After overcoming the hurdle of reaching a final after seven missed attempts, Damon Heta has claimed the title at Players Championship 14 defeating first time finalist, Luke Woodhouse in the final in Hildesheim.
It is a seventh PDC title for the perennial Aussie winner who will look to win again with Simon Whitlock defending his World Cup of Darts crown starting on Thursday.
Heta sealed it 8-2 and while neither player produced their best, it is a big confidence boost going into the rest of the week.
Heta took an early 2-0 lead with a break of throw setting up double eight from 144 and finally pinning double two. He continued to pile the pressure on and had a chance to break again for 4-0 but spurned it and Woodhouse made it 3-1.
But it was 4-1 in the end to Heta who went halfway to the finish. Just as it looked like Heta was running away, Woodhouse hit 180 and 76. But Heta regained composure and surged one away to 7-2 and claimed it from there. After missing 120, he returned for another two match darts hitting double 20.
Players Championship 14 Results
Last 16
Luke Woodhouse (101.24) 6 | 3 (102.33) Jose De Sousa
Danny Noppert (89.59) 6 | 3 (94.28) Rusty-Jake Rodriguez
Mensur Suljovic (85.46) 6 | 4 (89.94) Ross Smith
Andrew Gilding (95.73) 6 | 2 (81.27) Richard Veenstra
Mario Vandenbogaerde (92.68) 6 | 1 (78.33) Jeffrey Sparidaans
Christian Kist (94.25) 6 | 3 (90.71) Niels Zonneveld
Damon Heta (89.77) 6 | 4 (80.00) Bradley Brooks
Mickey Mansell (96.52) 6 | 3 (87.07) Stephen Burton
Quarter-Finals
Luke Woodhouse (86.45) 6 | 4 (89.65) Danny Noppert
Mensur Suljovic (103.93) 6 | 4 (87.97) Andrew Gilding
Mario Vandenbogaerde (82.27) 2 | 6 (86.33) Christian Kist
Damon Heta (100.20) 6 | 0 (77.75) Mickey Mansell
Semi-Finals
Luke Woodhouse (82.55) 7 | 2 (78.45) Mensur Suljovic
Damon Heta (92.50) 7 | 4 (94.58) Christian Kist
Final
Luke Woodhouse (77.09) 2 | 8 (89.83) Damon Heta