In an emphatic performance, White averaged 106.2 and landed four 180s as he swept past the world number one, with the pinnacle of his performance coming with an 11-darter in the fifth leg, whilst he also registered a 108 checkout as he powered to the title.

The victory was White’s first for six months since he also picked up a Players Championship victory in Dublin, as he eased past Ronnie Baxter, Steve Hine and Scott Dale to reach the last 32, before beating Jermaine Wattimena, Josh Payne and Robbie Green to reach the final.

It was there that he produced his best darts as he quickly claimed all six legs to dispose of Dutch ace van Gerwen. The victory is just the third time that White has beaten the world number one, and the first time since 2012.

Friday’s winner van Gerwen, who was hunting his ninth tournament title of 2016, continued his scintillating form to reach his fourth Players Championship final in succession and third of the weekend. However, the Dutchman would suffer a second successive defeat in the final after losing to compatriot Benito van de Pas in Saturday’s decider.

On his way to the final, he defeated Nathan Derry in his opening game before squeezing past Paul Nicholson and Kevin Painter to reach the last 32. There, van Gerwen made light work of the in-form Daryl Gurney in a 6-0 thumping before comfortably beating Keegan Brown and Dave Chisnall to reach the set-up the final showdown with White.

Elsewhere, the run to the semi-finals capped a wonderful weekend for 41-year-old Green, having reached the same stage in Players Championship Three on Friday before losing out to van Gerwen. He stormed past Andy Parsons and Mervyn King in his opening games on Sunday, before a succession of 6-5 victories saw him see off Brendan Dolan, second seed Peter Wright and Cristo Reyes to reach the final four, where White this time proved too strong.

Following his recent elimination from the Betway Premier League, it was a confidence-boosting weekend for Dave Chisnall as he reached the final four on Sunday after making the quarter-finals in Players Championship Four on Saturday. Youngster Payne, who won a Unicorn Development Tour event in March, continued his form as he saw off a number of seeded players to reach the quarter-finals of a ProTour event for just the second time.

After narrowly squeezing past Peter Hudson in his opening game, he then saw off third seed and world number eight Michael Smith 6-3 in the second round before a win over John Henderson and an excellent 6-1 victory against Gerwyn Price moved him into the final eight. Spanish ace Reyes won through to a ProTour quarter-final for the first time with his run on Sunday.

Former World Youth Champion Keegan Brown enjoyed his best finish on the senior circuit since July. Following the treble-header of events in Barnsley over the weekend, Saturday’s champion van de Pas moves into the PDC Order of Merit’s top 20 for the first time, while Alan Norris moved up from 33rd to 30th in the world rankings.

Players Championship Five

Sunday April 10, Barnsley Metrodome

First Round
Michael van Gerwen (1) 6-2 Nathan Derry
Paul Nicholson 6-3 Nigel Daniels
Mickey Mansell 6-5 Max Hopp (32)
Kevin Painter 6-5 Terry Temple
Daryl Gurney (16) 6-2 Dirk van Duijvenbode
Mick Todd 6-5 Johnny Haines
Justin Pipe (17) 6-2 Andy Boulton
Andrew Gilding 6-4 Steve West
Jelle Klaasen (8) 6-5 Dimitri van den Bergh
Berry van Peer 6-4 Dave Ladley
Chris Dobey 6-4 Jamie Caven (25)
William O’Connor 6-5 Jonathan Worsley
Ryan Palmer 6-3 Terry Jenkins (9)
Nathan Aspinall 6-5 Lee Evans
Keegan Brown (24) 6-3 Matthew Dennant
Jason Lovett 6-1 Mark Frost
Dave Chisnall (5) 6-5 Andy Smith
Vincent Kamphuis 6-3 Matthew Edgar
Kyle Anderson (28) 6-3 Paul Milford
Andy Hamilton 6-3 Robert Owen
James Wilson 6-4 Stephen Bunting (12)
Ryan Meikle 6-3 Kim Viljanen
Jamie Lewis (21) 6-3 Haruki Murumatsu
Kevin Dowling 6-4 Shaun Griffiths
Kim Huybrechts (4) 6-3 Ross Smith
Ronny Huybrechts 6-4 Stephen Willard
Mike Zuidwijk 6-4 Ricky Evans (29)
Magnus Caris 6-5 Mark Walsh
Simon Whitlock (13) 6-0 Harry Robinson
Richie Corner 6-3 Jason Wilson
Jeffrey De Zwaan 6-3 Mark Webster (20)
Jason Marriott 6-4 Darren Johnson
Peter Wright (2) 6-1 Mike De Decker
Darren Webster 6-4 Wayne Jones
David Pallett (31) 6-3 Prakash Jiwa
Darren Brown 6-5 Wes Newton
Mervyn King (15) 6-2 Curtis Hammond
Robbie Green 6-3 Andy Parsons
Brendan Dolan (18) 6-3 Ray Campbell
Brett Claydon 6-5 Brian Woods
Ron Meulenkamp 6-4 Benito van de Pas (7)
Christian Kist 6-3 Jay Foreman
Rowby-John Rodriguez (26) 6-5 Alan Tabern
Nigel Heiden 6-3 Dick van Dijk
Mensur Suljovic (10) 6-0 Stephen McNally
Cristo Reyes 6-3 John Bowles
John Part 6-2 Joe Cullen (23)
Johan Artut 6-5 Jim Walker
Ian White (6) 6-3 Ronnie Baxter
Steve Hine 6-4 Ted Evetts
Joe Murnan (27) 6-5 James Richardson
Scott Dale 6-0 Simon Preston
Robert Thornton (11) 6-4 Matt Clark
Jermaine Wattimena 6-2 Mick McGowan
Steve Beaton (22) 6-2 Jonny Clayton
Devon Petersen 6-3 Tony Newell
Michael Smith (3) 6-4 Dean Winstanley
Josh Payne 6-5 Peter Hudson
John Henderson (30) 6-3 Mark Barilli
Jan Dekker 6-3 Simon Stevenson
Alan Norris (14) 6-1 Jamie Robinson
Jeffrey De Graaf 6-0 Stuart Kellett
Gerwyn Price (19) 6-3 Yordi Meeuwisse
Andy Jenkins 6-3 Dennis Smith

