Having dominated the Australian circuit in recent years before joining the PDC ProTour full-time in January, his Players Championship victory not only edges him towards the top 16 but effectively ensures qualification for the StanJames.com World Matchplay and World Grand Prix later this year.
Whitlock showed some fine form to drop only five legs in his first four games, victories against Jimmy Dunlop, Mark Lawrence, Alan Tabern and Richie Burnett, before then defeating Jelle Klaasen 6-2 to reach the quarter-finals.
There, he whitewashed Barrie Bates, sealing victory with checkouts of 100 and 160 in the final two legs, before hitting nine 180s in a 6-2 semi-final defeat of Mark Walsh.
The final saw the opening four legs go with the throw before Anderson took the fifth with a 13-darter, which was bettered by the Australian in leg six, as he posted an 11-dart finish to level.
Whitlock then punished a missed double 12 from Anderson to break throw for the first time with a 112 checkout, although the Scot replied in 11 darts to square the game.
Four missed darts at double top from Anderson gave Whitlock the chance to break again, which he took on double eight, before the Australian landed double three to seal victory.
“It’s a huge day for me, up there with the best days of my career,” said Whitlock. “It’s the best I’ve ever played for a full day and I’m delighted.
“To beat Mark Walsh in the semis was an achievement in itself, and in the final I had a bit of luck when Gary missed a few doubles at the end, but I took my chances.”
Anderson, the winner of a UK Open Qualifier three weeks ago, edged past Colin Osborne 6-5 in a tight semi-final to claim his place in a second successive PDC ProTour final, after the Derby man missed one dart at double top to take victory.
Anderson also saw off Colin Lloyd and Andy Hamilton in the latter stages, having only dropped three legs in his opening three matches.
Jason Clark enjoyed his best run for two-and-a-half years y reaching the quarter-finals, while Barrie Bates – the winner of a Players Championship in Crawley three weeks ago – reached the last eight.
Wolverhampton’s ever-consistent Wayne Jones also won through to the quarters, before losing 6-2 to Jones.
The Bobby Bourn Memorial Players Championship, which features 133 players, is held in memory of the late PDC official Bobby Bourn.
Bobby Bourn Memorial Players Championship
Preliminary Round
Kevin McDine 6-1 Jon Archer
Darren Weaver 6-2 Louis Blundell
Simon Whitlock 6-2 James Dunlop
Nigel Birch 6-2 Andy Pearson
Stephen Hardy 6-1 Patrick Pace
First Round
Mark Walsh (1) 6-1 Steve Perkins
Dylan Duo 6-3 Par Riihonen
Steve Hine (32) 6-4 Joe Cullen
Steve Farmer 6-1 Andy Callaby
Michael van Gerwen (16) 6-5 Peter Hudson
Dave Smith 6-4 Brian Startin
Andy Smith (17) 6-2 Martyn Turner
Kevin McDine 6-4 Matt Padgett
Jamie Caven (8) 6-3 Steve Maish
Mark Frost 6-4 Lee Williams
Stuart Dutton 6-4 Kevin Painter (25)
Andy Hutchings 6-4 Kevin Dowling
Steve Beaton (9) 6-0 Steven Perry
Tom Martin 6-5 Geoff Whitworth
Dennis Priestley (24) 6-3 Darren Webster
Jason Clark 6-3 Mark Stephenson
Wes Newton (5) 6-4 Chris Mason
William O’Connor 6-0 Tony Comerford
Mark Webster (28) 6-3 Terry Temple
Gary Welding 6-3 Paul Williams
Mervyn King (12) 6-3 Anton Liscsey
Gary Eastwood 6-4 James Barton
Barrie Bates (21) 6-5 Andy Pearce
John Part 6-0 Darren Weaver
Adrian Lewis (4) 6-4 Robbie Newland
