GERWYN Price claimed his first title of the year with a thrilling 8-7 defeat of Michael van Gerwen in the final of Players Championship Six in Wigan.

Having lost to Peter Wright in the final of Players Championship Five, despite averaging 109, Markham’s Price found the bullseye in the decider against van Gerwen to land his 10th PDC title.

With both players seeking a maiden title of 2020 in their first meeting of the year, Price started the stronger in the all-Premier League final to take a commanding 4-1 lead.

Van Gerwen, who hit a nine-darter in his semi-final win over Krzysztof Ratajski, fought back to trail 5-4 but was unable to find the lead as Price went 7-4 ahead.

Two 11-dart legs either side of a 15-darter saw van Gerwen take an enthralling contest all the way to a deciding leg.

With the Dutchman waiting on 36, Price took out 94 to claim only a second ever win over the world number one.

"Going into the deciding leg, with Michael throwing first, it looked like the game was gone," admitted Price, who became the sixth different winner in as many Players Championship events so far this year.

"I just wanted to make sure I gave myself a shot for the match and I made sure I took it.

"I truly believe now that if I hit my doubles I will win matches against Michael, Peter (Wright) or whoever – my scoring game is up there, if not better than them.

"If you go back to when I started out I threw the towel in and lost games like this but I stuck in there. I've played five events this year and I've got to three finals so I'm doing alright so far in 2020."

As Price was celebrating his success, PDC new boy Nick Kenny, from Cwmbran, was reflecting on a third first-round exit in four events.

After a promising opening weekend on tour in Barnsley, Kenny lost 6-0 to Dirk van Duijvenbode in event three, before an excellent run to the last 16 of event four.

However, there then followed back-to-back defeats to Jason Lowe (6-1) and Rowby-John Rodriguez (6-0) in Wigan.