Players Championship Finals- Match Reports Semifinals and Final
Semi-Finals
Mark Webster remains on course to win his first PDC major title after defeating Wes Newton 10-7 in the Cash Converters Players Championship
semi-finals.
The Welsh left-hander, who won the 2008 Lakeside Championship, booked his place in the final at the Doncaster Dome with another assured display as he chases the £60,000 first prize.
He hit 180s in winning the first two legs before posting double ten in the third to leave Newton reeling at 3-0 down. The Fleetwood ace hit tops to get off the mark in the fourth, and hit scores of 177 and 180 in the next to set up a potential nine-darter. Although he was unable to achieve a perfect leg, he took out 86 for a 12-dart finish to pull back to 3-2. Webster, though, hit a 168 to set up double ten in winning the sixth, and added tops to lead 5-2 before Newton posted two 180s and double 16 to reply.
The pair traded 180s in the ninth, with Webster's maximum leaving 67 but only able to watch as Newton produced a 138 checkout on double nine to pull back to 5-4.
He was crucially unable to level, though, with Webster hitting double ten to edge away and 180 in setting up double nine to lead 7-4. Newton hit double ten to win two of the next three legs, but a miss at tops for a 110 finish allowed Webster to move a leg away from victory at 9-6. Webster would miss tops in the next, for a 106 finish, as Newton posted double eight to stay in the contest, but even a 180 from the UK Open runner-up was not enough to continue the fightback as the Welshman sealed victory on double ten.
"My finishing was pretty sharp and I'm delighted to be through," said Webster. "I had a little bit of luck but I've not beaten Wes for a while so it's nice to end that run. Hopefully I can go on to win the final now."
Newton admitted: "It's disappointing for me and I felt that the little things didn't go my way and I wasn't able to gain any momentum. I came back into it after the start, but Mark did well and never let me get on level terms."
Kevin Painter produced a miracle comeback to battle from 9-6 down to end Scott Rand's Cash Converters Players Championship dream with a dramatic
deciding-leg victory.
Rand, who has knocked out Raymond van Barneveld and James Wade in his run to a first major semi-final, continued his impressive emergence by leading 7-4 and 9-6.
However, his superb finishing faltered for the first time in the tournament has he missed two match darts for a 10-7 win as Painter took three successive legs to force a decider before snatching a sensational win on double eight.
"That's one of the most incredible games I've ever been involved in," admitted Painter, the 2004 World Championship runner-up. "I thought I played well even though I was behind for most of the match. My scoring was good but I was sat on a finish a lot of times when Scott won legs and he never seemed to miss until that leg at the death. I put him under some pressure there at the end but I expected him to hit the double 16 for the match. He didn't and I took my chance."
Rand, nicknamed Cool Hand, showed few nerves in his first major semi-final by hitting 180s in winning each of the first two legs, landing double 16 and double eight. Painter finished 96 on double 18 to get off the mark and then took out 130 on the bull to level, and shared the next two legs before Rand hit a 13-darter to take the seventh and punished misses from his opponent by taking out double 16 and 112 to lead 6-3. Painter hit a 180 and finished 63 to win a fourth leg, before Rand took out 85 on tops to remain three legs clear at 7-4.
The pair traded double 16 checkouts before Painter pulled back to 8-6 by hitting a 180 and a second 96 finish of the game. Rand, though, took out 76 to move a leg away from victory at 9-6 as he moved to within touching distance of a first major final after under two years as a professional. Painter matched that 76 finish to begin his fightback, and when Rand saw two match darts at double 16 land outside the wire he finished tops to pull back to 9-8. Double ten from Painter forced a decider, in which he was the stronger against the throw to mean that a 180 from Rand was in vain as he took out double eight to joyfully celebrate a remarkable comeback.
"It's the first time this week that I've wobbled on the doubles when I was on the double 16," admitted Rand. "My hand was shaking but I'm sure I'll have many more nights like this. Kevin's experience paid off and I can see how important that experience is now. It's been a very enjoyable weekend and I'm excited about the World Championship now. I'll be back driving lorries on Monday morning but one day I'd love to give that up and be a full-time professional. If I'd won the final I could have done that straight away, but it wasn't to be."
Final
Kevin Painter won the first major title of his career with a brilliant 13-9 defeat of Mark Webster in the Cash Converters Players Championship
final at the Doncaster Dome on Sunday night.
Painter, the 2004 World Championship runner-up when he lost to Phil Taylor in a sudden-death leg, finally held aloft major silverware by claiming the 60,000 pound title.
The 44-year-old had stared defeat in the face in his semi-final, coming from 9-6 against newcomer Scott Rand down to win 10-9, but turned on the style in the final with nine 180s and three ton-plus finishes.
