PHIL TAYLOR'S run of success in the Bobby Bourn Memorial Players Championship continued with victory in Saturday's tournament at the Winter Gardens.

Taylor has won the pre-World Matchplay event - named in memory of the late PDC official - for five successive years, after another superb display of darts.

He dropped only one set in the final, and won his three sets without reply against his former practice partner to warm up in style for the defence of his Stan James World Matchplay title and suggest that he is returning to top form.

Taylor took out 79 to in the opening leg of the match, and then punished a poor leg from Lewis, on his own throw, to take out double eight for the first set.

Lewis kicked off the second set with a maximum, but Taylor replied in kind and broke the throw again with a 12-darter.

Lewis hit back with a 12-darter of his own, including a second 180 of the game, and then added a third on his way to the deciding leg, punishing two missed darts from Taylor to land double ten and level the match.

An 11-darter from Taylor put him ahead in set three, and three missed doubles from Lewis allowed him to move 2-1 up in the game.

Lewis was also off-target on double top for the opening leg of set four, with Taylor stepping in to move 1-0 up with a two-dart 84 finish.

He then wrapped up the win in style, opening the next leg with a 180 followed by scores of 140 and 135, before taking out double 16 for victory.

Taylor produced some outstanding darts early in the day to soar past Kirk Shepherd, Jason Clark, PDC newcomer Chris Thompson and Steve Smith, and defeated long-term rival John Part 3-1 in the quarter-finals.

Perhaps his toughest game came in the semi-finals, as Wayne Atwood pushed him to a deciding fifth set.

Atwood's run followed his success on Friday night when he qualified for the World Darts Trophy, and he whitewashed fellow Welshman Barrie Bates in the quarter-finals.

Wales' Richie Burnett completed a good day for his fellow countryman with an early win against number ten seed Andy Hamilton.

Terry Jenkins and Roland Scholten were other leading players to fall at the first hurdle, losing to Bob Crawley and Dave Smith respectively.

Lewis knocked out World Champion Raymond van Barneveld 3-1 in the quarter-finals, and failed to drop a leg in his semi-final rout of Alan Tabern.
 

RESULTS
Bobby Bourn Memorial Players Championship Results