DARYL GURNEY admitted he “found something extra” to claimed his first Pro Tour title of the year in Barnsley.
The Northern Irishman defeated Nathan Aspinall 8-5 in the final to end his wait for a Players Championship event win stretching back to April 2017.
Current holder of the Players Championship Finals title, Gurney produced a string of dominant displays throughout the day, winning all seven games by at least three legs.
He said: “It feels too long since last winning a Players Championship event, I often struggle and don’t bring my A-game.
“This week everything went great for me and I found something extra. I kicked in well with plenty of 180s to give myself opportunities which I took.
“These events are harder to win than TV tournaments; you can play an unbelievable game and then you’re straight back into your next game just a few minutes later.”
Gurney, a runner-up at Players Championship Seven in March, cleaned up 45 to land the first break of the match in leg ten to go 6-4 in front.
The Northern Irishman then fired in his fifth and sixth 180s of the contest as he kept Aspinall at bay, before taking out 44 to seal the £10,000 top prize.
Gurney’s day began with victories over Darren Webster, Steve Lennon and Mervyn King before seeing off Jelle Klaasen to reach the quarter-finals.
Harry Ward and James Wilson both made the last 64 on Saturday, losing out to Geert Nentjes and Peter Wright respectively.
Gurney and Jamie Hughes were KO’d at the last 32 stage on Sunday, James Wilson, Jamie Bain and Kevin Burness losing out in the last 64.
By Phil Lanning.