Issue 30 (July 29, 2016)

Friday 29 July 2016

Darts Weekly

Is this the real

changing of the guard?

Van Gerwen ends Taylor's perfect Matchplay final record P2-5 DUSSELDORF BOUND

EVERY STAT NEEDED

BACK TO LAS VEGAS

Harry Ward chats ahead of his Euro Tour debut Pages 8-9

Our new and improved database Pages 10-11

PDC confirms World Series event in USA next year Page 12

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Friday 29 July 2016 Darts Weekly

Back-to-back titles for MVG in Blackpool ends Taylor’s World Matchplay final record Alex Moss CHIEF DARTS WRITER Michael van Gerwen became only the third player to retain the BetVictor World Matchplay following a ruthless 18-10 victory over Phil Taylor in the final at the weekend.

After being reduced to tears on the Winter Gardens stage in the final two years ago after losing in the final to Taylor, van Gerwen followed up his 2015 success against James Wade by defeating the 15-time World Matchplay champion in Sunday’s final.

The world number one joins Taylor and Rod Harrington in retaining the prestigious title, with the £100,000 first place prize making it 12 tournament wins so far for him in 2016.

“It feels amazing to win this title again,” the Dutchman said. “I think I played well all through the tournament and I dominated the final, against Phil you always need to step up a bit and I did.

“To beat Phil is always nice because he’s a legend and I’ve got so much respect for him.

“He knows that and that makes it even better to win this trophy by beating him.

“Phil gave me a chance and he knows that if he gives me a chance I’ll take them, and my confidence was there.

“He’s never lost in a World Matchplay final so you know you need to play well, and I did that.

“I think I won this title quite comfortably but I did the right thing at the right moments in this tournament and I didn’t make a lot of mistakes.

“I think I’m the best but you need to show it on that stage, especially in moments like that.

“I’m a really happy man to retain this title, it means a lot to me.”

After easing past reigning world champion Gary Anderson in the

semi-finals on Saturday, Taylor headed into his 16th final on the Winter Gardens stage in a confident mood.

A 180 in the opening leg helped the 16-time world champion win the opening leg, which left van Gerwen trailing in a match for the first time in the tournament.

MVG would not be behind for long though. A 70 checkout saw the defending champion level at 11, before Taylor then missed three darts at doubles in the next leg, handing van Gerwen an early break opportunity.

The Dutch ace did not need a second invitation as he took out 77 to break and go 2-1 up, with an 11 darter, which included two 180s, in the next leg putting him 3-1 up.

Taylor made sure he was close behind heading into the first break, with a 70 checkout on the

“When you play against Phil you always need to step up a bit and I did” bull reducing his arrears to 3-2, but after the next four legs were shared, van Gerwen produced a six-leg burst to build a strong lead.

Perhaps knowing the match had got away from him, Taylor joined in with the crowd and it seemed to spur him on as legs of 11 and 12 darts pulled it back to 13-8.

However, a 13 darter, featuring a 177 and a 180, followed by a 112 checkout put van Gerwen on the brink of victory at 15-8.

And despite a 130 finish and a 12 darter from Taylor in the next two legs, MVG wrapped up the title by winning three consecutive legs.

The defeat for Taylor was his first in a World Matchplay final, and he conceded: “I’m gutted. I don’t know why but I just didn’t have enough, I’m shattered.

“He killed me, he bullied me.

Darts has changed, I’ve been lucky

enough to be involved with the greats, this is the greatest as far as I’m concerned.

“This is a fella that’s dominating like I did. He does everything right and at the moment we’re not.

“I’ve got to start making changes and that starts tomorrow morning.”

Darts Weekly Friday 29 July 2016

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Do people calling for Phil to be banned not remember the feuds that went on in the 80s?

Chris Mason 1998 MATCHPLAY SEMI-FINALIST Another World Matchplay is in the books and one of the big talking points from this year’s event was Phil Taylor’s antics in the final.

