SIMON WHITLOCK claimed his first PDC title for over two years after a comeback victory against Ronny Huybrechts in the final of Players Championship 18 in Dublin.
Having earlier ended Michael van Gerwen’s winning streak – which had seen the world number one go 51 ranking matches unbeaten – Whitlock went on to clinch the £10,000 first prize and his first title since June 2014.
‘The Wizard’ saw off Matthew Edgar, Yordi Meeuwisse and Brendan Dolan to set up a last 16 clash with number one seed van Gerwen, who had won the last eight ranking events he had played in.
But some fabulous finishing, including checkouts of 146 and a match-winning 126, helped Whitlock progress to the quarter-finals.
There, he defeated Justin Pipe before a 6-1 win against Steve West set up a decider with Belgium’s Huybrechts.
The Australian ace fell 3-0 behind in the final but fought back with some stunning darts, including back-to-back legs with seven and eight perfect darts.
Huybrechts moved 5-3 in front but Whitlock won the last three legs to taste victory again.
“This means so much to me,” said Whitlock, who has dropped to 20th on the PDC Order of Merit. “I feel like this has been coming and today was the day it all came good, but this is the start of me getting back to my best.
“I played fantastic darts all day but I got nervous towards the end of the final. I want to use this win as motivation to get back to where I was a few years ago.
“It’s been a really tough couple of years but I’ve worked so hard and it is starting to pay off finally.”
Whitlock is next in action at the World Grand Prix, where he faces Joe Cullen on Tuesday.