Dave Chisnall has bounced back to form in style to win Players Championship Six in Hildesheim.
The St Helens thrower had failed to reach the quarter-final of any ranking tournament during the 2024 campaign before prevailing in Germany on Tuesday.
Although Chisnall avoided many of the big names, he still had to work hard for his success, coming through a last-leg decider with Cameron Menzies in his first-round match.
Chisnall progressed through his last-16 contest with Dom Taylor courtesy of a 112.02 average, helping him to a 6-3 win, before Martin Schindler and Ross Smith were defeated in the quarter-final and semi-final respectively.
Dirk van Duijvenbode awaited him in the final with the Dutchman starting to get back to his best form after a persistent shoulder issue during 2023.
The Dutchman whitewashed Mensur Suljovic in his opening game, while he came through last-leg deciders before the last 16 and semi-finals to see off James Wade, Danny Jansen and Daryl Gurney.
In the final, though, Chisnall won the first three legs and never let that lead slip, with the pivotal moment coming in leg 12 when he took out 135 after Van Duijvenbode had missed two darts for 6-6.
A 16-dart break of throw sealed the victory for Chisnall, who moves three places up the PDC Order of Merit to sit in seventh position.
Van Duijvenbode is back into 12th spot, his run to the final also potentially proving crucial to remain in the top 16 ahead of the World Matchplay.