"It's incredible," admitted Painter. "It's been a long time coming for me and a lot of people kept saying that I'd missed my chance to win a major in the 2004 World Championship, but this shows them that I hadn't. I've always believed that I can do this and you have to stick with it because anything can happen in this sport. I've come good when it mattered in the semi-finals and final and it came together at the right time."
Webster edged the final's opening leg before Painter hit a nerve-settling 180 and double 16 to level and then broke by hitting the same bed. However, a miss at double 18 in the next allowed Webster to win the fourth, and he then repeated the double top finish to lead 3-2. Painter hit back with a 101 finish, and after Webster took the seventh following a 180 he then took three in a row, including a brilliant 11-darter, to move 6-4 up. Double top gave Webster his fifth leg before a 68 finish from Painter edged him out to 7-5, although he paid the price for missing a single 20 to leave the bull in the next as the left-hander stepped in on double seven.
Any hopes Webster had of levelling the game, though, were shattered in the next as Painter hit back-to-back 180s in an 11-darter, which he followed with finishes of 110 and 104 to lead 10-6. Double top gave Webster the next, but Painter again set up a potential nine-darter with two 180s. He missed a seventh treble 20 for the second time, but again mopped up the leg in 12 darts to lead 11-7 before moving a leg away from victory on double 12 following two misses from the Welshman.
Webster hit double 16 to keep the game alive in the next, but his respite was brief as Painter hit a key 140 to leave 67, which he took out on double 16 before dropping to his knees in joy at the first major of his career.
"I got some fluency in my game in the semis and final and I thought I played well in the final," added Painter, who moves up to ninth in the PDC Order of Merit following the triumph. You have to dig in when it gets tough and I did that. If you'd said to me at the start of the week that I was going to be the champion, I'd have thought your head wasn't screwed on properly. I've been playing alright and it wasn't beyond me to win a tournament but everything has to come together to win a tournament and it did for me. I had a bit of luck at times but my finishing throughout the whole tournament was good. I think the 104 in the final was the turning point, Mark was on a double and it was a great shot. He came back at me but fortunately I took the 67 out. The crowd were fantastic and they gave me great support, and it's a very special moment."
"I'm devastated," said Webster afterwards. "I underperformed in the final and Kevin played really well and he deserved it. I never settled from the word go and I'm really disappointed, but Kevin took out some great shots. I'm down at the moment but I've got to pick myself up because I've got my first round game in the World Championship to play on Thursday night. If I can become World Champion this will be forgotten about."
Mark Webster 10:7 Wes Newton
Mark Webster remains on course to win his first PDC major title after defeating Wes Newton 10-7 in the Cash Converters Players Championship
semi-finals.
The Welsh left-hander, who won the 2008 Lakeside Championship, booked his place in the final at the Doncaster Dome with another assured display as he chases the £60,000 first prize.
He hit 180s in winning the first two legs before posting double ten in the third to leave Newton reeling at 3-0 down. The Fleetwood ace hit tops to get off the mark in the fourth, and hit scores of 177 and 180 in the next to set up a potential nine-darter. Although he was unable to achieve a perfect leg, he took out 86 for a 12-dart finish to pull back to 3-2. Webster, though, hit a 168 to set up double ten in winning the sixth, and added tops to lead 5-2 before Newton posted two 180s and double 16 to reply.
The pair traded 180s in the ninth, with Webster's maximum leaving 67 but only able to watch as Newton produced a 138 checkout on double nine to pull back to 5-4.
He was crucially unable to level, though, with Webster hitting double ten to edge away and 180 in setting up double nine to lead 7-4. Newton hit double ten to win two of the next three legs, but a miss at tops for a 110 finish allowed Webster to move a leg away from victory at 9-6. Webster would miss tops in the next, for a 106 finish, as Newton posted double eight to stay in the contest, but even a 180 from the UK Open runner-up was not enough to continue the fightback as the Welshman sealed victory on double ten.
"My finishing was pretty sharp and I'm delighted to be through," said Webster. "I had a little bit of luck but I've not beaten Wes for a while so it's nice to end that run. Hopefully I can go on to win the final now."
Newton admitted: "It's disappointing for me and I felt that the little things didn't go my way and I wasn't able to gain any momentum. I came back into it after the start, but Mark did well and never let me get on level terms."
Kevin Painter 10:9 Scott Rand
Kevin Painter produced a miracle comeback to battle from 9-6 down to end Scott Rand's Cash Converters Players Championship dream with a dramatic
deciding-leg victory.
Rand, who has knocked out Raymond van Barneveld and James Wade in his run to a first major semi-final, continued his impressive emergence by leading 7-4 and 9-6.
However, his superb finishing faltered for the first time in the tournament has he missed two match darts for a 10-7 win as Painter took three successive legs to force a decider before snatching a sensational win on double eight.
