The Return of The King
Posted on November 1st, 2011
Mervyn King returned to winning ways on Sunday night in Benidorm, winning the 27th Players Championship of the year, and arguably the most competitive of the non-broadcasted tournaments of the season.
It is not that regularly that the world’s top eight are all out in force in the Players Championships, but with the big names all on show in sunny Spain it was the man ranked 11th who prospered on Sunday, claiming the £6,000 in prize money and moving up to seventh on the Players Championship Order of Merit.
The King has had a tough time of it over the last 18 months or so, as his performance on our television screens have proved. Unbelievably the two-time world finalist has won just one match in the last six major tournaments, when he beat Magnus Caris in the first round of this year’s world championships. First round exits in the last two Matchplays and Grand Prix and a third round defeat in this year’s UK Open add up to a miserable time in front of the cameras for the 45-year-old.
These troubles may have stemmed from the disgraceful treatment he received in the Premier League last year from the crowd. I was in Newcastle for the penultimate week of the league when he faced Barney, and although he didn’t handle it brilliantly, no one deserves the kind of abuse he was getting at any time, never mind whilst trying to throw. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Grand Slam of Darts, Mervyn King, PDC, PDPA Players Championship
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Burnett back with a bang in Holland
Posted on September 25th, 2011
BURNETT ENDS BARREN SPELL WITH AMAZING DUTCH WIN
RICHIE BURNETT ended a ten-year gap without a ranking title with victory over Dave Chisnall in Sunday’s Players Championship final in Holland – and dramatically booked himself a spot in the World Grand Prix in the process!
The Welsh ace went into Sunday’s PDC ProTour event, the last before the cut-off for World Grand Prix qualifiers, knowing that only a £6,000 win would see him move high enough in the Players Championship Order of Merit to earn a Dublin return.
However, he swept through the 131-player field in Nuland to snatch the title, his first since the 2001 Witch City Open in Boston.
Having dropped only five legs in wins over Jerry Hendriks, Dave Smith and Denis Ovens, he then overcame Paul Nicholson 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals.
There, he edged out Kevin Painter 6-5 after his opponent missed three darts to win the deciding leg, before picking up a 6-2 win in an all-Welsh semi-final with fellow former World Champion Mark Webster.
Tags: PDPA Players Championship, Richie Burnett, World Grand Prix
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Anderson Picks Up Third Nuland Victory
Posted on September 25th, 2011
GARY ANDERSON’S run of sensational form in Players Championships continued as he picked up his third Nuland victory of 2011, and eighth of the year in all competitions, by defeating Colin Lloyd 6-2 in Saturday’s final.
The Premier League Darts champion had also won six other PDC ProTour events this year before returning to Holland, where he claimed a notable double in June with back-to-back wins and extended his unbeaten run at the Van Der Valk Hotel to three successive events.
The Scot was in imperious form throughout, hitting eight 180s in a first round whitewash of Dutch youngster Dirk van Duijvenbode before seeing off Joe Cullen, Nigel Heydon, Colin Osborne and Mark Webster to reach the semis.
There, he picked up another whitewash against Tony Ayres before going on to defeat Lloyd in the decider. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Colin Lloyd, Gary Anderson, Nuland, PDPA Players Championship
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Halle Title for The Rocket
Posted on January 31st, 2011
RONNIE BAXTER edged out Antonio Alcinas to claim Sunday’s German Players Championship title at the Gerry Weber Centre in Halle.
The Blackpool ace took a 6-4 win over rising Spanish star Alcinas in a high-quality final to take the £6,000 first prize, joining Mervyn King in taking victory in the opening PDC ProTour events of the year.
He was in fine form at the Gerry Weber Centre, dropping a total of eight legs in his first four games in wins over Jasmin Beganovic, Steve Evans and Justin Pipe and Richie Burnett, before defeating Alan Tabern 6-4 to reach the semis.
There, he won five successive legs in taking a 5-1 lead against Mark Walsh before completing a 6-2 victory which set up a final against Alcinas.
The Spaniard matched him blow for blow in a top-drawer final, checking out 100, 160 and 121 in sharing the first six legs with Baxter, who had landed a 100 finish of his own and traded maximums with Alcinas in their first darts of the game.
Tags: PDPA Players Championship, Results, Review
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King Wins First Event of 2011
Posted on January 30th, 2011
MERVYN KING won the opening Players Championship of 2011, defeating Vincent van der Voort 6-1 at the Gerry Weber Centre in Halle.
King ended an 11-month gap between titles by claiming victory in the first of two tournaments being staged in Germany this weekend, earning £6,000 in the process.
The world number 11 came through tough battles with Patrick Bulen, Kevin Munch, Gary Welding and Mark Hylton to reach the last eight, coming from 5-3 down against Hylton before edging victory in one contest.
Having overcome Ireland’s William O’Connor 6-1 in the quarter-finals, he then knocked out world number seven Simon Whitlock 6-3 in the semis, winning five of the final six legs on his way to the win.
He then swept past van der Voort in the decider, taking out a 101 finish and double four to lead 2-0 before van der Voort hit back to take the third with the aid of a 180.
King finished 120 for the fourth, and punished three misses from the Dutchman for a 4-1 lead.
He then hit two successive 180s for six perfect darts in the next, which he won in ten darts before sealing a 6-1 victory on double four for his first title since winning back-to-back events in Swindon last February.
