Phil Taylor shrugged off a determined challenge from young pretender Mark Dudbridge to capture his 12th world title at the Circus Tavern in Purfleet tonight.
'The Power' produced a typical surge to win three consecutive sets and ultimately run out a 7-4 winner after being given plenty of problems by the emerging Bristol star.
Before the match, 44-year-old Taylor had complained of tiredness and when the first six sets were shared it looked like Taylor was vulnerable to the player nicknamed 'Flash'.
Dudbridge kept banging in maximum scores of 180 to pressurise the title-holder, ending the final with 14 in all, but at 3-3 Taylor moved through the gears as he sensed an upset in the making.
A 128 checkout made it 5-3 and at the end of a ninth set of the highest quality, when Dudbridge appeared poised to reduce his arrears, Taylor clicked out on 84 with an 11-dart leg to put himself on the brink of victory.
However, it was merely delaying the inevitable as Taylor wrapped it up at the first opportunity, checking out on 101 with his first match dart to secure the £60,000 winner's cheque.
