Taylor, the 2008 champion who has lost in the final of the internet-streamed event for the last two years, regained the trophy in style with a 113.71 average against Nicholson thanks to a terrific display at Crondon Park GC in Essex.

The 51-year-old – who hit a nine-darter during his league stage win over Mervyn King earlier in the day – dominated from the start, winning the first two legs in 13 darts courtesy of double 16 before taking the third leg in 12 darts.

Nicholson got off the mark in the fourth on tops, after Taylor had missed the same bed, but the world number one was swift in securing victory.

He moved 4-1 up with a third 13-dart finish of the game, broke Nicholson’s throw once more in 12 darts and finished a 14-darter to seal his triumph – earning £10,000 as champion in addition to £12,400 prize money he had won during the event.

Taylor had won all seven league games during a brilliant league phase of the event, which included a nine-dart finish during a 6-3 win over Mervyn King, before defeating Steve Beaton 6-1 in the semi-finals.

The victory saw Taylor win a fourth successive major title, following up his World Matchplay, European Championship and World Grand Prix wins since July, as he continues his return to dominating the sport.

“I’m absolutely over the moon,” said Taylor, who was defeated by James Wade in the 2010 final. “I’ve loved every minute of the event this year and to hit a nine-darter today as well as win the final makes it extra special.

“All the players love this event, it’s great for us and that shows in the quality of darts which we had throughout the tournament, not just in the Winners Group.

“The scoreline in the final looks lopsided but I knew that I had to keep on top of Paul and finish him off because he never gives up, and I really enjoy playing him. The players like Paul are pushing me and it’s given me a new lease of life this year.

“A year ago I was putting myself under pressure, I was losing and people were talking about me, but I wanted to start enjoying the game again and not put myself under pressure, and that’s showing now.

“I’ve won back the World Grand Prix title and now I’ve won back this, and the next aims are the Grand Slam of Darts and World Championship.

“I’ll be trying my socks off to win both events and if I can win the Grand Slam next month it will be a brilliant way to build up to the World Championship.”

Nicholson had finished third in the league stage behind King, but followed up victory over the 2008 runner-up in their final league match with a 6-3 semi-final triumph.

Nicholson pocketed £5,000 as runner-up in addition to £14,900 that he won during the tournament, having competed in Groups Two and Three as well as the Winners Group for the first time.

King totalled £15,650 from the tournament after winning four of his league matches on Thursday to finish second behind Taylor.

Beaton, meanwhile, lost to Taylor in the semis for a second successive year, but had finished fourth after winning his final three league matches – overcoming a nightmare start to edge out Mark Walsh, Gary Anderson and Dennis Priestley on Leg Difference.

Simon Whitlock finished bottom of the Winners Group with just one win on Thursday, although having earlier competed in six groups he ended the event with £18,750 in prize money.

The Australian had also achieved a nine-dart finish, during group five, but never recovered from losing his first three games in the Winners Group.

Championship League Darts featured eight one-day groups of eight players, who competed in a round-robin format on each day in matches over the best of 11 legs, with £50 on offer per leg won in the league phase and £100 on offer in the play-offs.

Each day’s champion progressed to the Winners Group, where prize money of £100 per leg was paid in the group stage and £200 per leg in the play-offs, while the overall winner picked up £10,000, the runner-up £5,000 and the losing semi-finalists £2,500.

A total of £175,600 was paid out during the 2011 Championship League Darts, which featured 29 of the PDC’s top stars.

CHAMPIONSHIP LEAGUE DARTS
WINNERS GROUP RESULTS

WINNERS GROUP LEAGUE TABLE

TOTAL PRIZE MONEY

Source – PDC

The 61-year-old entered the tournament in Group Eight as eight stars battled a place in the big-money Winners Group, including his fellow former World Champions John Part and Jelle Klaasen.

Part and Painter topped the league table following the round-robin phase after picking up six wins from their seven matches, with Priestley picking up victory in his final three games to take fourth behind Vincent van der Voort.

The Winners Group will feature Gary Anderson, Phil Taylor, Paul Nicholson, Mark Walsh, Mervyn King, Simon Whitlock, Steve Beaton and Dennis Priestley.  fixtures can be found here.