Second Round
Michael van Gerwen (1) 6-4 Paul Nicholson
Kevin Painter 6-1 Mickey Mansell
Daryl Gurney (16) 6-0 Mick Todd
Andrew Gilding 6-3 Justin Pipe (17)
Berry van Peer 6-5 Jelle Klaasen (8)
Chris Dobey 6-1 William O’Connor
Nathan Aspinall 6-2 Ryan Palmer
Keegan Brown (24) 6-3 Jason Lovett
Dave Chisnall (5) 6-1 Vincent Kamphuis
Kyle Anderson (28) 6-4 Andy Hamilton
Ryan Meikle 6-1 James Wilson
Jamie Lewis (21) 6-2 Kevin Dowling
Ronny Huybrechts 6-4 Kim Huybrechts (4)
Mike Zuydwijk 6-5 Magnus Caris
Simon Whitlock (13) 6-1 Richie Corner
Jeffrey de Zwaan 6-5 Jason Marriott
Peter Wright (2) 6-4 Darren Webster
Darron Brown 6-4 David Pallet (31)
Robbie Green 6-0 Mervyn King (15)
Brendan Dolan (18) 6-2 Brett Claydon
Ron Meulenkamp 6-5 Christian Kist
Rowby-John Rodiriguez (26) 6-5 Nigel Heydon
Cristo Reyes 6-1 Mensur Suljovic (10)
Jyhan Artut 6-4 John Part
Ian White (6) 6-4 Steve Hine
Scott Dale 6-0 Joe Murnan (27)
Jermiane Wattimena 6-3 Robert Thornton (11)
Devon Petersen 6-4 Steve Beaton (22)
Josh Payne 6-3 Michael Smith (3)
John Henderson (30) 6-4Jan Dekker
Alan Norris (14) 6-3 Jeffrey de Graaf
Gerwyn Price (19) 6-3 Andy Jenkins
Losers £500

Third Round
Michael van Gerwen (1) 6-3 Kevin Painter
Daryl Gurney (16) 6-5 Andrew Gilding
Chris Dobey 6-1 Berry van Peer
Keegan Brown (24) 6-3 Nathan Aspinall
Dave Chisnall (5) 6-2 Kyle Anderson (28)
Jamie Lewis (21) 6-3 Ryan Meikle
Ronny Huybrechts v Mike Zuydwijk
Simon Whitlock (13) 6-4 Jeffrey de Zwaan
Peter Wright (2) 6-1 Darron Brown
Robbie Green 6-5 Brendan Dolan (18)
Ron Meulenkamp 6-3 Rowby-John Rodriguez (26)
Cristo Reyes 6-5 Jyhan Artut
Ian White (6) 6-4 Scott Dale
Jermaine Wattimena 6-5 Devon Petersen
Josh Payne 6-4 John Henderson (30)
Gerwyn Price (19) 6-4 Alan Norris (14)
Losers £1,000

Fourth Round
Michael van Gerwen 6-0 Daryl Gurney
Keegan Brown 6-5 Chris Dobey
Dave Chisnal 6-4 Jamie Lewis
Ronny Huybrechts 4-6 Simon Whitlock
Robbie Green 6-5 Peter Wright
Ron Meulenkamp 4-6 Cristo Reyes
Ian White 6-4 Jermaine Wattimena
Josh Payne 6-1 Gerwyn Price
Losers £1,500

Quarter-Finals
Michael van Gerwen 6-3 Keegan Brown
Dave Chisnal 6-3 Simon Whitlock
Robbie Green 6-5 Cristo Reyes
Ian White 6-3 Josh Payne
Losers £2,250

Semi-Finals
Michael van Gerwen 6-1 Dave Chisnall
Ian White 6-4 Robbie Green
Losers £3,000

Final
Michael van Gerwen 0-6 Ian White
Winner £10,000
Runner-Up £6,000