I’ve read on social media that Phil should get banned. That’s absolute nonsense.

Do all these people not remember the feuds that went on with Eric Bristow and Alan Evans and Jocky Wilson?

The list goes on and on and that’s what made it what it was. There was some genuine passion up there on the stage.

I don’t want to see robots. I want to see people who put it all on the line and do everything they can to win within the grounds of sportsmanship or gamesmanship.

It’s nonsense that Phil should get banned. I just say, for what?

If I was still playing I don’t think I would still be playing, I’d be serving a constant ban.

It’s just ridiculous. Let the lads go up there and show a bit of passion.

I didn’t see anyone at any stage last week trying to put the other off. There was plenty of testosterone up there and that makes the game better.

If I’m sitting down watching two people play a sport, I want to see passion.

Phil played three games in three days at the end of the tournament and I just think by the time he reached the final he was pretty much knackered.

He looked a bit tired, a bit jaded, and he didn’t get off to a good start and I think he just got a little bit

frustrated really. It wasn’t like he played bad, his average was over 100, which over that distance is still incredible darts.

At the end of the day Phil’s only getting beat by absolute quality and more often than not someone who is on top form.

It’s not like he’s getting beat in the first round and averaging 80 odd. His tournament average was again only second to Michael van Gerwen.

Michael’s now won the Masters, UK Open, Premier League and World Matchplay this year and you can’t see a reason why he can’t win all the big TV titles left in 2016.

Until somebody starts popping in the real high 100 averages on a regular basis, he looks unbeatable.

You’re going to have to do something that big to start rattling him in my opinion.

Darts Weekly Friday 29 July 2016

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SEAN McCORMICK TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE DART

Is Michael van Gerwen the greatest player to ever pick up a dart?

Michael van Gerwen continued to assert his darting dominance, as he barely broke a sweat in claiming back-to-back World Matchplay titles on Sunday night.

The world number one emphatically added another major trophy to his haul with consummate ease and it led me to ponder whether he is the greatest player to have ever picked up a dart.

It is a topic I’ve wrestled with a lot, particularly in the last year or so, but based purely on performance levels, van Gerwen deserves that title.

I got embroiled into a discussion with someone on Twitter over this, who quickly reminded me of the achievements of Phil Taylor and how he used to bully people the way MVG does.

I’m not suggesting Taylor shouldn’t go down as the greatest darts player of all time - in fact it would be idiotic for me to do so.

The volume of titles Taylor has accumulated over the years will never be surpassed. What I am saying is, ability wise, van Gerwen is better than Taylor has ever been.

What van Gerwen is achieving in an era where there are so many good players, is nothing short of phenomenal.

Players in the world’s top 16 consistently average north of 100, and we are always reminded that the winner of the TV tournaments could be one of 10-12 players.

Yet if you put the World Championship aside, van Gerwen has reached every single major TV

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final since January of last year, winning a staggering 10 majors in the last 18 months.

He’s broken the world record TV average this year and has averaged north of 116 six times in the last three years, with three of those performances coming in the last

‘When MVG steps up to an oche he has an air of invincibility about him now’ year alone.

Taylor, particularly in the Premier League has played as good as he ever has this year, yet he is still left trailing in van Gerwen’s wake. I, like so many others who were in the Winter Gardens at the weekend, expected thrillingly close

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battles between the world’s top four players from the semi-finals onwards, but just as he has been for the last two or three years, MVG was streets ahead of the rest.

When van Gerwen steps up to an oche now there is an air of invincibility about him. Despite being incredible players, Taylor as well as Adrian Lewis and Dave Chisnall looked beaten even before they reached the second advertisement break.

With the Masters, UK Open, Premier League and World Matchplay in his grasp already, the Dutch ace is on course for an unprecedented clean sweep of televised major singles titles this year, and the way he is beating opponents into submission, the possibility of him achieving it isn’t too far-fetched.