2004 World Championship finalist Painter – Tuesday’s Group Seven runner-up – defeated Dutchman van der Voort 6-4 in their semi-final, while Priestley came from 2-0 down to defeat Part 6-5 in a tight battle.

The Canadian did have a chance to take victory in the deciding leg, but missed double 13 for an 81 finish and Priestley returned to hit double ten for a spot in the final.

He led Painter 3-0 and 4-3, despite the Daventry-vased ace hitting a 121 finish for a 12-dart leg and a 13-darter, before a 104 checkout from the veteran put him a leg away from the win.

Priestley, though, missed five match darts as Painter hit double 16 to win the ninth leg and a pressure 81 finish to force a decider.

The two-time World Champion produced a 180 to move clear in the final leg, but missed two more match darts to give Painter a sniff, only for him to drop short of the bull on a 121 finish to give Priestley a second chance, which he took on double three.

“I made it hard for myself but it’s wonderful to get through,” said Priestley, who now lines up alongside the likes of Phil Taylor, Gary Anderson, Paul Nicholson and Simon Whitlock on Thursday.

“Just to finish in the top four was an achievement and I had to battle all the way, but to defeat John and Kevin is a great achievement. I might have dropped out of the top 32, but this shows that there’s plenty of like left in me yet!”

Priestley will now compete for the £10,000 first prize in Thursday’s Winners Group as the eight Group Winners return to Crondon Park GC in Essex for the event’s final day.

Anderson, Taylor, Nicholson, Mark Walsh, Mervyn King, Whitlock and Steve Beaton were the other Group Winners from eight days of action in the internet-streamed event.

Prize money doubles to £100 per leg in the league phase and £200 per leg in the play-offs, with the overall champion pocketing £10,000, the runner-up earning £5,000 and the semi-finalists taking home £2,500.

The finalists will also receive invitations to the Grand Slam of Darts, giving an added incentive for Priestley and Walsh, who have yet to qualify for next month’s event in Wolverhampton.

There was agony though for Painter, who suffered defeat in the final for a second successive day, although he pocketed £9,050 from four days competing in the event.

Van der Voort totalled £10,100 from competing in five successive groups, while Part won £4,900 from two days but fell short of qualifying for the Winners Group.

The Canadian had produced one of the best performances in Championship League Darts history during the day, averaging 114.20 in a 6-1 win over Vincent van der Voort as one of six straight wins he picked up before going down in the semis.

Mark Dudbridge missed out on the play-offs on leg difference to Priestley, with Alan Tabern winning three games, Jelle Klaasen picking up just one victory and Bristol’s Steve Brown left without a victory but with £1,400 prize money from his debut in the tournament.

CHAMPIONSHIP LEAGUE DARTS GROUP EIGHT RESULTS

FINAL LEAGUE TABLE

Beaton ensured that he will compete for the £10,000 first prize for the second successive year in the internet-streamed event with a fine performance in the seventh of eight groups.

This weeks group fixture listings are available here

The former World Champion won five of his seven league matches to finish joint top of the league table with Vincent van der Voort, before edging out John Part 6-5 in the semi-finals and then defeating Painter in the decider.

Beaton had trailed Part 4-2 before finishing 108 and 80 on the bullseye to level, and although the Canadian moved back ahead at 5-4, it was the world number 26 who took the next two legs to prevail.

In the final, Painter took out 96 to lead 2-1 before Beaton opened the fourth with back-to-back 180s, hitting treble 20 and treble 19 before wiring double 12 for a nine-dart finish.

He returned to win the leg in ten darts, and after Painter finished 76 for the fifth he hit further legs of 12 and 11 darts to move 4-3 up.

Painter finished 65 for a 14-darter in reply to win the eighth, but a missed double eight for a 96 finish in the ninth proved crucial, as Beaton stepped in to finish 90 on double five to lead 5-4 and then traded 180s with his opponent before sealing victory on double ten.

“I’m delighted with that,” said Beaton. “I felt I played pretty well during the day, although a couple of times missing doubles cost me.

“To come through as a winner against John Part and Kevin Painter in the play-offs is a massive confidence boost for me and I can’t wait to play in the Winners Group on Thursday now.”

Painter will now return to compete for a fourth day in the tournament on Wednesday in Group Eight as he seeks to claim the final place in the Winners Group.

