Rocket wins in Wales

RONNIE BAXTER claimed his first PDC Pro Tour win for a year with victory over Red Dragon Darts sponsoredJamie Caven in Saturday^s Players Championship in Newport.

Blackpool-based Baxter has lost twice in Players Championship finals this year, but picked up his first title since the 2007 Windy City Open event with a whitewash of Caven in the Wales final.

He powered through the field in Newport, defeating Francis Mellor and Joe Cullen without dropping a set before defeating Germany^s Michael Rosenauer 3-1 in the last 32.

Baxter also saw off Sam Rooney and Matt Clark and defeated Ireland^s James Keogh 3-1 in the semi-finals.

He then swept past Caven without dropping a leg to claim the £5,000 first prize.

Leicester-based Caven^s run to the final improved his chances of qualifying for the Sky Poker World Grand Prix, with only Sunday^s Players Championship remaining before the 32 players are confirmed.

Matt Clark^s quarter-final appearance and a run to the last 16 for Steve Beaton gave them hope of breaking into the 12 places reserved for the Players Championship Order of Merit.

James Keogh^s run to the semi-finals puts him on course to qualify for a second successive World Grand Prix as one of the best four players in the Players Championship Order of Merit from Ireland & Northern Ireland.

Stephen Hardy, nicknamed ^Nutcracker^, enjoyed a run to his first ever PDC Pro Tour quarter-final before losing to Manley, while St Helens youngster Michael Smith and Tony Ayres were newcomers in the last 16.

Welsh Players Championship (Saturday)

Preliminary Round

Aaron Turner Bye (Chris Beeston)

Kelvin Painter 3-0 Steve Randall

Peter Aleman 3-2 Dave Askew

Dave Honey 3-2 Chris Cooper

Tony Littleton 3-1 Chris Hook

Darren Richardson 3-1 Andy Relf

Danny Pinhorne 3-1 Karl Loiseau

Jamie Caven 3-1 Tom Martin

Jan van der Rassel 3-0 Alan Warriner-Little

Steve Johnson 3-0 Chris Daglish

Ian Jopling 3-2 John Quantock

Brendan Dolan 3-0 Geoff Wylie

Robbie Newland 3-1 Lionel Sams

Steve Maish 3-1 Justin Pipe

Andy Howarth Bye (John Kuczynski)

Kevin Harris 3-1 Mark Tiller

Colin Monk 3-1 Mark Jones

Lee Gregory 3-1 Andy Mason

Michael Rosenauer 3-1 Peter Walford

Co Stompe 3-0 Geoff Whitworth

Danny King 3-1 David Nelson

Dave Smith 3-0 Ian Eames

Steve Cusick 3-2 Dickie Foster

Wayne Atwood 3-0 Mark Carter

Chris Allen 3-0 Shane Passey

First Round

Matt Sheehan Bye (Phil Taylor)

Stephen Hardy 3-0 Ricky Williams

David Platt 3-1 Gary Mawson

Aaron Turner 3-2 Jacko Barry

Vincent van der Voort 3-0 Ben Simpson

Jason Clark 3-0 Martin Burchell

Chris Mason 3-0 Steve Grubb

Kelvin Painter 3-0 Peter Aleman

Alan Tabern 3-0 Mike Herold

Owen Caffrey Bye (Jonathan Overton)