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Friday 29 July 2016 Darts Weekly

Beaton and King roll back the years to reach the quarterfinals of the World Matchplay Alex Moss CHIEF DARTS WRITER Many of the plaudits last week would have, quite rightly, gone to Michael van Gerwen, who made a successful defence of his BetVictor World Matchplay title.

Yet just two days before van Gerwen’s latest coronation on Sunday, the darting world were rejoicing in the heroics of two players who some critics had suggested were past their best.

Steve Beaton and Mervyn King pushed their top four opponents all the way as they battled for a place in the semi-finals at the Winter Gardens on Friday night.

Beaton had the reigning world champion Gary Anderson sweating as he battled back from 8-3 down to level at 12-12, before eventually bowing out 16-13.

While King had Phil Taylor’s hopes of a record 16th World Matchplay title hanging in the balance when he took a 13-12 lead, before narrowly losing 16-14.

Beaton’s crowning achievement, in a career which spans more than three decades, took place 20 years ago this year when he won the BDO World Championship at Lakeside in 1996.

Yet, to use the title of his walk on song, the 52-year-old is ‘Stayin’ Alive’ in the higher ranks of the PDC all these years later.

Now up to 25th in the PDC Order of Merit following his welcome run in Blackpool last week, Beaton is far from ready to call it a day.

After losing to Anderson in the quarter-finals last Friday, the Bronzed Adonis enthused: “I played like that all week really and they all know what I play like.

“I’ve played them all every week, but I was so annoyed I had such a slow start.

“I looked at the averages, he was 103, I was 85. Obviously with the crowd you’re buzzing anyway, so

the pressure is building up, and it weren’t until later on that suddenly I relaxed.

“There was two or three legs where I messed up and you don’t get many chances against Gary and that’s what cost me the match.

“At the end of the day, darts is an entertaining sport isn’t it? If we were playing terrible they wouldn’t want to watch it.

“To me darts is a sport that you entertain and I’m so happy to be in the last eight entertaining people with the big boys.

“Although I lost now, I still enjoyed it. I’m not going to go back and start crying or anything. I’m enjoying it.

“I’ll keep competing. I love the sport and it’s great to be up there with them.”

Beaton had also been the underdog in his first two games,

“I’ll keep playing, I love the sport and it’s great to be up there with them” which saw him beat Jelle Klaasen (10-6) and Michael Smith (11-7), the latter of those producing an excellent 99.16 average.

King also finished with a 99 average when he dumped out former World Matchplay winner James Wade in the first round.

The 50-year-old finished a comfortable winner against the highly-fancied Wade, winning 105, and then booked his place in the quarter-finals with an 11-8 victory over Brendan Dolan.

King pushed Taylor all the way in their last eight clash, and at 13-13 it looked like being the first match of the tournament to go into extra legs.

But Taylor took out a stunning 124 checkout to break the King throw and go 14-13 up, before two holds of throw edged him through.

While Beaton described his run

in this year’s Matchplay as enjoyable, for King he could only reflect on a missed opportunity of reaching another major semi-final.

“I missed so many doubles early doors,” he conceded. “I didn’t score like I can.

“I averaged 93, that’s like 10 a dart less than I’ve been doing just lately. To be fair I was well away from winning.

“If I had of turned up he might have got 10 legs. I should have took the first session 4-1, maybe 32, I took the next two 3-2.

“It was not a great game for me.

There was a lot of loose darts and a lot of missed doubles and I’m not happy with it.

“I wanted to play in the semifinals, I wanted to be in the final and I wanted to win it.

“I’m here to win the tournament, I’m not here to make the numbers up. I’ve been playing well all year and not getting the results.

“If things start going my way I might actually start playing properly and bring my A game.”

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New rivalry fails to live up to the hype as Lewis eases past Price “Gerwyn Price had one lucky game all year last year and that was against me. I’ll turn him over no problem, don’t worry about that.”