He will be joined by Vincent van der Voort, who saw a 3-0 lead against Painter slip as he went down 6-4 in their semi-final, with the Dutchman having finished top in the league stage alongside Beaton on five wins.

Part, Alan Tabern and Mark Dudbridge will also return to play in Group Eight, with Steve Brown, Dennis Priestley and Jelle Klaasen entering the event to complete the eight-played field.

There was disappointment, though, for Andy Smith and Robert Thornton, who were knocked out in a tight Group Seven, with both suffering defeats in their final league games to be eliminated from the tournament.

Championship League Darts is screened solely on the internet through LIVEPDC.TV and a series of 30 bookmakers’ websites worldwide, and offers a potential total prize fund of over £200,000, plus places in the Grand Slam of Darts for the eventual finalists.

Played over nine days from September 27-29, October 11-13 and October 18-20, the event offers £50 per leg won prize money in the league phase and £100 per leg won in each group’s Play-Offs, with prize money doubled in the Winners Group.

The Winners Group will feature Gary Anderson, Phil Taylor, Paul Nicholson, Mark Walsh, Mervyn King, Simon Whitlock, Steve Beaton and Wednesday’s Group Eight winner.

CHAMPIONSHIP LEAGUE DARTS
GROUP SEVEN RESULTS

GROUP SEVEN FINAL LEAGUE TABLE & PRIZE MONEY

Source – PDC

Live Broadcast Schedule

Tuesday 18th October- 10.30am – Group 7

Wednesday 19th October – 10.30am – Group 8

Thursday 20th October -10.30am – Winners Group

Championship League Darts is screened solely on the internet through LIVEPDC.TV and a series of 30 bookmakers’ websites worldwide, and offers a potential total prize fund of over £200,000, plus places in the Grand Slam of Darts for the eventual finalists.

Played over nine days from 27-29 September, October 11-13 and October 18-20, the event offers £50 per leg won prize money in the league phase and £100 per leg won in each group’s Play-Off’s, with prize money doubled in the Winners Group. The runner-up, semi-finalists and the players who finish fifth and sixth in the league table progress to the next group, and are joined by the next three players from the PDC Order of Merit. The players who finish seventh and eighth in each group are eliminated.

The process is repeated through to Group Eight before the eight individual champions return to compete in the big-money Winners Group on Thursday October 20. All games during the event are the best of 11 legs.

The five survivors from last week’s Group Six – Vincent van der Voort, Andy Smith, Kevin Painter, Alan Tabern & Steve Beaton – are joined by newcomers Robert Thornton, Mark Dudbridge and John Part in Group Seven on Tuesday October 18. Part was promoted to come in for Group Seven after Co Stompe withdrew from the event through illness. Jelle Klaasen will now join Steve Brown and Dennis Priestley in Group Eight.

CHAMPIONSHIP LEAGUE DARTS WINNERS GROUP FIXTURES

CHAMPIONSHIP LEAGUE DARTS – GROUP SEVEN FIXTURES

CHAMPIONSHIP LEAGUE DARTS GROUP EIGHT FIXTURES

Whitlock, who had hit a nine-darter in Wednesday’s Group Five, extended his ever-present record in the play-offs by winning six of his seven league games in Group Six of the internet-streamed event.

He then defeated Andy Smith 6-4 in the semi-finals to reach a fourth final of the tournament, and finally took victory against van der Voort.

The Dutchman gave as good as he goes during a tense final, coming from 2-1 down to lead 4-3 with a 100 finish and a brace of double eight checkouts.

Whitlock took the next two to edge ahead before van der Voort won leg ten on double 12 to force a tense decider.

The Australian opened with a 177 and added two 140s to take the initiative, before finishing double 16 for a 12-darter to secure his place in next Thursday’s big-money Winners Group alongside Phil Taylor, Gary Anderson, Paul Nicholson, Mervyn King & Mark Walsh.

“It’s brilliant to finally qualify!” said Whitlock. “It’s been a good journey in these six groups and very hard at times but it shows that my persistence paid off.

“I’ve been consistent enough in the league games but not had the success in the play-offs, but I was desperate to win and pulled out a great final leg against Vincent.

“I can relax on Tuesday and Wednesday now knowing I don’t have to play and can prepare for the Winners Group, and hopefully I’ll be successful there.”