“It means a huge amount to me because it’s the first tournament I’ve won since losing my Dad last year, and this was for him,” said King. “It’s been a tough period for me but to win an event is a huge relief.
Tags: PDPA Players Championship, Results, Review
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Derby Revenge For Walsh Against Taylor
Posted on November 29th, 2010
MARK WALSH gained revenge for Saturday’s defeat to Phil Taylor with a 6-4 victory in Sunday’s Players Championship final in Derby – while Wayne Mardle narrowly missed out on snatching an automatic place in the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship by reaching the semi-finals.
Walsh had been defeated 6-3 in Saturday’s final by Taylor, but took home the £6,000 winner’s cheque a day later with a fine display at the Moorways Leisure Centre.
The win gives Hertfordshire ace his third PDC ProTour victory of 2010 – and also his third at the Derby venue, which is fast becoming a favourite for the world number ten.
Walsh defeated Arron Monk, Jelle Klaasen and Dave Ladley to reach the quarter-finals, where he whitewashed Kevin McDine.
Walsh then showed his battling qualities to come from 3-1 and 4-3 down to defeat Wayne Mardle 6-5, hitting a 13-dart finish in the deciding leg, with a 177 setting up double 12 for victory.
He continued that form against Taylor in the final, recovering from an early break from the world number one to win four successive legs in taking a 5-1 lead – hitting finishes of 140, 121 and 104 along the way. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: PDPA Players Championship, Results, Review
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Newton Completes Dream Weekend
Posted on November 7th, 2010
WES NEWTON completed a magical weekend by claiming back-to-back Players Championship wins in Barnsley, defeating Mark Webster 6-1 in Sunday’s final.
The Fleetwood ace had qualified for the Daily Mirror Grand Slam of Darts in Friday’s ITV Wildcard Qualifier before winning his third ranking title in Saturday’s Players Championship.
That was followed with another victory in Sunday’s £31,600 event, as Newton joined the elite band of players to complete a PDC ProTour weekend double – with only Phil Taylor, Adrian Lewis, Robert Thornton and Mervyn King having picked up back-to-back wins previously.
The 33-year-old defeated Ron Atwill, Steve Grubb and Chris Iedema in his first three games before picking up wins over Wayne Jones and Colin Osborne in progressing to the semis.
He then overcame Blackpool rival Ronnie Baxter 6-3 in the last four to set up a final against in-form Webster, who was brushed aside 6-1. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: PDPA Players Championship, Results, Review
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Newton Claims Third Title
Posted on November 6th, 2010
WES NEWTON won his third Players Championship title with a 6-3 win over Colin Lloyd at Barnsley on Saturday.
The Fleetwood ace’s dream weekend continued at the Barnsley Metrodome, as he followed up qualifying for the Daily Mirror Grand Slam of Darts by taking the £6,000 PDC ProTour title.
Newton began the day in ominous form with a whitewash win over Andy Hutchings, and also defeated Matt Padgett and Arron Monk before edging out Robert Thornton 6-5.
He then overcame Kevin Painter and Steve Beaton to book his place in the final, where he came from 2-1 down to lead 5-2 against Lloyd. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: PDPA Players Championship, Results, Review
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Whitlock Wins Again
Posted on October 25th, 2010
SIMON WHITLOCK won his sixth Players Championship of the year with a 6-4 defeat of Richie Burnett in Sunday’s German Darts Championship at the Dolce Bad Nauheim.
The Australian continued his remarkable run of success on the PDC ProTour with the triumph, as Burnett suffered defeat in the final for a second successive day.
Whitlock moves up to fourth in the PDC Order of Merit following the victory, which he sealed in brilliant fashion with a 160 finish to cruelly deny Burnett.
Burnett held the early edge in the final, leading 2-1 after taking the first break of throw before Whitlock levelled with a 116 finish for a 12-darter and took out tops to lead.
Burnett finished 123 on the bull to win the sixth and also levelled at four-all with a 12-darter in the eighth, featuring a 180 and an 81 finish.
He looked set to edge in front in the ninth when three tons and a 140 left him 61, but he hit the bull when aiming for 25 before then missing double four, with Whitlock clinically finishing 92 on double eight for a 5-4 cushion.
Tags: PDPA Players Championship, Results, Review
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Webster Claims Maiden PDC Title
Posted on October 25th, 2010
MARK WEBSTER won his maiden PDC title with a 6-4 victory over Richie Burnett in an all-Welsh final of Saturday’s German Darts Trophy Players Championship.
The left-hander won his first event since joining the PDC in early 2009 with the triumph at the Dolce Bad Nauheim in a battle between two former World Champions.
Having defeated Aodhagan O’Neill, Wim Mink and Denis Ovens in the early rounds, Webster came from 3-0 down to see off Vincent van der Voort 6-5 and reach the quarter-finals.
He repeated that scoreline against Dennis Smith in the last eight and also in the semis, where Germany’s Andree Welge led 5-3 but failed to close out victory.
Webster found himself behind again in the final, as rejuvanated Burnett led 3-1 and 4-2 only to see Webster reel off four straight legs to claim the title.
Burnett’s run saw him reach his first PDC ranking final since 2002 and follows a semi-final appearance in the John McEvoy Gold Dart Classic Players Championship last Sunday.
Tags: PDPA Players Championship, Results, Review
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