Those were the words uttered by Adrian Lewis following his 10-6 first round win over Mark Webster in the BetVictor World Matchplay, a victory which set up a rematch with Gerwyn Price, who knocked out the two-time world champion in the second round in Blackpool 12 months ago.

The next 48 hours saw a war of words ensue between the pair over Twitter, with Sky lapping it up and creating plenty of hype around the rematch between the pair.

The second meeting on the Winter Gardens stage proved to be somewhat of a damp squib, with

Lewis running out a comfortable 11-5 winner, despite averaging just 84.55, the lowest match-winning average of the entire tournament.

“The result was satisfying but I’m not happy with my performance and it wasn’t a great game,” said Lewis, who lost to eventual winner Michael van Gerwen in the semifinals.

“I finished quite well apart from

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Jackpot’s revenge: Lewis beat Price 11-5 in the second round

one or two legs and I know my form is there.

“If Gerwyn had started firing straight away I’d have matched it or bettered it, and if I’m put under pressure I perform.

“He’s slagged me off, but what’s he done? I just think until you’ve actually done something in the game then you can come back and see me, and I’ll respect you.”

Price, whose run to the second round in Blackpool last week saw him climb up to 23rd in the PDC Order of Merit, reflected: “I heard what Adie said on TV and I didn’t do any of the social media on the day of the game.

“It didn’t really affect me. It was just my own game, it didn’t happen.

“They just didn’t go in today. I didn’t score well. I didn’t feel no pressure.

“I was here last year, I’m here this year and hopefully I’ll be here next year.

“I’ll come back next year and hopefully I’ll play Adie again.”

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Friday 29 July 2016 Darts Weekly

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

“It’s my debut on the European Tour and I want to try and show people what I can do”

Harry Ward chats to Alex Moss ahead of making his debut on the PDC European Tour this afternoon

lmost 18 months have passed since Harry Ward put his name on the darting map when he played in the BDO World Youth Championship final at Lakeside.

Today, in a less familiar darts venue, hundreds of miles away, Ward will write the next chapter in his fledgling career in the sport.

The Derbyshire teenager makes his debut in the PDC European Tour this afternoon when he takes on Ritchie Edhouse in the first round of the HappyBet European Darts Open in Dusseldorf.

And ahead of making his bow in the internet-streamed series, Ward is relishing the opportunity to show what he can do.

“I’ve been doing what I normally do in practice,” he said. “I work full-time now, but I play local leagues on Monday nights, Tuesday nights and Wednesday nights, so I’ve done that this week.

“I finished work early on Wednesday and I put a few hours in on the board, just polishing up on my finishing, just trying to be the best I can be, because it’s my debut and I want to try and show people what I can do.”

Since the turn of the year Ward has been working as a labourer for his dad, who is a bricklayer, but at weekends he has been a regular on the PDC’s Challenge Tour and Development Tour.

The Swadlincote-based thrower enjoyed a profitable March where he backed up a run to the semifinals of a Challenge Tour event by reaching the quarter-finals of a

“I’m far from reaching my peak and I’m always improving”

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Development Tour event less than a week later.

Earlier that month Ward made his debut in the Coral UK Open, where after beating Alan Tabern in the last 96, he lost to another up and coming player in Josh Payne.

“To qualify for the UK Open was a good achievement because I didn’t think I’d qualified to be honest,” he said.

“I had one good day where I got to the last 32 of one of the qualifiers and that helped me qualify.

“I went to Minehead and won a game as well, so I was pleased with that. It was great, I had just random people in the crowd shouting for me.

“I only brought my mum and dad with me, I didn’t have many fans, but a lot of people were congratulating me on my first win.”

Before then, Ward’s first real breakthrough came with his run to the final of the BDO World Youth Championship.

After dropping just three legs to reach the final at Lakeside, Ward was beaten 3-0 by Colin Roelofs of the Netherlands in the decider, screened live on the BBC. “When I went there for the final I was confident,” he recalls. “I couldn’t finish but I was just happy to get there.

