Gerwyn Price came back from 7-4 down to deny Devon Petersen a first PDC title on Day Four of the PDC Autumn Series on Tuesday.
Starring in his first PDC final in Niedernhausen, Petersen missed one dart at double 16 for an 8-5 win before going high with all three darts at double top in the following leg during an exciting final.
There were to be no further match darts for Petersen as Price ruthlessly punished the South African, closing out the deciding leg with a 14-dart break of throw to rack up his 12th PDC crown and a first since competitive action resumed in July.
"I'm happy that I've won," said world number three Price. "Devon played well in the final and probably deserved to win.
"Every time I play Devon he plays well against me. I was up and down today and I wasn't the best in the final, Devon flew out of the blocks but I hung in there.
"When he got to seven legs I just thought to keep digging in and if he missed chances I've got to pop them, and that's what happened. It was tough
"The first three days I've been losing with high averages, today I didn't play so well but I won."
Price recently narrowly missed out on the Unibet Premier League Play-Offs on the final night of action.
"I wanted to get into the Play-Offs of the Premier League but that didn't happen," he added.
"It's been tough playing all those Premier League nights followed by another five tournaments here but I'm enjoying it."
Price's route to the title began with a 6-1 defeat of fellow Welshman Nick Kenny before victories over Martin Schindler and Sunday's Day Two winner Damon Heta saw him reach the last 16.
The two-time Grand Slam of Darts champion hit averages of 104.9 and 105.8 in wins against Ryan Murray and Ryan Searle respectively, either side of a 6-4 triumph over Mensur Suljovic to make it through to the final.
Meanwhile, Petersen became the first African player to reach a PDC final, whitewashing world number one Michael van Gerwen 6-0 along the way.
The South African number one enjoyed one of his most impressive days of his nine years on the PDC ProTour, averaging 110 against Nathan Aspinall in the quarter-finals before defeating close friend Joe Cullen 7-2 in the semi-finals.
The run followed his semi-final appearance on Day One in Niedernhausen, and effectively secures his qualification for next month's BoyleSports World Grand Prix.
The PDC Autumn Series continues on Wednesday with Day Five as 128 players once again be battling it out for the title on the final day of action. Watch action from two streams live through video.pdc.tv.
Full results from Day Four can be seen in the Match Centre.
PDC Autumn Series Day Four
Tuesday September 15
Last 16
Joe Cullen 6-4 Peter Wright
Derk Telnekes 6-4 James Wade
Devon Petersen 6-3 Jermaine Wattimena
Nathan Aspinall 6-5 Danny Noppert
Gerwyn Price 6-0 Ryan Murray
Mensur Suljovic 6-5 William O'Connor
Ross Smith 6-4 Krzysztof Ratajski
Ryan Searle 6-3 Jonny Clayton
Quarter-Finals
Joe Cullen 6-3 Derk Telnekes
Devon Petersen 6-2 Nathan Aspinall
Gerwyn Price 6-4 Mensur Suljovic
Ryan Searle 6-5 Ross Smith
Semi-Finals
Devon Petersen 7-2 Joe Cullen
Gerwyn Price 7-2 Ryan Searle
Final
Gerwyn Price 8-7 Devon Petersen