The year 2006 was seminal to both the Professional Darts Corporation, and Part's career. Concerning the former, it heralded the arrival of four-times BDO World Champion Raymond van Barneveld to the PDC. With van Barneveld's arrival and his immediate impact in the 2006 Premier League, Part was no longer perceived as Taylor's main rival (indeed, Part has not beaten Taylor in a televised match since his 2005 World Matchplay victory). Part's shaken status was not helped by a defeat in the third round of the 2006 PDC World Championship to Wayne Mardle. Despite these setbacks, Part's career experienced a somewhat fitful renewal in the three years that followed. In July, he won his first major title since the 2003 World Championship with victory in the 2006 Las Vegas Desert Classic. The Desert Classic had long been a fruitful tournament for Part; in its eight-year history he reached six semi-finals, but it was only in 2006 that he won the trophy. In 2003, he had lost out in the final to Peter Manley having beaten Phil Taylor in the semi-final; this time it was van Barneveld's turn to suffer the same fate. The Dutchman had beaten Taylor in the semi-final, and in a tense final initially matched Part 3–3. However, the Canadian won nine of the next eleven legs to secure a 6–3 victory and his second major title in the PDC.