Alex Roy 3-0 Alan Weist

Dave Honey 3-1 Tony Littleton

Peter Manley 3-0 Jon Archer

Carlos Rodriguez 3-0 Darren Green

Wayne Jones 3-2 Alan Reynolds

Danny Pinhorne 3-1 Darren Richardson

Andy Hamilton 3-2 Jelle Klaasen

Chris Thompson 3-1 Lee White

Mick McGowan 3-1 Paul Anthony

Jamie Caven 3-0 Matt Gallett

Kevin Painter 3-0 Nick Fulwell

Tony Ayres 3-2 Ben Burton

Andy Smith 3-1 David Davies

Steve Johnson 3-1 Jan van der Rassel

Wayne Mardle 3-0 Darren Latham

Steve Evans 3-0 James Barton

Jim Leighton 3-2 Michael van Gerwen

Alan Caves 3-0 Ian Jopling

Mervyn King 3-0 Gary Welding

Mark Frost 3-2 Steve Hine

Barrie

Brendan Dolan 3-2 Robbie Newland

James Wade 3-0 Dave Ansell

Jim Withers 3-1 Joey Palfreyman

Matt Clark 3-0 Robert Watson-Lang

Steve Maish 3-2 Frazer Hill

Mark Dudbridge 3-0 Darren Johnson

Louis Blundell 3-1 Mick Savvery

Simon Whatley 3-1 Kirk Shepherd

Kevin Harris 3-2 Andy Howarth

Kevin Dowling 3-2 Roland Scholten

Sam Rooney 3-1 Mark Layton

Wes Newton 3-1 Davey Mansell

Colin Monk 3-1 Gary Barnett

Ronnie Baxter 3-0 Francis Mellor

Joe Cullen 3-0 Russell Mason

Adrian Gray 3-0 Sean Palfrey

Michael Rosenauer 3-1 Lee Gregory

Colin Lloyd 3-2 Kevin McDine

Ian Perkins 3-1 Colin Wonnacott

Steve Beaton 3-0 Steve Musson

Co Stompe Bye (Richie Burnett)

Colin Osborne 3-0 Carl Minter

Norman Fletcher Bye (Chris Sargeant)

Mark Walsh 3-0 Jimmy O^Regan

Dave Smith 3-2 Danny King

Michael Smith 3-1 Terry Jenkins

Andrew Davies 3-2 Mark Jodrill

Tony Eccles 3-1 Peter Wright

Michael Barnard 3-1 Steve Cusick

Denis Ovens 3-1 Steve Brown

James Keogh 3-1 John MaGowan

Robert Thornton 3-1 Andy Jenkins

Wayne Atwood 3-0 Chris Allen

Second Round

Stephen Hardy 3-0 Matt Sheehan

David Platt 3-1 Aaron Turner

Vincent van der Voort 3-1 Jason Clark

Chris Mason 3-1 Kelvin Painter

Alan Tabern 3-1 Owen Caffrey

Alex Roy 3-0 Dave Honey

Peter Manley 3-1 Carlos Rodriguez

Danny Pinhorne 3-2 Wayne Jones

Andy Hamilton 3-1 Chris Thompson

Jamie Caven 3-0 Mick McGowan

Tony Ayres 3-2 Kevin Painter

Andy Smith 3-1 Steve Johnson

Wayne Mardle 3-1 Steve Evans

Alan Caves 3-1 Jim Leighton

Mervyn King 3-1 Mark Frost

Barrie

James Wade 3-0 Jim Withers

Matt Clark 3-1 Steve Maish

Mark Dudbridge 3-1 Louis Blundell

Simon Whatley 3-2 Kevin Harris

Sam Rooney 3-2 Kevin Dowling

Colin Monk 3-0 Wes Newton

Ronnie Baxter 3-0 Joe Cullen

Michael Rosenauer 3-1 Adrian Gray

Colin Lloyd 3-0 Ian Perkins

Steve Beaton 3-2 Co Stompe

Colin Osborne 3-0 Norman Fletcher

Mark Walsh 3-0 Dave Smith

Michael Smith 3-0 Andrew Davies

Michael Barnard 3-2 Tony Eccles

James Keogh 3-2 Denis Ovens

Wayne Atwood 3-1 Robert Thornton

Losers £75

Third Round

Stephen Hardy 3-2 David Platt

Vincent van der Voort 3-2 Chris Mason

Alan Tabern 3-0 Alex Roy

Peter Manley 3-1 Danny Pinhorne

Jamie Caven 3-0 Andy Hamilton

Tony Ayres 3-2 Andy Smth

Wayne Mardle 3-0 Alan Caves

Barrie

Matt Clark 3-0 James Wade

Mark Dudbridge 3-2 Simon Whatley

Sam Rooney 3-2 Colin Monk

Ronnie Baxter 3-1 Michael Rosenauer

Steve Beaton 3-1 Colin Lloyd

Colin Osborne 3-1 Mark Walsh

Michael Smith 3-1 Michael Barnard

James Keogh 3-0 Wayne Atwood

Losers £150

Fourth Round

Stephen Hardy 3-2 Vincent van der Voort

Peter Manley 3-1 Alan Tabern

Jamie Caven 3-0 Tony Ayres

Barrie

Matt Clark 3-1 Mark Dudbridge

Ronnie Baxter 3-0 Sam Rooney

Colin Osborne 3-1 Steve Beaton

James Keogh 3-1 Michael Smith

Losers £300

Quarter-Finals

Peter Manley 3-0 Stephen Hardy (2-0, 2-0, 2-1)