“It was a great achievement. I’ve still got the cheque that I got hung up in my bedroom.

“It was a good day even though the result didn’t go my way.

“I took a lot from it. One thing I

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“x x x x” learnt from it the most is to slow my game down.

“I’ve not slowed down loads, it’s just so I can keep calm a bit more and try and play my own game.”

Ward was handed a boost at the end of last year when he signed up with Danny Cox and Precision Sports Management, who have tipped the youngster to be a future world champion.

“He’s a teenage sensation and not just a one to watch in the future, but a future world champion as well,” Cox said last year.

“We are pleased to have been able to sign him up and we are looking forward to watching and help nurture his progression in the game.”

Ward had a second stab at the competitive Qualifying School in January and was once again unsuccessful, but admits a place on

the PDC’s main tour was not his immediate aspiration.

“I went to Q-School at the start of the year and I didn’t really want to get a tour card,” he said.

“I didn’t think I was at that stage yet so I went there so I could then do the UK Open qualifiers and the

“I know what I can do it’s just doing it in matches when you need it” European Tour qualifiers.”

Ward’s first attempt at the European Tour qualifiers ended with a narrow 6-5 defeat to Mick McGowan in the preliminary round of the Austrian Darts Open UK Qualifier.

But the teenager quickly wiped away that disappointment just

hours later, as he beat Joe Cullen (6-3) and Curtis Hammond (6-4) to qualify for this weekend’s European Darts Open.

“I played in the one before and I lost 6-5 to Mick McGowan,” he said. “I played really well and he did a 12 and an 11 darter to beat me and I thought if I play as well in the next one I could qualify.

“I played Joe Cullen and I took out some really nice finishes and I won that game.

“I thought I had a good chance because I’ve took the seed out and I played really well in the next game to qualify.

“I’m always improving. I’m far from reaching my peak if you’d say I suppose.

“I know what I can do, it’s just doing it in matches when you need it, and I think experience will help that come along.”

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Friday 29 July 2016 Darts Weekly

EVERY MATCH. EVERY TABLE. EVERY STAT PROFESSIONAL DARTS CORPORATION BETVICTOR WORLD MATCHPLAY

ORDER OF MERIT

First round - M van Gerwen (105.85) 10-0 J Caven (79.98), V van der Voort (89.99) 4-10 K Anderson (92.34), R Thornton (91.19) 10-7 J Payne (85.87), D Chisnall (94.37) 10-7 B van de Pas (89.23), P Wright (99.66) 10-5 J Cullen (87.73), I White (91.46) 102 D Gurney (84.49), A Lewis (93.96) 10-6 M Webster (88.62), K Huybrechts (97.89) 8-10 G Price (95.10), G Anderson (101.28) 10-1 A Norris (91.06), T Jenkins (85.75) 10-7 J Pipe (87.95), M Smith (97.20) 10-6 S Whitlock (94.28), J Klaasen (93.00) 6-10 S Beaton (94.26), J Wade (95.88) 5-10 M King (99.45), R van Barneveld (92.79) 7-10 B Dolan (90.68), P Taylor (98.72) 10-8 R Green (88.13), S Bunting (102.48) 8-10 M Suljovic (98.44).

