RONNIE BAXTER claimed his first PDC Pro Tour win for a year with victory over Jamie Caven in Saturday's Players Championship in Newport.
Blackpool-based Baxter has lost twice in Players Championship finals this year, but picked up his first title since the 2007 Windy City Open event with a whitewash of Caven in the Wales final.
He powered through the field in Newport, defeating Francis Mellor and Joe Cullen without dropping a set before defeating Germany's Michael Rosenauer 3-1 in the last 32.
Baxter also saw off Sam Rooney and Matt Clark and defeated Ireland's James Keogh 3-1 in the semi-finals.
He then swept past Caven without dropping a leg to claim the £5,000 first prize.
Caven's run to the final improved his chances of qualifying for the Sky Poker World Grand Prix, with only Sunday's Players Championship remaining before the 32 players are confirmed.
Matt Clark's quarter-final appearance and a run to the last 16 for Steve Beaton gave them hope of breaking into the 12 places reserved for the Players Championship Order of Merit.
James Keogh's run to the semi-finals was his best in a PDC Pro Tour event, and included wins over Denis Ovens and Colin Osborne.
Stephen Hardy, nicknamed 'Nutcracker', enjoyed a run to his first ever PDC Pro Tour quarter-final before losing to Manley, while St Helens youngster Michael Smith and Tony Ayres were newcomers in the last 16.
Welsh Players Championship (Saturday)
Preliminary Round
Aaron Turner Bye (Chris Beeston)
Kelvin Painter 3-0 Steve Randall
Peter Aleman 3-2 Dave Askew
Dave Honey 3-2 Chris Cooper
Tony Littleton 3-1 Chris Hook
Darren Richardson 3-1 Andy Relf
Danny Pinhorne 3-1 Karl Loiseau
Jamie Caven 3-1 Tom Martin
Jan van der Rassel 3-0 Alan Warriner-Little
Steve Johnson 3-0 Chris Daglish
Ian Jopling 3-2 John Quantock
Brendan Dolan 3-0 Geoff Wylie
Robbie Newland 3-1 Lionel Sams
Steve Maish 3-1 Justin Pipe
Andy Howarth Bye (John Kuczynski)
Kevin Harris 3-1 Mark Tiller
Colin Monk 3-1 Mark Jones
Lee Gregory 3-1 Andy Mason
Michael Rosenauer 3-1 Peter Walford
Co Stompe 3-0 Geoff Whitworth
Danny King 3-1 David Nelson
Dave Smith 3-0 Ian Eames
Steve Cusick 3-2 Dickie Foster
Wayne Atwood 3-0 Mark Carter
Chris Allen 3-0 Shane Passey
First Round
Matt Sheehan Bye (Phil Taylor)
Stephen Hardy 3-0 Ricky Williams
David Platt 3-1 Gary Mawson
Aaron Turner 3-2 Jacko Barry
Vincent van der Voort 3-0 Ben Simpson
Jason Clark 3-0 Martin Burchell
Chris Mason 3-0 Steve Grubb
Kelvin Painter 3-0 Peter Aleman
Alan Tabern 3-0 Mike Herold
Owen Caffrey Bye (Jonathan Overton)
Alex Roy 3-0 Alan Weist
Dave Honey 3-1 Tony Littleton
Peter Manley 3-0 Jon Archer
Carlos Rodriguez 3-0 Darren Green
Wayne Jones 3-2 Alan Reynolds
Danny Pinhorne 3-1 Darren Richardson
Andy Hamilton 3-2 Jelle Klaasen
Chris Thompson 3-1 Lee White
Mick McGowan 3-1 Paul Anthony
Jamie Caven 3-0 Matt Gallett
Kevin Painter 3-0 Nick Fulwell
Tony Ayres 3-2 Ben Burton
Andy Smith 3-1 David Davies
Steve Johnson 3-1 Jan van der Rassel
Wayne Mardle 3-0 Darren Latham
Steve Evans 3-0 James Barton
Jim Leighton 3-2 Michael van Gerwen
Alan Caves 3-0 Ian Jopling
Mervyn King 3-0 Gary Welding
Mark Frost 3-2 Steve Hine
Barrie Bates 3-0 John Jenkinson
Brendan Dolan 3-2 Robbie Newland
James Wade 3-0 Dave Ansell
