TheOche.com

Ronnie Baxter claimed his first PDC Pro Tour win for a year with victory over Jamie 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 Bates 3-0 John Jenkinson
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 Bates 3-1 Brendan Dolan
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 Bates 3-0 Mervyn King
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 Bates 3-1 Wayne Mardle
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