle reached the semi-finals, while Denis Ovens' run of form continued as he reached the last eight.
Welsh Players Championship
Round One
Chris Thompson 3-0 John Scott
Scott Marsh 3-2 Michael Barnard
Darren Williams 3-1 Chris Daglish
John Ferrell 3-0 David Pugh
Kevin Harris 3-1 Nigel Peden
Sean Palfrey 3-2 Steve Cusick
Steve Maish 3-1 Gary Welding
Simon Whatley Bye (Steve Smith)
Pete Allen 3-1 Richard McLaughlin
Gary Blades 3-2 Jimmy Dunlop
Steve Brown Bye (Dean Wiltshire)
Matt Clark 3-0 Chris Allen
Darren Johnson 3-1 Rico Vonck
Brian Whybrow 3-1 Kieran Leal
John MaGowan 3-1 Jimmy O'Regan
Ben Burton 3-0 Rick Andrews
Kevin Dowling 3-1 Shayne Passey
Colin Ritchie 3-1 Matt Sheehan
Darrell Thorpe 3-1 Ian Eames
Henry O'Neill 3-0 Ian Branks
Richie Burnett 3-0 Mick Rodgers
Round Two
Phil Taylor 3-0 Chris Sargeant
Chris Thompson 3-1 Steve Johnson
Alex Roy 3-0 Robbie Newland
Fraser Hill 3-2 Vernon Sheppard
Andy Jenkins 3-1 Matt Chapman
Owen Caffrey 3-1 Scott Marsh
Mark Dudbridge 3-0 Neil Wild
Sean Dowling 3-1 Darren Williams
Andy Hamilton 3-0 Kevin Reade
John Ferrell 3-2 Michael van Gerwen
Alan Warriner-Little 3-2 Ian Critchett
Shaun McDonald Bye (John Kuczynski)
Adrian Gray 3-2 Dennis Priestley
Kevin Harris Bye (George Dearman)
Andy Smith 3-0 Tony Randell
Alan Caves 3-2 Brian Jones
Peter Manley 3-1 Paul Anthony
Sean Palfrey 3-1 Kevin Hill
Darren Webster 3-1 Bob Anderson
Dave Smith 3-1 Darren Latham
John Part 3-0 Jon Archer
Steve Maish 3-1 Gary Noonan
Denis Ovens 3-1 Martin Whatmough
Ricky Williams 3-0 Simon Whatley
Kirk Shepherd 3-2 Terry Jenkins
Tony Eccles 3-0 Peter Allen
Mark Walsh 3-1 Jelle Klaasen
Martyn Turner 3-0 Mark Carter
Barrie Bates 3-2 Steve Evans
John Quantock 3-1 Gary Blades
Alan Tabern 3-0 Chris Hook
Steve Brown 3-0 Lionel Sams
Raymond van Barneveld 3-0 Wayne Atwood
Matt Clark 3-1 Isen Veljic
Dennis Smith 3-1 Mark Jodrill
Colin Monk 3-0 Steve Grubb
Vincent van der Voort 3-1 Ronnie Baxter
Darren Johnson 3-1 Matt Jackson
Colin Osborne 3-1 Mark Frost
Brian Whybrow 3-2 Darren Richardson
Dave Honey 3-2 Adrian Lewis
John MaGowan 3-2 David Platt
Mick McGowan 3-2 Mark Lawrence
Kevin McDine 3-0 Danny Pinhorne
Roland Scholten 3-1 Steve Hine
Martin Burchell 3-2 Ben Burton
Wes Newton 3-1 Jimmy Mann
Darren Sutton 3-2 Alan Reynolds
Colin Lloyd 3-1 Alan Green
Kevin Dowling 3-0 Jim Leighton
Steve Beaton 3-0 Darren Moulsley
Simon Craven 3-2 Lee White
Wayne Mardle 3-1 Ian Jopling
Colin Ritchie 3-1 Nick Fulwell