Van der Voort had finished sixth twice so far this week, but edged into the play-offs before defeating league leader Steve Beaton 6-5 in their semi-final by taking out 118 in the deciding leg.

Alan Tabern and Kevin Painter missed out on a semi-final place on leg difference to van der Voort, while Denis Ovens and Colin Osborne were eliminated.

2009 champion Osborne lost all seven league games, although he could feel somewhat unfortunate after suffering 6-5 defeats in his opening three games.

Van der Voort, Beaton, Smith, Tabern and Painter will now return to Crondon Park GC in Essex next Tuesday to compete in Group Seven of Championship League Darts, alongside Co Stompe, Robert Thornton & Mark Dudbridge.

Championship League Darts is screened solely on the internet through LIVEPDC.TV and a series of 30 bookmakers’ websites worldwide, and offers a potential total prize fund of over £200,000, plus places in the Grand Slam of Darts for the eventual finalists.

Played over nine days from September 27-29, October 11-13 and October 18-20, the event offers £50 per leg won prize money in the league phase and £100 per leg won in each group’s Play-Offs, with prize money doubled in the Winners Group.

CHAMPIONSHIP LEAGUE DARTS
GROUP SIX RESULTS

GROUP SIX FINAL LEAGUE TABLE & PRIZE MONEY

King, appearing in his fourth successive day of the internet-streamed event, won six out of seven league matches to finish top of the table with some brilliant form, notably two ten-darters.

He then defeated Kevin Painter 6-2 in the semis before winning an exciting final 6-3 against Australian star Whitlock – who lost in a third group final of this year’s tournament.

Whitlock took out finishes of 72 and 102 to lead 2-1 in the final, only for King to hit finishes of 120, 111, 105 and 80 to move 5-2 up.

He also missed double seven for an 86 finish in leg eight as Whitlock hit tops to keep the game alive, but the Australian was unable to land double 18 in the next as King booked his place in next Thursday’s Winners Group on double 12.

“I’m really pleased with that,” said King, who has battled tennis elbow in his throwing arm throughout 2011. “I played some lovely darts during the day and I’m delighted with how I played in the final.

“I’ve had my injury problems this year but my elbow is getting better and it’s great to be back playing somewhere like I know I can. I can look forward to the Winners Group now and I’ll be trying my hardest to win the tournament next Thursday.”

Whitlock will now return to compete in Group Six on Thursday, after his hopes of finally taking a group victory were dashed at the final hurdle.

The Australian, who lost in Tuesday’s semi-finals to Mark Walsh, was defeated in his first three group games but won four in a row to finish third, before defeating Andy Smith 6-3 in the semis.

Smith and Painter also made the play-offs, with 2009 Championship League Darts winner Colin Osborne missing out on the top four on leg difference despite four successive wins in the middle of the league phase.

Holland’s Vincent van der Voort joins them in returning to compete in Group Five, but Colin Lloyd and Jamie Caven were eliminated, with the latter ending the day without a victory in his seven league games.

Denis Ovens, Alan Tabern and Steve Beaton join the action on Thursday for the sixth of eight groups, with play continuing on Tuesday and Wednesday next week before the Winners Group is contested on Thursday October 20.

Championship League Darts is screened solely on the internet through LIVEPDC.TV and a series of 30 bookmakers’ websites worldwide, and offers a potential total prize fund of over £200,000, plus places in the Grand Slam of Darts for the eventual finalists.

Played over nine days from September 27-29, October 11-13 and October 18-20, the event offers £50 per leg won prize money in the league phase and £100 per leg won in each group’s Play-Offs, with prize money doubled in the Winners Group.

CHAMPIONSHIP LEAGUE DARTS
GROUP FIVE RESULTS

GROUP FIVE FINAL LEAGUE TABLE

Source – PDC

Match Information for all games can be found at this link

Group Six fixtures can be found at this link

The £200,000, internet-streamed tournament resumed following the PartyPoker.com World Grand Prix with the fourth of eight groups, with Walsh emerging victorious to secure his spot in next Thursday’s big-money Winners Group.

Walsh finished the round-robin league phase as one of four players with three victories, but showed his stamina to defeat Australian Simon Whitlock and English star Mervyn King in the play-offs.

He first defeated Whitlock 6-2 to book his place in the final, before seeing off King by the same scoreline to win through to the Winners Group for the third time in four years.

