Les Francis beat Devon Petersen 4-3 to win the Emperors Palace South African Open and secure a place in the Ladbrokes.com World Championship.

Francis, 53, emerged the champion in the fourth staging of the event, which featured 158 players at the Emperors Palace Casino in Johannesburg.

A semi-final loser last year, Francis went one better this time around to win a place in December's World Championship at Alexandra Palace in London.

He hit a 13-dart leg during the three-hour qualifying phase where all players battled to score a leg of 501 in the fewest number of darts.

He then defeated Grant Sampson 3-0 in the last 16, overcame Nolan Arendse 3-1 in the quarter-finals and edged out Port Elizabeth's Christo Meiring in a deciding leg at the semi-final stage.

Francis then took on Petersen - who had hit a 12-darter in the qualifying phase - in the final, taking a 3-1 lead before the youngster hit back to force a deciding seventh leg.

The 53-year-old proved the better man to take the title, hitting a 134 to leave 36, which he took out on double 18 to claim his country's biggest honour.

"I'm absolutely delighted," said Francis. "Devon played really well and made it a great final but I'm so happy to have won.

"I'd like to thank the PDC and Emperors Palace for creating this tournament. It's given South Africa's best players a great chance and I'm looking forward to playing in the World Championship now."