= 1 M van Gerwen £1,197,000 = 2 G Anderson £856,250 ^ 3 A Lewis £453,750 V 4 P Taylor £439,250 = 5 P Wright £397,000 = 6 J Wade £344,250 = 7 M Smith £306,000 = 8 R Thornton £300,000 = 9 D Chisnall £273,500 = 10 J Klaasen £262,500 = 11 R van Barneveld £246,250 = 12 I White £242,250 = 13 K Huybrechts £229,250 = 14 S Bunting £216,250 = 15 T Jenkins £212,000 ^ 16 M Suljovic £205,250 V 17 V van der Voort £201,500 = 18 M King £199,500 = 19 B van de Pas £194,000 = 20 S Whitlock £158,000 = 21 B Dolan £153,750 = 22 J Pipe £144,500 ^ 23 G Price £142,000 = 24 M Webster £141,000 ^ 25 S Beaton £137,500 V 26 J Caven £134,250 ^ 27 D Gurney £115,500 ^ 28 A Norris £111,500 V 29 A Gilding £110,750 ^ 30 K Anderson £102,250 = 31 J Henderson £94,500 = 32 J Lewis £93,000 ^ 33 J Cullen £87,000 V 34 A Hamilton £84,500 = 35 K Painter £78,250 ^ 36 K Brown £77,750 V 37 D Winstanley £74,000 = 38 D Webster £72,750 V 39 W Newton £69,750 ^ 40 C Reyes £69,250 V 41 R-J Rodriguez £68,750 = 42 J Murnan £67,250 = 43 C Kist £64,500 = 44 R Huybrechts £63,250 = 45 M Hopp £61,000 = 46 D Pallett £54,000 = 47 R Evans £49,750 ^ 48 J Payne £44,000 ^ 49 R Green £41,500 = 50 J Artut £40,500  PDC Order of Merit above is correct as of July 28, 2016.

Second round - M van Gerwen (102.97) 11-3 K Anderson (87.77), R Thornton (88.24) 2-11 D Chisnall (99.67), P Wright (98.87) 11-6 I White (95.71), A Lewis (84.55) 11-5 G Price (82.06), G Anderson (100.76) 11-5 T Jenkins (84.97), M Smith (92.95) 7-11 S Beaton (99.16), M King (89.05) 118 B Dolan (89.74), P Taylor (101.11) 11-5 M Suljovic (97.14).

Quarter finals - M van Gerwen (98.72) 16-9 D Chisnall (90.93), P Wright (95.93) 14-16 A Lewis (97.33), G Anderson (96.52) 16-13 S Beaton (91.30), M King (93.26) 14-16 P Taylor (101.41).

Semi finals - M van Gerwen (101.20) 17-9 A Lewis (98.24), G Anderson (96.83) 8-17 P Taylor (101.27).

Final - M van Gerwen (103.93) 18-10 P Taylor (101.13).

Highest checkout - 160 (J Pipe, K Anderson and S Beaton).

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Mensur Suljovic became the first Austrian player to break into the PDC’s top 16 after reaching the second round of the World Matchplay in Blackpool last week FIXTURES TODAY HappyBet European Darts Open (12pm): First round - J Henderson v J Dekker, R Edhouse v H Ward, W Newton v S Griffiths, K Viljanen v M Schindler, J Richardson v D Petri, R Green v D Gurney, J Michael v F Herz, J Clayton v A Hamilton, M Frost v S Stoyke, D Van den Bergh v J de Graaf, H Rettig v S West, J Caven v C Kist, A Jenkins v D Petersen, M Hopp v A Boulton, C Reyes v K Anderson, G Price v T Newell.

TOMORROW HappyBet European Darts Open (12pm): Second round SUNDAY HappyBet European Darts Open (12pm): Third round - final

Darts Weekly Friday 29 July 2016

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EVERY STAT HERE. darts

firsts

BRITISH DARTS ORGANISATION CHESHIRE OPEN Last 32 - M Woods 1-5 N Aspinall, T Sanwell 3-5 W Newton, S Bunting 5-0 S Longs, T Gregory 5-1 L Whitworth, C Batchelor 0-5 A Tabern, R Green 5-2 J Murnan, D Pallett 3-5 K Anderson, P Blythe 5-4 B Moran, C Dennell 5-1 M Craddock, S Atkinson 5-0 D Ayres, N Fullwell 5-2 B Suckley, B Lynn 4-5 J Burgess, P Bettney 5-2 P Aspinall, I Jones 4-5 S Carroll, D Gibbons 3-5 M Walsh, A Cummins 1-5 J Bowles.