King shared the first two legs but paid for missed doubles as Walsh established a 3-1 lead.

King took the fifth following a 180, but missed the bull for a 121 finish which would have levelled the game, as Walsh capitalised on double four before winning the next two legs to seal victory.

“I’m very happy with that,” said Walsh. “The aim for all of us is to get into the Winners Group and now I’ve done that I’ll prepare for next Thursday .
“It was a really hard group so to win through it is a great moment. I could have found myself eliminated if one or two results had been different, but fortunately I made the top four and did well from there.”

Whitlock and Colin Lloyd had finished joint top of the table with five wins from their seven league games, but both were defeated in the semis, with King seeing off the Essex ace 6-2 in their clash.

There was drama in the final round of matches, with Ronnie Baxter’s 6-4 win over Mark Walsh not enough to save him from elimination when Vincent van der Voort and Jamie Caven picked up heavy wins to overhaul him on leg difference.

Baxter and Wayne Jones, who won two of his seven league games, now exit the event for 2011, with Andy Smith, Colin Osborne and Kevin Painter entering the fray for Wednesday’s Group Five.

They will join Whitlock, King, Lloyd, Caven and van der Voort in the eight-player Group Five.

Championship League Darts is screened solely on the internet through LIVEPDC.TV and a series of 30 bookmakers’ websites worldwide, and offers a potential total prize fund of over £200,000, plus places in the Grand Slam of Darts for the eventual finalists.

Played over nine days from September 27-29, October 11-13 and October 18-20, the event offers £50 per leg won prize money in the league phase and £100 per leg won in each group’s Play-Offs, with prize money doubled in the Winners Group.

CHAMPIONSHIP LEAGUE DARTS
GROUP FOUR RESULTS

GROUP FOUR LEAGUE TABLE & PRIZE MONEY

Source – PDC

Live Broadcast Schedule

Tuesday 13th October- 10.30am

Wednesday 14th October - 10.30am

Thursday 15th October -10.30am

Championship League Darts is screened solely on the internet through LIVEPDC.TV and a series of 30 bookmakers’ websites worldwide, and offers a potential total prize fund of over £200,000, plus places in the Grand Slam of Darts for the eventual finalists.

Played over nine days from 27-29 September, October 11-13 and October 18-20, the event offers £50 per leg won prize money in the league phase and £100 per leg won in each group’s Play-Off’s, with prize money doubled in the Winners Group.

Each day sees the players meet each other once during the league phase, before the top four contest the semi-finals and final to determine a group winner.

The runner-up, semi-finalists and the players who finish fifth and sixth in the league table progress to the next group, and are joined by the next three players from the PDC Order of Merit. The players who finish seventh and eighth in each group are eliminated.

The process is repeated through to Group Eight before the eight individual champions return to compete in the big-money Winners Group on Thursday October 20.

All games during the event are the best of 11 legs.

Score Updates and Match Information will appear below throughout the event.

Group Four sees Ronnie Baxter, Vincent van der Voort and Jamie Caven enter the event alongside the five survivors from Group Three, Simon Whitlock, Colin Lloyd, Mark Walsh, Mervyn King and Wayne Jones

Championship League Darts – Group Four Fixtures

Remember on-demand highlights are available from each day’s play in the major PDC tournaments the day after the live streaming here.

Nicholson, who was defeated in Wednesday’s semi-finals by Phil Taylor, powered through the eight player field by losing just one game in his seven group matches to top the table, before defeating Mark Walsh 6-4 in the semi-finals.

Nicholson opened the final against Whitlock superbly with a maximum and went on to win the opening leg by hitting double eight. Both players missed chances to win the second leg but it was Whitlock who won it to level.

Nicholson hit another 180 in the third leg and won it with just 13 darts to lead for a second time only, for Whitlock to hold throw by hitting double seven to win the fourth leg.

Whitlock had a chance to win the fifth leg against the darts but his attempt at tops for a 160 checkout was just high. That allowed Nicholson in to hit 87 and steal the leg for a 3-2 lead before breaking throw by hitting double 10 to move two legs clear.

Nicholson won the seventh leg to go within touching distance of victory but Whitlock kept fighting by taking the next by hitting double six with his last dart.

