Joe Cullen defeated the world number one and two as he triumphed on the opening day of the latest Super Series while Jose de Sousa posted a remarkable average of 127.
The Rockstar swept aside over Michael van Gerwen, who is still without a title of any kind in 2021, to reach his third Players Championship final of the season but only needed an average of 93.7 to seal a 7-2 triumph.
Cullen then came up against world champion Gerwyn Price and despite missing three match darts in the 13th leg, he held his nerve in the next to run out a 8-6 winner and pick up his second title of 2021.
Both players were ending an 86-day wait to return to ProTour action and Price was favourite having thrashed Premier League champion Jonny Clayton 7-1 in the semi-finals with an average of 104.4.
But the Iceman, who averaged just 90.3 compared to Cullen's 93.8 in the final, spurned two darts at doubles 12 and six to force a deciding leg and it cost him the ยฃ10,000 top prize.
"I was hoping to win one of the titles this week but I wasn't expecting it on the first day after such a long lay-off," Cullen told www.pdc.tv.
"It felt like a first day back at school, I was very unsure of myself at the start of the day but it's funny how things work out sometimes.
"I've missed the kind of pressure I felt at the end of the final. I fell over the line at the end but the important thing is I found a way to win."
At the start of day, Premier League runner-up Jose de Sousa produced an incredible 127 average in a 6-0 victory over William Borland - although he'd crash out with an average of 91 against Justin Pipe in the second round.
De Sousa, who set a record for most 180s in a Premier League campaign, remarkably managed just a pair of maximums but he fired in 11 scores of 140 and also produced checkouts of 129 and 130.
He won two of his legs in 11 darts, three in 12 and another in 13 during a stunning performance.
Players Championship 13 results
Last 16 onwards. For all the results and detailed stats from the Super Series, head to Dart Connect (tv.dartconnect.com/events/pdc)
Last 16
- Joe Cullen 6-5 Ian White
- James Wade 6-5 John Henderson
- Martijn Kleermaker 6-4 Adrian Lewis
- Michael van Gerwen 6-5 Mickey Mansell
- Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-1 Bradley Brooks
- Jonny Clayton 6-2 Steve Brown
- Gary Anderson 6-4 Michael Smith
- Gerwyn Price 6-3 Steve Beaton
Quarter-Finals
- Joe Cullen 6-4 James Wade
- Michael van Gerwen 6-1 Martijn Kleermaker
- Jonny Clayton 6-4 Dirk van Duijvenbode
- Gerwyn Price 6-5 Gary Anderson
Semi-Finals
- Joe Cullen 7-2 Michael van Gerwen
- Gerwyn Price 7- Jonny Clayton
Final
- Joe Cullen 8-6 Gerwyn Price
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