Ian McFarlane 6-4 Tony Ayres
Jelle Klaasen (29) 6-3 Chris LoudonSteve Evans 6-2 Colin Monk
Ronnie Baxter (13) 6-3 Dave Honey
Richie Burnett 6-2 Kevin Harris
Alan Tabern (20) 6-5 Gary Mawson
Simon Whitlock 6-1 Mark Lawrence
Colin Osborne (2) 6-2 Paul Rowley
Mick McGowan 6-3 Lee Hayes
Tony Eccles (31) 6-5 Kirk Shepherd
Andy Relf 6-5 Steve Grubb
Paul Nicholson (15) 6-5 Danny Pinhorne
Tony Randell 6-1 Anastasia Dobromyslova
Mark Dudbridge (18) 6-5 Darren Johnson
Nigel Birch 6-3 Dave Askew
Vincent van der Voort (7) 6-2 Stuart Bousfield
Arron Monk 6-5 Darren Latham
Jimmy Mann 6-4 Co Stompe (26)
Nick Fullwell 6-1 Didier de Vuyst
Wayne Jones (10) 6-3 Sam Allen
Ian Lever 6-5 Daz Mawer
Terry Jenkins (23) 6-3 Robert Alford
Justin Pipe 6-0 Tony Blundell
Gary Anderson (6) 6-1 John Quantock
Ron Atwill 6-3 Henry Zapata
Peter Wright (27) 6-0 Mareno Michels
Dennis Smith 6-3 Nigel Heydon
Andy Hamilton (11) 6-1 Dave Ladley
Michael Barnard 6-2 Rick Lowther
Brendan Do! lan (22) 6-3 Dean Allsopp
Matt Draper 6-1 Ian Jopling
C! olin Llo yd (3) 6-3 Adrian Gray
Chris Thompson 6-4 Steve Musson
Steve Brown (30) 6-2 Alex Roy
Wayne Atwood 6-0 Mike Roberts
Denis Ovens (14) 6-1 Matt Clark
Mark Hylton 6-4 Tony Martin
Wayne Mardle 6-1 Robert Thornton (19)
Mark Cox 6-3 Stephen Hardy
Second Round
Mark Walsh 6-4 Dylan Duo
Steve Hine 6-2 Steve Farmer
Michael van Gerwen 6-5 Dave Smith
Andy Smith 6-1 Kevin McDine
Mark Frost 6-0 Jamie Caven
Andy Hutchings 6-2 Stuart Dutton
Steve Beaton 6-3 Tom Martin
Jason Clark 6-2 Dennis Priestley
Wes Newton 6-4 William O’Connor
Mark Webster 6-4 Gary Welding
Gary Eastwood 6-5 Mervyn King
Barrie Bates 6-3 John Part
Adrian Lewis 6-3 Ian McFarlane
Jelle Klaasen 6-2 Steve Evans
Richie Burnett 6-5 Ronnie Baxter
Simon Whitlock 6-1 Alan Tabern
Colin Osborne 6-4 Mick McGowan
Andy Relf 6-3 Tony Eccles
Paul Nicholson 6-2 Tony Randell
Mark Dudbridge 6-3 Nigel Birch
Vincent van der Voort 6-3 Arron Monk
Nick Fullwell 6-4 Jimmy Mann
Wayne Jones 6-1 Ian Lever
Justin Pipe 6-5 Terry Jenkins
Gary Anderson 6-1 Ron Atwill
Dennis Smith 6-4 Peter Wright
Andy Hamilton 6-1 Michael Barnard
Brendan Dolan 6-1 Matt Draper
Colin Lloyd 6-0 Chris ThompsonSteve Brown 6-1 Wayne Atwood
Denis Ovens 6-0 Mark Hylton
Mark Cox 6-5 Wayne Mardle
Losers £200
Third Round
Mark Walsh 6-3 Steve Hine
Andy Smith 6-0 Michael van Gerwen
Andy Hutchings 6-3 Mark Frost
Jason Clark 6-2 Steve Beaton
Wes Newton 6-5 Mark Webster
Barrie Bates 6-2 Gary Eastwood
Jelle Klaasen 6-1 Adrian Lewis
Simon Whitlock 6-1 Richie Burnett
Colin Osborne 6-4 Andy Relf
Mark Dudbridge 6-1 Paul Nicholson
Vincent van der Voort 6-3 Nick Fullwell
Wayne Jones 6-5 Justin Pipe
Gary Anderson 6-1 Dennis Smith
Andy Hamilton 6-5 Brendan Dolan
Colin Lloyd 6-1 Steve Brown
Denis Ovens 6-0 Mark Cox
Losers £300
Fourth Round
Mark Walsh 6-4 Andy Smith
Jason Clark 6-4 Andy Hutchings
Barrie Bates 6-2 Wes Newton
Simon Whitlock 6-2 Jelle Klaasen
Colin Osborne 6-5 Mark Dudbridge
Wayne Jones 6-3 Vincent van der Voort
Gary Anderson 6-3 Andy Hamilton
Colin Lloyd 6-2 Denis Ovens
Losers £500
Quarter-Finals
Mark Walsh 6-2 Jason Clark
Simon Whitlock 6-0 Barrie Bates
Colin Osborne 6-2 Wayne Jones
Gary Anderson 6-4 Colin Lloyd
Losers £1,000
Semi-Finals
Simon Whitlock 6-2 Mark Walsh
Gary Anderson 6-5 Colin Osborne
Losers £1,500
Final
Simon Whitlock 6-4 Gary Anderson
Winner £6,000
Runner-Up £3,000
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