Nicholson missed three darts for the match in the tenth leg, and Whitlock stepped in to hit double 10 and reduce the gap to 5-4. Whitlock had a chance to force a deciding-leg but missed a dart at double top for a 120 finish and Nicholson hit the same double with his last dart to confirm victory.

Whitlock, who lost narrowly to Phil Taylor in the final of Group Two, will now return to Crondon Park after the PartyPoker.com World Grand Prix in October to contest Group Four, which will see Ronnie Baxter, Vincent van der Voort and Jamie Caven enter the fray.

Mark Walsh and Colin Lloyd enjoyed good days, both finishing in the top four, before losing their semi-final matches to Nicholson and Whitlock respectively.

Wes Newton, suffered a dramatic exit from the competition having reached the semi-finals on Wednesday. Needing victory against Lloyd to progress, the UK Open finalist was edged in a final-leg thriller to the Essex man to confirm his elimination on legs difference, despite three victories.

Championship League Darts is screened solely on the internet through LIVEPDC.TV and a series of 30 bookmakers’ websites worldwide, and offers a potential total prize fund of over £200,000, plus places in the Grand Slam of Darts for the eventual finalists.

Played over nine days from 27-29 September, October 11-13 and October 18-20, the event offers £50 per leg won prize money in the league phase and £100 per leg won in each group’s Play-Off’s, with prize money doubled in the Winners Group.

CHAMPIONSHIP LEAGUE DARTS

GROUP THREE RESULTS

GROUP THREE FINAL LEAGUE TABLE & PRIZE MONEY

Taylor bounced back from his semi-final defeat to Wes Newton in Group One by powering through the eight-player field on the second of nine days in the internet-streamed event.

The world number one took six victories from his seven league games during the day to total £2,000 prize money in finishing top of the league table for the second successive day.

After defeating Paul Nicholson 6-3 in the semi-finals – coming from 3-2 down to take four successive legs – he edged out Whitlock in a tense final.

Taylor led 3-1 and 5-2 only for the Australian to win three successive legs and force a decider, and the Stoke great looked to have blown his chance when he missed the bull for a 124 finish in the final leg.

Whitlock, though, was off-target on tops for a 120 checkout, and Taylor returned to post double eight and take victory, ending the day with £3,200 prize money and a place in the big-money Winners Group on October 20.

“I’m really pleased to have won that but I rode my luck in the final,” said Taylor. “It was another hard day and the standard was great, all the players pushed each other.

“I can relax now and look forward to coming back for the Winners Group, and hopefully I can do better than last year when I lost in the final to James Wade, because I’m determined to win back this trophy.”

Taylor will begin his challenge for a tenth World Grand Prix title on Tuesday against Peter Wright at the Citywest Hotel in Dublin, and added: “This has been a great preparation for the World Grand Prix.

“To have had two hard days of match play like this will stand me in good stead in Ireland next week, and I’m looking forward to the event.”

Whitlock will now return to compete in Thursday’s Group Three, having bettered Tuesday’s semi-final appearance with a run to the decider 24 hours later.

He had been joined by Nicholson and Mervyn King with five wins in the league phase before winning his semi-final against the latter 6-5, finishing a 12-darter on the bull in the deciding leg with King sat on 16 after nine darts, where he had scored 134, 180 and 171.

King and Nicholson both enjoyed top-four finishes on their first day of involvement in this year’s event, while another newcomer, Andy Hamilton, joined Group One runner-up Wes Newton in progressing to compete in Group Three.

However, reigning champion James Wade and fellow left-hander Mark Webster both exited the tournament after winning only one of their seven league games apiece in a disappointing day.

Thursday’s Group Three will see the five Group Two survivors joined by Wayne Jones, Mark Walsh and Colin Lloyd as they battle for another place in the Winners Group.

Championship League Darts is screened solely on the internet through LIVEPDC.TV and a series of 30 bookmakers’ websites worldwide, and offers a potential total prize fund of over £200,000, plus places in the Grand Slam of Darts for the eventual finalists.

Played over nine days from September 27-29, October 11-13 and October 18-20, the event offers £50 per leg won prize money in the league phase and £100 per leg won in each group’s Play-Offs, with prize money doubled in the Winners Group.

CHAMPIONSHIP LEAGUE DARTS
GROUP TWO RESULTS

GROUP TWO FINAL LEAGUE TABLE & TOTAL PRIZE MONEY