Jim Withers 3-1 Joey Palfreyman
Matt Clark 3-0 Robert Watson-Lang
Steve Maish 3-2 Frazer Hill
Mark Dudbridge 3-0 Darren Johnson
Louis Blundell 3-1 Mick Savvery
Simon Whatley 3-1 Kirk Shepherd
Kevin Harris 3-2 Andy Howarth
Kevin Dowling 3-2 Roland Scholten
Sam Rooney 3-1 Mark Layton
Wes Newton 3-1 Davey Mansell
Colin Monk 3-1 Gary Barnett
Ronnie Baxter 3-0 Francis Mellor
Joe Cullen 3-0 Russell Mason
Adrian Gray 3-0 Sean Palfrey
Michael Rosenauer 3-1 Lee Gregory
Colin Lloyd 3-2 Kevin McDine
Ian Perkins 3-1 Colin Wonnacott
Steve Beaton 3-0 Steve Musson
Co Stompe Bye (Richie Burnett)
Colin Osborne 3-0 Carl Minter
Norman Fletcher Bye (Chris Sargeant)
Mark Walsh 3-0 Jimmy O'Regan
Dave Smith 3-2 Danny King
Michael Smith 3-1 Terry Jenkins
Andrew Davies 3-2 Mark Jodrill
Tony Eccles 3-1 Peter Wright
Michael Barnard 3-1 Steve Cusick
Denis Ovens 3-1 Steve Brown
James Keogh 3-1 John MaGowan
Robert Thornton 3-1 Andy Jenkins
Wayne Atwood 3-0 Chris Allen
Second Round
Stephen Hardy 3-0 Matt Sheehan
David Platt 3-1 Aaron Turner
Vincent van der Voort 3-1 Jason Clark
Chris Mason 3-1 Kelvin Painter
Alan Tabern 3-1 Owen Caffrey
Alex Roy 3-0 Dave Honey
Peter Manley 3-1 Carlos Rodriguez
Danny Pinhorne 3-2 Wayne Jones
Andy Hamilton 3-1 Chris Thompson
Jamie Caven 3-0 Mick McGowan
Tony Ayres 3-2 Kevin Painter
Andy Smith 3-1 Steve Johnson
Wayne Mardle 3-1 Steve Evans
Alan Caves 3-1 Jim Leighton
Mervyn King 3-1 Mark Frost
Barrie Bates 3-1 Brendan Dolan
James Wade 3-0 Jim Withers
Matt Clark 3-1 Steve Maish
Mark Dudbridge 3-1 Louis Blundell
Simon Whatley 3-2 Kevin Harris
Sam Rooney 3-2 Kevin Dowling
Colin Monk 3-0 Wes Newton
Ronnie Baxter 3-0 Joe Cullen
Michael Rosenauer 3-1 Adrian Gray
Colin Lloyd 3-0 Ian Perkins
Steve Beaton 3-2 Co Stompe
Colin Osborne 3-0 Norman Fletcher
Mark Walsh 3-0 Dave Smith
Michael Smith 3-0 Andrew Davies
Michael Barnard 3-2 Tony Eccles
James Keogh 3-2 Denis Ovens
Wayne Atwood 3-1 Robert Thornton
Losers £75
Third Round
Stephen Hardy 3-2 David Platt
Vincent van der Voort 3-2 Chris Mason
Alan Tabern 3-0 Alex Roy
Peter Manley 3-1 Danny Pinhorne
Jamie Caven 3-0 Andy Hamilton
Tony Ayres 3-2 Andy Smth
Wayne Mardle 3-0 Alan Caves
Barrie Bates 3-0 Mervyn King
Matt Clark 3-0 James Wade
Mark Dudbridge 3-2 Simon Whatley
Sam Rooney 3-2 Colin Monk
Ronnie Baxter 3-1 Michael Rosenauer
Steve Beaton 3-1 Colin Lloyd
Colin Osborne 3-1 Mark Walsh
Michael Smith 3-1 Michael Barnard
James Keogh 3-0 Wayne Atwood
Losers £150
Fourth Round
Stephen Hardy 3-2 Vincent van der Voort
Peter Manley 3-1 Alan Tabern
Jamie Caven 3-0 Tony Ayres
Barrie Bates 3-1 Wayne Mardle
Matt Clark 3-1 Mark Dudbridge
Ronnie Baxter 3-0 Sam Rooney
Colin Osborne 3-1 Steve Beaton
James Keogh 3-1 Michael Smith
Losers £300
Quarter-Finals
Peter Manley 3-0 Stephen Hardy (2-0, 2-0, 2-1)
Jamie Caven 3-0 Barrie Bates (2-0, 2-0, 2-0)
Ronnie Baxter 3-1 Matt Clark (2-1, 0-2, 2-0, 2-1)
James Keogh 3-1 Colin Osborne (1-2, 2-1, 2-0, 2-1)
Losers £600
Semi-Finals
Jamie Caven 3-1 Peter Manley (2-1, 2-0, 1-2, 2-0)
Ronnie Baxter 3-1 James Keogh (1-2, 2-1, 2-0, 2-1)
Losers £1,250
Final
Ronnie Baxter 3-0 Jamie Caven (2-0, 2-0, 2-0)
Winner £5,000
Runner-Up £2,500
News Updates
Preliminary Round
Wales' Kelvin Painter takes 3-0 win over Steve Randall.
