RONNIE BAXTER won the first Shoalhaven Classic event at the William Cross Pro-Am with a 7-4 win over Robert Thornton on Saturday.
Baxter made an immediate impression in the week of Australian tournaments with the win, including a superb comeback against Paul Nicholson.
The Australian number one led Baxter 4-1 following a quartet of 12-darters in their quarter-final, only for Baxter to reel off four legs in a row to edge the win.
Phil Bottrell pushed him hard in the semi-finals before going down 6-4, while Englishman Dave Honey also lost to Baxter,
in the last 16.
Thornton overcame American Scott Kirchner 6-4 in the semis, former World Championship qualifier Brian Roach in the quarter-finals, Peter Corcoran in the last 16 and South African star Wynand Havenga at the last 32 stage.
The Ladies Singles event was won by England's Margaret Sutton, who defeated New Zealand's Rachel Padget 5-0.