Wayne Jones 3-0 Dave Ladley
Lee Palfreyman 3-0 Jonathan Overton
Mick Savvery 3-1 James Wade
Darrell Thorpe 3-1 Peter Evison
Mervyn King 3-0 Dave Askew
Lyndon Davies 3-2 Jamie Robinson
Kevin Painter 3-0 Geoff Wylie
Robert Watson-Lang 3-0 Henry O'Neill
Jason Clark 3-2 Chris Mason
Mark Layton 3-2 Richie Burnett
Third Round
Phil Taylor 3-0 Chris Thompson
Alex Roy 3-0 Fraser Hill
Andy Jenkins 3-1 Owen Caffrey
Mark Dudbridge 3-0 Sean Dowling
John Ferrell 3-1 Andy Hamilton
Shaun McDonald 3-1 Alan Warriner-Little
Adrian Gray 3-0 Kevin Harris
Andy Smith 3-2 Alan Caves
Peter Manley 3-1 Sean Palfrey
Darren Webster 3-2 Dave Smith
Steve Maish 3-2 John Part
Denis Ovens 3-1 Ricky Williams
Tony Eccles 3-0 Kirk Shepherd
Mark Walsh 3-0 Martyn Turner
Barrie Bates 3-2 John Quantock
Alan Tabern 3-0 Steve Brown
Raymond van Barneveld 3-0 Matt Clark
Dennis Smith 3-1 Colin Monk
Vincent van der Voort 3-1 Darren Johnson
Colin Osborne 3-0 Brian Whybrow
John MaGowan 3-2 Dave Honey
Mick McGowan 3-2 Kevin McDine
Roland Scholten 3-1 Martin Burchell
Darren Sutton 3-1 Wes Newton
Kevin Dowling 3-2 Colin Lloyd
Steve Beaton 3-2 Simon Craven
Wayne Mardle 3-0 Colin Ritchie
Wayne Jones 3-1 Lee Palfreyman
Darrell Thorpe 3-2 Mick Savvery
Mervyn King 3-0 Lyndon Davies
Kevin Painter 3-0 Robert Watson-Lang
Jason Clark 3-2 Mark Layton
Losers £75
Round Four
Alex Roy 3-2 Phil Taylor
Andy Jenkins 3-1 Mark Dudbridge
Shaun McDonald 3-2 John Ferrell
Andy Smith 3-1 Adrian Gray
Peter Manley 3-1 Darren Webster
Denis Ovens 3-2 Steve Maish
Mark Walsh 3-1 Tony Eccles
Alan Tabern 3-2 Barrie Bates
Raymond van Barneveld 3-1 Dennis Smith
Vincent van der Voort 3-1 Colin Osborne
John MaGowan 3-0 Mick McGowan
Roland Scholten 3-0 Darren Sutton
Steve Beaton 3-2 Kevin Dowling
Wayne Mardle 3-1 Wayne Jones
Mervyn King 3-2 Darrell Thorpe
Jason Clark 3-1 Kevin Painter
Losers £150
Round Five
Alex Roy 3-0 Andy Jenkins
Andy Smith 3-1 Shaun McDonald
Denis Ovens 3-2 Peter Manley
Alan Tabern 3-0 Mark Walsh
Raymond van Barneveld 3-1 Vincent van der Voort
John MaGowan 3-0 Roland Scholten
Wayne Mardle 3-2 Steve Beaton
Mervyn King 3-1 Jason Clark
Losers £300
Quarter-Finals
Alex Roy 3-1 Andy Smith
Alan Tabern 3-2 Denis Ovens
Raymond van Barneveld 3-0 John MaGowan
Wayne Mardle 3-1 Mervyn King
Losers £600
Semi-Finals
Alex Roy 3-2 Alan Tabern
Raymond van Barneveld 3-1 Wayne Mardle
Losers £1,250
Final
Raymond van Barneveld 3-0 Alex Roy (2-1, 2-1, 2-0)
Winner £5,000
Runner-Up £2,500