Last 16 - N Aspinall 5-2 W Newton, S Bunting 5-3 T Gregory, A Tabern 4-5 R Green, K Anderson 5-0 P Blythe, C Dennell 3-5 S Atkinson, N Fullwell 5-2 J Burgess, P Bettney 3-5 S Carroll, M Walsh 4-5 J Bowles.

Quarter finals - N Aspinall 5-3 S Bunting, R Green 4-5 K Anderson, S Atkinson 5-2 N Fullwell, S Carroll 5-3 J Bowles.

Semi finals - N Aspinall 6-2 K Anderson, S Atkinson 6-5 S Carroll. Final - N Aspinall 6-1 S Atkinson.

Nine dart finish - K Anderson.

YOUTH FESTIVAL OF DARTS British Teenager Singles last 16 - R Colley 3-0 C Gower, V Van Den Bergh 0-3 R Roberts, M Avory 2-3 J Richardson, J Peetoom 0-3 A Paxton, R Byrne 3-2 L Baker, J McCarthy 3-0 L Gurney, J Thomas 1-3 J Singh, J Vincent 2-3 B Hall.

Quarter finals - R Colley 1-3 R Roberts, J Richardson 3-2 A Paxton, R Byrne 0-3 J McCarthy, J Singh 0-3 B Hall. Semi finals - R Roberts 0-3 J Richardson, J McCarthy 3-0 B Hall. Final - J Richardson 1-4 J McCarthy.

18-25 Mixed Singles quarter

18-25 Mixed Singles last 16 - R Hayden 3-2 S Head, J Ellis 1-3 L Ireland, L Venes 0-3 K Smith, A Smith-Neale 3-0 J McCarthy, D Key 3-1 J Maine, J Patterson 0-3 R Roberts, C Gower 0-3 A Khayat, A Dyer 3-1 J Burksfield. Quarter finals - R Hayden 3-1 L Ireland, K Smith 3-1 A Smith-Neale, D Key 13 R Roberts, A Khayat 3-1 A Dyer.

Semi finals - R Hayden 3-0 K Smith, R Roberts 3-2 A Khayat.

Final - R Hayden 4-3 R Roberts.

18-25 Male Singles last 16 - D Thomas 3-0 J Goff, R Griffin 3-1 C Snyders, M Castle 1-3 M Tompkins, R Hayden 1-3 J McCarthy, G Edwards 1-3 S Head, B Davies Jarman 1-3 A Dyer, K Kynaston 0-3 A Smith-Neale, B Raman 3-2 K Smith. Quarter finals - D Thomas 1-3 R Griffin, A Tompkins 0-3 J McCarthy, S Head 3-1 A Dyer, A Smith-Neale 3-0 B Raman. Semi finals - R Griffin 32 J McCarthy, S Head 0-3 A Smith-Neale. Final - R Griffin 0-4 A Smith-Neale.

FIXTURES TODAY Shownights.com Winmau European Darts Weekend (7pm): Money In/Money Out competition TOMORROW Shownights.com Winmau European Darts Weekend (10.30am): European Darts Classic SUNDAY Shownights.com Winmau European Darts Weekend (10.30am): European Darts Open Pacific Masters (10am) To find out more about advertising in our magazine please send an email to dartsweekly@gmail.com

England international, Dave Parletti, talks us through his darts memories First darts memory?

Being at Lakeside and watching Bobby George playing Magnus Caris in the semi-finals of the 1994 World Championship.

First darts hero?

It was Bobby George, simply for being a top chucker and a showman.

First set of darts?

My first set of darts are the ones I still use now. A 23g set of Eric Bristow darts from Argos.

First darts team?

The first team I played for was the Jolly Gardeners in the SW14 local league.

First game on TV? It was in Selsey last year when I played the then current world champion Scott Mitchell in the England Open and I won 5-4.

