Michael van Gerwen has recorded an 11-6 victory over Rob Cross to win the Players Championship Finals for the seventh time.
Having bowed out at the quarter-final stage of the Grand Slam of Darts earlier this month, the world number three was motivated to lift a fourth major trophy of the year.
The Dutchman endured a tough run through to the final, having to overcome Dimitri van den Bergh, Danny Noppert and Luke Humphries.
However, Van Gerwen produced some of his best darts of the year in the final against Cross, recording a nine-dart leg in the third leg.
The 33-year-old hit six perfect darts in four separate legs, while he also lit up the final with a 170 checkout after Cross had pegged him back to 7-6.
THAT IS RIDICULOUS! 🤯
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) November 27, 2022
Van Gerwen follows up his nine-darter in leg three with an incredible 170 checkout to move 8-6 ahead!
Cross fires in back-to-back 180s but misses two darts to level, and he pays a heavy price!#PCFDarts | Final
📺 https://t.co/vT4iiTnmZU pic.twitter.com/WIvkz6VCCY
That proved to be the pivotal moment of the contest in Minehead, and Van Gerwen eventually wrapped up the win with an average of 99.92, lower than Cross's 100.33 with the Englishman also hitting 11 180s.
Despite the win, Van Gerwen remains well adrift of Gerwyn Price and Peter Wright in the PDC Order of Merit, but Cross has progressed into sixth spot.
The biggest mover in the top 16 is Jonny Clayton, whose semi-final appearance has led to an improvement of 10th to seventh.
Ahead of tomorrow's World Championship draw, Ryan Searle breaks into the world's top 16, while Raymond van Barneveld has edged into the top 32, setting up the prospect of a second-round meeting with Price at Alexandra Palace.
Darren Plant