Jamie Caven 3-0 Barrie Bates (2-0, 2-0, 2-0)

Ronnie Baxter 3-1 Matt Clark (2-1, 0-2, 2-0, 2-1)

James Keogh 3-1 Colin Osborne (1-2, 2-1, 2-0, 2-1)

Losers £600

Semi-Finals

Jamie Caven 3-1 Peter Manley (2-1, 2-0, 1-2, 2-0)

Ronnie Baxter 3-1 James Keogh (1-2, 2-1, 2-0, 2-1)

Losers £1,250

Final

Ronnie Baxter 3-0 Jamie Caven (2-0, 2-0, 2-0)

Winner £5,000

Runner-Up £2,500

News Updates

Preliminary Round

Wales

Co Stompe wins 3-0 against Geoff Whitworth.

Wayne Atwood overcomes Mark Carter in straight sets, while Dave Honey defeats Chris Cooper in a decider.

Danny King wins 3-1 against David Nelson, with Darren Richardson and Lee Gregory progressing by the same scoreline.

Steve Maish, a semi-finalist last week in the Windy City Open Players Championship, defeats Justin Pipe 3-1.

Colin Monk and Kevin Harris come through with 3-1 wins, while Steve Cusick wins 3-2 against Dickie Foster and Dave Smith and Chris Allen progress with straight sets victories.

Holland

First Round

Stephen Hardy wins in straight sets against youngster Ricky Williams.

David Platt defeats America^s Gary Mawson 3-1.

Colin Lloyd edges out Kevin McDine in five sets.

Youngster Michael Smith defeats Terry Jenkins 3-1.

Andy Hamilton comes from 2-1 down to defeat Jelle Klaasen in a decider.

Peter Manley defeats Jon Archer 3-0.

Kevin Dowling overcomes Roland Scholten 3-2.

Mark Dudbridge opens his challenge with straight sets win over Darren Johnson.

Colin Osborne and Ronnie Baxter kick off with 3-0 wins over Carl Minter and Francis Mellor.

Ian Perkins sets up clash with Colin Lloyd with 3-1 defeat of Colin Wonnacott.

Joe Cullen knocks out Russell Mason in straight sets, while Louis Blundell wins 3-1 against Mick Savvery.

Chris Thompson and Mick McGowan move through on board five with 3-1 wins over Lee White and Paul Anthony.

Sam Rooney wins 3-1 against Mark Layton, and will play Dowling in the last 64.

Kevin Painter defeats Nick Fulwell in straight sets and will play Tony Ayres, who edged out Ben Burton 3-2, in round two.

Wayne Mardle and Mervyn King open with 3-0 wins, while Mark Frost is a narrow winner over Steve Hine.

Jim Leighton defeats Michael van Gerwen in five sets, after the Dutch youngster came from two sets down to level before missing four darts to win the game in the deciding leg.

Jason Clark, returning to action following a shoulder injury, wins 3-0 against Martin Burchell.

Carlos Rodriguez^s straight sets win over Darren Green sets up match with Peter Manley.

Welshman Barrie Bates defeats John Jenkinson in straight sets, and Adrian Gray also moves into second round by same scoreline.

Wes Newton wins 3-1 against Davey Mansell.

Robert Thornton wins 3-1 against Andy Jenkins to move into round two, with Tony Eccles defeating Peter Wright in the same manner.

Wayne Atwood will meet Thornton in round two after 3-0 win over Chris Allen.

Brendan Dolan sneaks deciding leg win over Robbie Newland to earn second round match with Bates.

Kevin Harris sets up second round contest with Simon Whatley after 3-2 win over Andy Howarth.

Second Round

Colin Lloyd moves into last 32 with 3-0 win over Ian Perkins.

Stephen Hardy also reaches round three, defeating Matt Sheehan 3-0.

David Platt will face Hardy in the board one final, following his 3-1 win over Aaron Turner.

Steve Beaton edges past Co Stompe 3-2 and will play Lloyd in round three, with the Dutchman missing seven match darts in the decider.

Alan Tabern sees off Ireland^s Owen Caffrey 3-1, with Andy Hamilton and Wayne Mardle winning by the same scoreline against Chris Thompson and Steve Evans.

Vincent van der Voort defeats James Clark 3-1 to progress, while Peter Manley enjoys the same result against Spain^s Carlos Rodriguez.