"That's one of the most incredible games I've ever been involved in," admitted Painter, the 2004 World Championship runner-up. "I thought I played well even though I was behind for most of the match. My scoring was good but I was sat on a finish a lot of times when Scott won legs and he never seemed to miss until that leg at the death. I put him under some pressure there at the end but I expected him to hit the double 16 for the match. He didn't and I took my chance."
Rand, nicknamed Cool Hand, showed few nerves in his first major semi-final by hitting 180s in winning each of the first two legs, landing double 16 and double eight. Painter finished 96 on double 18 to get off the mark and then took out 130 on the bull to level, and shared the next two legs before Rand hit a 13-darter to take the seventh and punished misses from his opponent by taking out double 16 and 112 to lead 6-3. Painter hit a 180 and finished 63 to win a fourth leg, before Rand took out 85 on tops to remain three legs clear at 7-4.
The pair traded double 16 checkouts before Painter pulled back to 8-6 by hitting a 180 and a second 96 finish of the game. Rand, though, took out 76 to move a leg away from victory at 9-6 as he moved to within touching distance of a first major final after under two years as a professional. Painter matched that 76 finish to begin his fightback, and when Rand saw two match darts at double 16 land outside the wire he finished tops to pull back to 9-8. Double ten from Painter forced a decider, in which he was the stronger against the throw to mean that a 180 from Rand was in vain as he took out double eight to joyfully celebrate a remarkable comeback.
"It's the first time this week that I've wobbled on the doubles when I was on the double 16," admitted Rand. "My hand was shaking but I'm sure I'll have many more nights like this. Kevin's experience paid off and I can see how important that experience is now. It's been a very enjoyable weekend and I'm excited about the World Championship now. I'll be back driving lorries on Monday morning but one day I'd love to give that up and be a full-time professional. If I'd won the final I could have done that straight away, but it wasn't to be."
Final
Painter brushes off Webster to win Cash Converters Players Championship
Kevin Painter won the first major title of his career with a brilliant 13-9 defeat of Mark Webster in the Cash Converters Players Championship
final at the Doncaster Dome on Sunday night.
Painter, the 2004 World Championship runner-up when he lost to Phil Taylor in a sudden-death leg, finally held aloft major silverware by claiming the 60,000 pound title.
The 44-year-old had stared defeat in the face in his semi-final, coming from 9-6 against newcomer Scott Rand down to win 10-9, but turned on the style in the final with nine 180s and three ton-plus finishes.
"It's incredible," admitted Painter. "It's been a long time coming for me and a lot of people kept saying that I'd missed my chance to win a major in the 2004 World Championship, but this shows them that I hadn't. I've always believed that I can do this and you have to stick with it because anything can happen in this sport. I've come good when it mattered in the semi-finals and final and it came together at the right time."
Webster edged the final's opening leg before Painter hit a nerve-settling 180 and double 16 to level and then broke by hitting the same bed. However, a miss at double 18 in the next allowed Webster to win the fourth, and he then repeated the double top finish to lead 3-2. Painter hit back with a 101 finish, and after Webster took the seventh following a 180 he then took three in a row, including a brilliant 11-darter, to move 6-4 up. Double top gave Webster his fifth leg before a 68 finish from Painter edged him out to 7-5, although he paid the price for missing a single 20 to leave the bull in the next as the left-hander stepped in on double seven.
Any hopes Webster had of levelling the game, though, were shattered in the next as Painter hit back-to-back 180s in an 11-darter, which he followed with finishes of 110 and 104 to lead 10-6. Double top gave Webster the next, but Painter again set up a potential nine-darter with two 180s. He missed a seventh treble 20 for the second time, but again mopped up the leg in 12 darts to lead 11-7 before moving a leg away from victory on double 12 following two misses from the Welshman.
Webster hit double 16 to keep the game alive in the next, but his respite was brief as Painter hit a key 140 to leave 67, which he took out on double 16 before dropping to his knees in joy at the first major of his career.
"I got some fluency in my game in the semis and final and I thought I played well in the final," added Painter, who moves up to ninth in the PDC Order of Merit following the triumph. You have to dig in when it gets tough and I did that. If you'd said to me at the start of the week that I was going to be the champion, I'd have thought your head wasn't screwed on properly. I've been playing alright and it wasn't beyond me to win a tournament but everything has to come together to win a tournament and it did for me. I had a bit of luck at times but my finishing throughout the whole tournament was good. I think the 104 in the final was the turning point, Mark was on a double and it was a great shot. He came back at me but fortunately I took the 67 out. The crowd were fantastic and they gave me great support, and it's a very special moment."
"I'm devastated," said Webster afterwards. "I underperformed in the final and Kevin played really well and he deserved it. I never settled from the word go and I'm really disappointed, but Kevin took out some great shots. I'm down at the moment but I've got to pick myself up because I've got my first round game in the World Championship to play on Thursday night. If I can become World Champion this will be forgotten about."