First nine darter?

I’ve hit four nine darters. They were all while practising but I still say they count! I have had seven perfect darts in a league game as well.

First professional tournament win?

I’m still waiting for my first professional tournament win, but in the last year while doing the BDO circuit I’ve got to the quarterfinals eight times. I’ve been in three semi-finals and a final from that so I’m heading in the right direction.

Who would you like to see reveal their Darts Firsts next?

Tweet us at @darts_weekly with your suggested players!

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Friday 29 July 2016 Darts Weekly

PDC confirms World Series event in Las Vegas next year DOUBLETREE BY HILTON

The stars of the PDC will return to Las Vegas next year after it was confirmed a World Series event will be staged in the Nevada city in 2017.

The world’s entertainment capital will be the latest addition to the World Series of Darts circuit, as the PDC heads back to Vegas for the first time since 2010.

Las Vegas proved a hugely popular destination for darts fans from 2002-2009, when the Las Vegas Desert Classic was staged, with the most recent PDC events being held in 2010.

The PDC will return to the iconic Tropicana Hotel in July next year, with the organisation’s top players set to take on North America’s top stars in a new World Series event.

Speaking to Darts Weekly last month, PDC chairman Barry Hearn said: “The next big push we’re going to do is we’re going to go back to America.

“We’re going back in 2017. With the World Series events there isn’t a specific format.

“In Dubai it’s just the eight players, while others have qualifiers versus the eight.

“I think America will be like that.

There’s slightly different promotional techniques you have to use in America. You have to give them some American winners.

“In America we’ll do a massive qualifier on site, so every player in North America gets a chance, and that will find the guys to compete

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in the event.” This year’s World Series circuit consists of seven events, with tournaments in Dubai, Auckland, Shanghai, Tokyo, Sydney and Perth followed by a Finals weekend in Glasgow.

With an already stacked calendar it remains to be seen how the PDC will fit their return to Las Vegas in, as July this year includes a Players Championship weekend, the Tokyo Darts Masters, the World Matchplay and a European Tour event in Germany.

Hearn admitted he was mindful of how many more events he could introduce onto the World Series tour, when he told us: “The top eight are earning great money obviously, but they have a responsibility to spread the game,

Heading back: The Tropicana Hotel will host a World Series event in July of next year

Van Tergouw wins cup

Record win for Wolfie

Aspinall is the winner

Justin van Tergouw was crowned WDF Europe Youth Cup champion in Hungary two weeks ago.

The Dutch youngster got the better of Ireland’s Keane Barry 3-1 in the final and follows in the footsteps of compatriots Vincent van der Voort and Michael van Gerwen to have lifted the trophy.

England’s Beau Greaves won the Girls title after beating Germany’s Christina Schuler 4-1.

Martin Adams won a record 11th British Pentathlon title in Tonbridge earlier this month.

The three-time world champion scored 436 points to beat last year’s winner Jamie Hughes (432) by four points and move onto 11 wins, one ahead of John Lowe’s 10.

Trina Gulliver claimed victory in the Ladies event, with a score of 329 points getting the better of Deta Hedman (301).

Nathan Aspinall thrashed Steve Atkinson 6-1 to win the Cheshire Open on Sunday evening.

The PDC tour card holder had seen off the likes of fellow PDC stars Wes Newton, Stephen Bunting and Kyle Anderson to reach the final, while Atkinson enjoyed wins over Nick Fullwell and Shaun Carroll.

Earlier on, Anderson hit a nine darter in his win over Chris Clark.

which they are embracing and I’m thankful to them for that.

“But at the same time they can’t take their eye off the rankings.

“They’re only in the top eight because they are ranked in the top eight.

“There’s so many other tournaments so we’ve got to be a little bit careful of burning these players out.

“I’m just conscious I don’t want to produce too many. So if I’ve gone from five to six this year (seven including the Finals), next year from six to seven, I’m getting towards capacity.”