Co Stompe wins 3-0 against Geoff Whitworth.
Wayne Atwood overcomes Mark Carter in straight sets, while Dave Honey defeats Chris Cooper in a decider.
Danny King wins 3-1 against David Nelson, with Darren Richardson and Lee Gregory progressing by the same scoreline.
Steve Maish, a semi-finalist last week in the Windy City Open Players Championship, defeats Justin Pipe 3-1.
Colin Monk and Kevin Harris come through with 3-1 wins, while Steve Cusick wins 3-2 against Dickie Foster and Dave Smith and Chris Allen progress with straight sets victories.
Holland's Jan van der Rassel knocks out Alan Warriner-Little 3-0, and will meet Steve Johnson in round one, after the Essex man's win over Chris Daglish.
First Round
Stephen Hardy wins in straight sets against youngster Ricky Williams.
David Platt defeats America's Gary Mawson 3-1.
Colin Lloyd edges out Kevin McDine in five sets.
Youngster Michael Smith defeats Terry Jenkins 3-1.
Andy Hamilton comes from 2-1 down to defeat Jelle Klaasen in a decider.
Peter Manley defeats Jon Archer 3-0.
Kevin Dowling overcomes Roland Scholten 3-2.
Mark Dudbridge opens his challenge with straight sets win over Darren Johnson.
Colin Osborne and Ronnie Baxter kick off with 3-0 wins over Carl Minter and Francis Mellor.
Ian Perkins sets up clash with Colin Lloyd with 3-1 defeat of Colin Wonnacott.
Joe Cullen knocks out Russell Mason in straight sets, while Louis Blundell wins 3-1 against Mick Savvery.
Chris Thompson and Mick McGowan move through on board five with 3-1 wins over Lee White and Paul Anthony.
Sam Rooney wins 3-1 against Mark Layton, and will play Dowling in the last 64.
Kevin Painter defeats Nick Fulwell in straight sets and will play Tony Ayres, who edged out Ben Burton 3-2, in round two.
Wayne Mardle and Mervyn King open with 3-0 wins, while Mark Frost is a narrow winner over Steve Hine.
Jim Leighton defeats Michael van Gerwen in five sets, after the Dutch youngster came from two sets down to level before missing four darts to win the game in the deciding leg.
Jason Clark, returning to action following a shoulder injury, wins 3-0 against Martin Burchell.
Carlos Rodriguez's straight sets win over Darren Green sets up match with Peter Manley.
Welshman Barrie Bates defeats John Jenkinson in straight sets, and Adrian Gray also moves into second round by same scoreline.
Wes Newton wins 3-1 against Davey Mansell.
Robert Thornton wins 3-1 against Andy Jenkins to move into round two, with Tony Eccles defeating Peter Wright in the same manner.
Wayne Atwood will meet Thornton in round two after 3-0 win over Chris Allen.
Brendan Dolan sneaks deciding leg win over Robbie Newland to earn second round match with Bates.
Kevin Harris sets up second round contest with Simon Whatley after 3-2 win over Andy Howarth.
Second Round
Colin Lloyd moves into last 32 with 3-0 win over Ian Perkins.
Stephen Hardy also reaches round three, defeating Matt Sheehan 3-0.
David Platt will face Hardy in the board one final, following his 3-1 win over Aaron Turner.
Steve Beaton edges past Co Stompe 3-2 and will play Lloyd in round three, with the Dutchman missing seven match darts in the decider.
Alan Tabern sees off Ireland's Owen Caffrey 3-1, with Andy Hamilton and Wayne Mardle winning by the same scoreline against Chris Thompson and Steve Evans.
Vincent van der Voort defeats James Clark 3-1 to progress, while Peter Manley enjoys the same result against Spain's Carlos Rodriguez.
Alex Roy takes straight sets win over Dave Honey and will meet Tabern in board three final.
James Wade wins in straight sets against Jim Withers to reach last 32.
