ROBERT THORNTON has won his inaugural PDC title with victory at the Australian Open Players Championship.
The Scotsman's decision to travel to the week of events at Shoalhaven in New South Wales paid dividends, with the £5,000 winner's cheque jumping him up the Players Championship Order of Merit.
He overcame top Australian star, English-born Paul Nicholson, 3-1 in the final, coming from a set down to win the next three without reply to claim the title.
Thornton defeated America's Gary Mawson in straight sets in the semi-finals, after being taken all the way to five sets by Russell Stewart and Warren Parry in the previous two rounds
Nicholson included Pat Orreal, Dave Honey and Ronnie Baxter amongst his victims en route to his biggest pay-day.
Brian Roach and New Zealand National Champion Warren French reached the quarter-finals, while Baxter, James Wade, Denis Ovens and South African Charles Losper were last 16 losers.
Australian Open Players Championship
Preliminary Round
Wayne Brown 3-2 Tony Crampton
David Clegg Bye (Mike Merz)
Wayne Murray Bye (Andrew Griffin)
John Bunyard Bye (Lauren Peters)
Dave Mckay 3-1 Brad Johnson
Sean Gibbs 3-0 Rob Modra
Scott Johnson 3-0 Amanda Fish
Shane Tichowitsch 3-0 John Gault
Kevin Luland 3-0 Scott Krause
Waleed Clayton 3-0 Daniel Brown
Col Sharp 3-0 Andy Dean
Brian Roach 3-0 John Hector
Daniel Sim 3-0 Dale Frampton
Dave Muller 3-1 Gordon Smith
Reg Tapper 3-0 Peggy Waikira
Dallas Brettle 3-0 Sandi Ridd
Craig Prizeman 3-0 Paul Taylor
Chippy Miller 3-1 Rachael Padget
Bill Keogh 3-0 Sandra Hetcher
Dave Fitzpatrick 3-0 Jesmond Bennetti
David Breasley 3-0 Greg Clegg
Ian Brown 3-0 Pat Duke
Phil Bottrell 3-0 Barry Jouannet Snr
Preston Ridd 3-0 Ruan Hanekom
Chris Hay 3-0 Linda Nicholson
Nick Kaletta 3-0 Maree Hendry
Kylie Townes 3-0 Peter Page
Jason Stokes 3-1 Ivan Townes
Barry Whittaker Bye (Kathleen Hazell)
Rod Crawford 3-2 Brian Rowe
Gary Sinnott 3-2 Philip Hazell
Don Whittington 3-0 Trevor Gallagher
Pete Corcoran 3-0 Craig Strooisma
Paul Neighbour 3-0 Wayne Oldfield
Ray O'Donnell 3-0 Kate Gifford
Kim Anderson 3-1 Richie Charteris
Matt Kaletta 3-0 Evan Lane
William Aitken 3-0 Craig Frith
Rod Neeson 3-0 Piki Morrison
Tommy Hyland 3-1 Darryl Kerry
Jerry Weyman 3-2 Stuart Coburn
Melissa Sinnott 3-1 Steve Stuart
Dean McGladdery 3-0 Simone Keogh
Barry Jouannet 3-0 Graham Thompson
First Round
James Wade 3-0 Amy Clegg
Wayne Brown 3-0 David Clegg
Russell Stewart 3-0 Wayne Murray
Dave Mckay 3-1 John Bunyard
Robert Thornton 3-0 Sean Gibbs
Shane Tichowitsch 3-1 Scott Johnson
Warren Parry 3-1 Kevin Luland
Waleed Clayton 3-0 Col Sharp
Brian Roach 3-2 John Kuczynski
Daniel Sim 3-1 Dave Muller
Reg Tapper 3-1 Mitchell Clegg
Craig Prizeman Bye (Dallas Brettle disqualified)
Gary Mawson 3-0 Steven Gillard
Chippy Miller 3-0 Bill Keogh
Scott Kirchner 3-1 Dave Fitzpatrick
Ian Brown 3-0 Dave Breasley
Ronnie Baxter 3-0 Lynn Kaletta
Phil Bottrell 3-0 Preston Ridd
Paul Nicholson 3-0 Chris Hay
Kylie Townes def Nick Kaletta
Jerry Weyman 3-1 Tommy Hyland
Dave Honey 3-0 Jason Stokes
Rod Crawford 3-1 Barry Whittaker
Charles Losper 3-1 Garry Sinnott
Pete Corcoran def Don Whittington
Paul Neighbour 3-2 Wynand Havenga
Ray O'Donnell 3-0 Kim Anderson
Warren French 3-0 Matt Kaletta
Bill Aitken 3-2 Rod Neeson
Denis Ovens 3-2 Corrine Hammond
Pat Orreal 3-0 Melissa Sinnott
Barry Jouannet 3-1 Dean McGladdery
Losers £75
Second Round
James Wade 3-0 Wayne Brown
Russell Stewart 3-0 Dave Mckay
Robert Thornton def Shane Tichowitsch
Warren Parry 3-0 Waleed Clayton
Brian Roach 3-2 Daniel Sim
Craig Prizeman def Reg Tapper
Gary Mawson def Chippy Miller
Scott Kirchner 3-2 Ian Brown
Ronnie Baxter 3-2 Phil Bottrell
Paul Nicholson 3-0 Kylie Townes
Dave Honey 3-0 Rod Crawford
Charles Losper 3-0 Pete Corcoran
Ray O'Donnell 3-0 Paul Neighbour
Warren French 3-2 Bill Aitken
Denis Ovens 3-0 Jerry Weyman
Pat Orreal 3-1 Barry Jouannet
Losers £150
Third Round
Russell Stewart 3-1 James Wade
Robert Thornton 3-2 Warren Parry
Brian Roach 3-2 Craig Prizeman
Gary Mawson 3-1 Scott Kirchner
Paul Nicholson 3-0 Ronnie Baxter
Dave Honey 3-1 Charles Losper
Pat Orreal 3-2 Denis Ovens
Warren French 3-2 Ray O'Donnell
Losers £300
Quarter-Finals
Robert Thornton 3-2 Russell Stewart
Gary Mawson 3-1 Brian Roach
Paul Nicholson 3-0 Dave Honey
Pat Orreal 3-0 Warren French
Losers £600
Semi-Finals
Robert Thornton 3-0 Gary Mawson
Paul Nicholson 3-0 Pat Orreal
Losers £1,250
Final
Robert Thornton 3-1 Paul Nicholson (1-2, 2-1, 2-0, 2-1)
Winner £5,000
Runner-Up £2,500