Alex Roy takes straight sets win over Dave Honey and will meet Tabern in board three final.

James Wade wins in straight sets against Jim Withers to reach last 32.

St Helens

Colin Osborne progresses in straight sets against Norman Fletcher, while Ronnie Baxter is another 3-0 winner, against Joe Cullen.

Jamie Caven knocks out Mick McGowan 3-0 to set up board five final against Hamilton.

Alan

Mark Dudbridge wins 3-1 against Louis Blundell to reach round three.

Danny Pinhorne comes from 2-1 down to defeat Wayne Jones narrowly.

Mark Walsh defeats Yorkshire^s Dave Smith 3-0 to move into last 32.

Ireland

Tony Ayres defeats Kevin Painter 3-2.

Chris Mason^s 3-1 win over Kelvin Painter sets up board two final with van der Voort.

Matt Clark wins 3-1 against Steve Maish, while Colin Monk is straight sets winner over Wes Newton.

Simon Whatley sets up board ten final with Mark Dudbridge after narrow win over Kevin Harris.

Michael Barnard knocks out Tony Eccles with 3-2 victory.

Wayne Atwood overcomes Robert Thornton 3-1 to reach last 32.

Third Round

Stephen Hardy is first name into last 16 following narrow 3-2 win over David Platt.

Steve Beaton moves into last 16 with 3-1 win over Colin Lloyd, the Windy City Open Players Championship winner last week.

Alan Tabern defeats Alex Roy 3-0 to win board three, while Jamie Caven and Wayne Mardle move into last 16 by the same scoreline against Andy Hamilton and Alan Caves.

Peter Manley reaches last 16 with 3-1 win over Danny Pinhorne.

Barrie Bates defeats Mervyn King without dropping a set.

Ronnie Baxter defeats Germany^s Michael Rosenauer 3-1, while Colin Osborne moves into last 16 with 3-1 win over Mark Walsh.

Holland

James Wade is knocked out in straights by Matt Clark.

Sam Rooney overcomes Colin Monk in five sets.

Tony Ayres sets up last 16 clash with Caven thanks to 3-2 win over Andy Smith.

James Keogh reaches last 16 with straight sets win over Wayne Atwood.

Michael Smith qualifies for maiden last 16 place with 3-1 win over Michael Barnard.

Mark Dudbridge completes fourth round line-up with five-set defeat of Simon Whatley, setting up a clash with Matt Clark.

Fourth Round

Peter Manley defeats Alan Tabern 3-1 to qualify for the quarter-finals for just the second time this year.

Barrie Bates reaches his first quarter-final of the year with 3-1 win over Wayne Mardle.

Ronnie Baxter powers past Sam Rooney with 3-0 victory.

Colin Osborne defeats Steve Beaton 3-1 to reach quarter-finals.

Stephen Hardy, nicknamed "Nutcracker", reaches first PDC Pro Tour quarter-final with narrow defeat of Vincent van der Voort.

James Caven wins in straight sets against Tony Ayres, putting him into the quarter-finals of a Pro Tour event for the first time.

James Keogh ends Michael Smith^s excellent day with 3-1 win, putting the Irishman into his first quarter-final.

Matt Clark and Mark Dudbridge shared 11 maximums in eight legs, with Clark moving into the last eight with a 3-1 win.

Quarter-Finals

Jamie Caven reaches maiden PDC Pro Tour semi-final with whitewash victory over Barrie Bates.

Peter Manley^s best PDC Pro Tour run of the year continues with straight sets victory over Stephen Hardy, dropping just one leg in a comprehensive win.

Irishman James Keogh comes from a set down to defeat Colin Osborne 3-1 and move into his first PDC Pro Tour semi-final.

Ronnie Baxter reaches his fourth Players Championship semi-final of the year with 3-1 win over Matt Clark, winning four of the final five legs to take the win.

Semi-Finals

Jamie Caven wins through to his first PDC Pro Tour final with 3-1 win over Peter Manley. Caven took four of the opening five legs - including a 167 finish in the opening leg - to open up a two-set cushion before Manley edged the third, but the Leicester man took the fourth without reply to seal victory and a minimum £2,500 payout.

Ronnie Baxter won through to his third Players Championship final of the year with a 3-1 defeat of James Keogh. Keogh took the first set 2-1, before Baxter edged the second and then won the third without reply. The Blackpool-based star then took the fourth in a deciding leg to book his place in the final.