St Helens' Michael Smith sees off Andrew Davies without dropping a leg to move into round three.
Colin Osborne progresses in straight sets against Norman Fletcher, while Ronnie Baxter is another 3-0 winner, against Joe Cullen.
Jamie Caven knocks out Mick McGowan 3-0 to set up board five final against Hamilton.
Alan Caves meets Wayne Mardle in board seven final after his 3-1 win over Jim Leighton, while Mervyn King sees off Stoke's Mark Frost 3-1.
Mark Dudbridge wins 3-1 against Louis Blundell to reach round three.
Danny Pinhorne comes from 2-1 down to defeat Wayne Jones narrowly.
Mark Walsh defeats Yorkshire's Dave Smith 3-0 to move into last 32.
Ireland's James Keogh edges past Denis Ovens in five sets.
Tony Ayres defeats Kevin Painter 3-2.
Chris Mason's 3-1 win over Kelvin Painter sets up board two final with van der Voort.
Matt Clark wins 3-1 against Steve Maish, while Colin Monk is straight sets winner over Wes Newton.
Simon Whatley sets up board ten final with Mark Dudbridge after narrow win over Kevin Harris.
Michael Barnard knocks out Tony Eccles with 3-2 victory.
Wayne Atwood overcomes Robert Thornton 3-1 to reach last 32.
Third Round
Stephen Hardy is first name into last 16 following narrow 3-2 win over David Platt.
Steve Beaton moves into last 16 with 3-1 win over Colin Lloyd, the Windy City Open Players Championship winner last week.
Alan Tabern defeats Alex Roy 3-0 to win board three, while Jamie Caven and Wayne Mardle move into last 16 by the same scoreline against Andy Hamilton and Alan Caves.
Peter Manley reaches last 16 with 3-1 win over Danny Pinhorne.
Barrie Bates defeats Mervyn King without dropping a set.
Ronnie Baxter defeats Germany's Michael Rosenauer 3-1, while Colin Osborne moves into last 16 with 3-1 win over Mark Walsh.
Holland's Vincent van der Voort edges out Chris Mason in five sets.
James Wade is knocked out in straights by Matt Clark.
Sam Rooney overcomes Colin Monk in five sets.
Tony Ayres sets up last 16 clash with Caven thanks to 3-2 win over Andy Smith.
James Keogh reaches last 16 with straight sets win over Wayne Atwood.
Michael Smith qualifies for maiden last 16 place with 3-1 win over Michael Barnard.
Mark Dudbridge completes fourth round line-up with five-set defeat of Simon Whatley, setting up a clash with Matt Clark.
Fourth Round
Peter Manley defeats Alan Tabern 3-1 to qualify for the quarter-finals for just the second time this year.
Barrie Bates reaches his first quarter-final of the year with 3-1 win over Wayne Mardle.
Ronnie Baxter powers past Sam Rooney with 3-0 victory.
Colin Osborne defeats Steve Beaton 3-1 to reach quarter-finals.
Stephen Hardy, nicknamed "Nutcracker", reaches first PDC Pro Tour quarter-final with narrow defeat of Vincent van der Voort.
James Caven wins in straight sets against Tony Ayres, putting him into the quarter-finals of a Pro Tour event for the first time.
James Keogh ends Michael Smith's excellent day with 3-1 win, putting the Irishman into his first quarter-final.
Matt Clark and Mark Dudbridge shared 11 maximums in eight legs, with Clark moving into the last eight with a 3-1 win.
Quarter-Finals
Jamie Caven reaches maiden PDC Pro Tour semi-final with whitewash victory over Barrie Bates.
Peter Manley's best PDC Pro Tour run of the year continues with straight sets victory over Stephen Hardy, dropping just one leg in a comprehensive win.
Irishman James Keogh comes from a set down to defeat Colin Osborne 3-1 and move into his first PDC Pro Tour semi-final.
Ronnie Baxter reaches his fourth Players Championship semi-final of the year with 3-1 win over Matt Clark, winning four of the final five legs to take the win.
Semi-Finals
Jamie Caven wins through to his first PDC Pro Tour final with 3-1 win over Peter Manley. Caven took four of the opening five legs - including a 167 finish in the opening leg - to open up a two-set cushion before Manley edged the third, but the Leicester man took the fourth without reply to seal victory and a minimum £2,500 payout.
Ronnie Baxter won through to his third Players Championship final of the year with a 3-1 defeat of James Keogh. Keogh took the first set 2-1, before Baxter edged the second and then won the third without reply. The Blackpool-based star then took the fourth in a deciding leg to book his place in the final.