Stephen Bunting secured his maiden World Series title with an 8-4 victory over Gerwyn Price in the Bahrain Masters final.
The 39-year-old knocked out Chris Dobey in the quarter-finals and world number one Luke Humphries in the semi-finals before comfortably defeating Welshman Price.
Earlier on Friday, Price, 39, caused a shocker by defeating newly crowned world champion Luke Littler 6-2 in the last eight.
Littler, 17, won his first senior trophy in Bahrain last year, but fell short of Price’s pace as his tournament average was 115.31.
However, Bunting, competing for the first time in Bahrain, won the final.
He told ITV that reaching fifth place in his career had made him “very strong”.
He added: “I’m playing the best I’ve ever played. I’m more consistent than ever before and now I believe I can win titles.
“Hypnotherapy behind the scenes, psychology in the past took a lot of hard work.”
Since winning, the Englishman has continued to impress PDC’s first television title at Cazoo Masters in February 2024.
He reached the semi-finals of the world championships at Alexandra Palace last month but lost to teenage sensation Littler.
But in front of a sell-out crowd in Sakhir, Bunting demolished fellow debutant Dobey 6-0 before beating reigning Matchplay World Champion Humphries 7-6.
Price, the 2021 world champion, booked his place in the final after a 7-4 victory over Scotsman Peter Wright in the last four.
