PHIL TAYLOR won the 2006 Holsten Premier League Darts with a 16-6 victory over Roland Scholten in the final at the Plymouth Pavilions.
 
The 2005 champion was again unbeaten during the league phase of this year's tournament, and defeated Colin Lloyd and Scholten in the play-offs to claim the £50,000 first prize.
 
After averaging 105 in an 11-3 win over Lloyd in the semi-finals, he returned to the stage to see off Dutchman Scholten in style.
 
Scholten won 11-3 against Raymond van Barneveld in a shock victory earlier in the night, but was unable to repeat the heroics against against Taylor.
 
The game was finely poised at four-all after eight legs, but Taylor won the next seven to take an unassailable lead and the title.
 
Scholten matched Taylor blow for blow early in the game, pulling back from 3-1 down to level matters with a superb 156 checkout.
 
Taylor won the seventh leg before the Dutchman hit a 180 in the next on his way to squaring the game once more.
 
But he could do little to stop a typical Taylor charge as the defending champion reeled off seven successive legs, including a 124 finish in the 11th.
 
Scholten returned from the break at 11-4 to win the next leg with double top, but Taylor restored his lead in the next before taking out 142 to go 13-5 up.
 
He edged closer to the win despite a maximum from Scholten in the next, before the Dutchman produced a 136 checkout to stay in the game at 14-6.
 
But the comeback was to be short-lived, with Taylor taking the next two legs to seal victory and the £50,000 winner's cheque.
 
"I'm very proud," said Taylor - who averaged 100.52 over 14 games since February.
 
"It was a tough final. I wanted to be consistent and had to dig in. Roland missed a couple of doubles and let me off - I knew I had to take my chances.
 
"I'm very chuffed and this win also give a little bit back to my family for the hard work I put in.
 
"To keep at this standard I have to practice harder and I'm getting more dedicated as I get older."
 
Taylor was at his blistering best in the semi-finals, leaving Lloyd trailing in his wake in a repeat of the 2005 final.

Lloyd had to produce two 11-dart legs just to respond against Taylor, who avoided the upset which had seen Raymond van Barneveld crash out in the first semi-final.
 
Van Barneveld, who lost just once in 12 league games and hit a perfect nine-dart leg in Bournemouth, lost 11-3 to fellow Dutchman Roland Scholten.
 
Scholten saved his best display of the tournament for the play-offs, averaging 104 and landing five 180's in the game, with his early 5-0 lead proving too big an obstacle for van Barneveld to climb.
 
"It was an exciting night and full credit to Phil," said Scholten. "He was tremendous.
 
"I kept up with him for the first few legs but he's so consistent and he kept on punishing me.
 
"He's been like that for over ten years. He sets the standard that we all have to reach and he deserved the title."
 
 
ROLAND SCHOLTEN 11-3 RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD
 
ROLAND SCHOLTEN produced one of the performances of his career to defeat Raymond van Barneveld 11-3 and put himself into the final of the Holsten Premier League Darts.
 
The former UK Open champion had been defeated twice by van Barneveld in the league phase, losing 8-3 on both occasions.
 
But he performed magnificently to overcome his fellow Dutchman, who was as short as 16/1-on to win the contest with some bookmakers.
 
The game started in bizarre fashion, with van Barneveld hitting a maximum in the opening leg but missing his doubles to allow Scholten to sneak into the lead.
 
However, the pair then left the stage to allow an air fan above the oche to be turned off.
 
It was Scholten who returned like a whirlwind - winning the next four legs without reply to open up a stunning 5-0 lead, including finishes of 124 and 141.
 
Van Barneveld hit back to win the next two legs, but three successive legs for Scholten - including two more ton-plus checkouts - put him six legs clear at 8-2.
 
Brilliant legs of 12 and 11 darts held off a fightback from van Barneveld and put Scholten to within one leg of the match.
 
Having allowed an 11-7 lead to slip against Phil Taylor in last year's semi-finals, seeing van Barneveld win the 13th leg with a clinical 68 finish could have set the demons running in Scholten's head.
 
But he began the next leg with a 180, and stepped in to win the leg with double eight to wrap up a famous win - with an average of 104.13 the icing on the cake for the Dutchman.
 
"Raymond is a great player but he wasn't on top form and I had to take the chance," said Scholten.
 
"I felt good about the 141 finish and knew when the 140 went in that I was in the zone."
 
Van Barneveld admitted: "I prepared well but Roland was unbelievable. He was on top form but it was a disaster for me.
 
"I've beaten Roland two times in the league but it was 0-0 going up there and you saw what can happen.
 
"I made some mistakes and I wasn't on top form. I could probably write a book about this game - I've had 23 years in darts and still don't understand it!
 
"I've enjoyed every single minute of the Premier League until tonight. I've hit a nine-darter, had some great wins and a couple of good games against Phil.
 
"But it's all about winning. I want to win every tournament I take part in and it's disappointing."
 
PHIL TAYLOR 11-3 COLIN LLOYD
 
PHIL TAYLOR romped into the final of the Holsten Premier League Darts with an 11-3 win over Colin Lloyd at the Plymouth Pavilions.
 
Lloyd was looking to follow the example of Roland Scholten in upsetting the odds, after the Dutchman's shock win over Raymond van Barneveld earlier in the evening.
 
But it was a familiar story for Lloyd, who remains without a win against Taylor in two years of the Premier League.
 
The defending champion opened in blistering form, moving 5-0 up before Lloyd could get off the mark - producing an 11-darter in the sixth leg.
 
Taylor won the next three legs without reply, landing maximums in two to put himself 8-1 up.
 
Lloyd needed to produce further legs of 13 and 11 darts to stay in the game at 9-3, but a 180 in the next could not prevent Taylor stepping in to win the leg with double 12 after his opponent could not nail double top.
 
And a brilliant 111 checkout ensured Taylor claimed a comfortable win to set up a final against Scholten.
 
"I wasn't good enough, it's as simple as that," said Lloyd. "I didn't get going and was too inconsistent.
 
"Fair play to Phil, he got up there and turned me over quite comfortably. You've got to play your best darts against him and I didn't.
 
"I won my legs with 11, 11 and 13 darts, and that just about sums it up. You think what could have been, there were flashes but it wasn't good enough and he kept punishing me.
 
"I didn't get into a rhythm but I'll come another day. My confidence is coming back and I know I've got the game to go up there and perform - this is just a blip.
 
"I got to the semi-finals and I didn't really expect that, I left it a little bit late in the league phase.
 
"I've won £20,000 but today I wasn't good enough. I haven't really been consistent enough all year.
 
"I felt good enough today and was throwing well on the practice board, but I got up on stage and there was nothing in the tank.
 
"That's when you get punished and basically it was a stroll in the park for him."