Hampshire Open 2010

Arron Monk became the 2010 Hampshire Open Champion at the Novotel Southampton thus continuing a family tradition as he took over the Title from his father Colin the 2008 and 2009 Champion

Arron played superbly all day and claimed the trophy and £1,000 first prize after winning a thrilling Final 5 legs to 2 against England International and Yourkshire player Martin Atkins who had himself defeated Colin Monk in the semi final with Arron winning his semi-final against Jamie Robinson of Essex

Players in the last 8 were:

Paul Cook [Wiltshire], Jamie Robinson [Essex]

Ben Ward [Dorset], Arron Monk [Hampshire]

Colin Monk [Hampshire] , Jason Crawley [Hampshire]

Martin Atkins [Yorkshire] , Ricky Williams [Hampshire]

496 players entered the event and the organisers would like to extend evereyone that took part for their sportsmanship and assistance in what was an absilutely brilliant and enjoyable day of fantastic darts

Special mention to Ricky Williams who celebrated his 21st birthday with a last 8 place!!

Last 64 details can be found here

Wade runs Taylor close in Wembley epic

PHIL TAYLOR smashed apart the record books with TWO nine-dart finishes in claiming glory in the Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts, defeating James Wade 10-8 to reclaim the £125,000 title.

Taylor became the first player in darting history to hit two nine-dart finishes in one game with a scintillating performance in the final of the tournament, as he won back the Premier League trophy.

Having avenged last season's semi-final loss to Mervyn King with a thumping 8-1 triumph, Taylor took to the stage in the final and hit his first Premier League nine-darter in the second leg against Wade.

He went on to achieve the feat again in the 15th leg of the final, halting Wade's comeback in its tracks with his second nine-darter.

Taylor also hit seven perfect darts in the next leg, settling for a ten-darter which edged him to the brink of victory before eventually sealing a 10-8 triumph.

The night was a joyous one for Taylor, whose bid to reclaim the title had been delayed by 24 hours due to a power cut on Sunday in the north London area.

However, he showed few signs of that affecting him by producing the season's highest average so far in seeing off King 8-1 in the semis.

King was restricted to only four darts at a double in the game, with Taylor's accuracy on double top in the first five legs effectively ending any chance of a repeat of his victory at the same stage last year.

King did take the sixth leg of the game, but Taylor replied with a 164 finish and swept to victory with an average of 107.98.

That was bettered in the final, as Taylor overcame Wade's brave challenge to retain the title in a thriller.

Wade won through to the final with an 8-6 defeat of Australian Simon Whitlock, and kicked off the final with a 180, taking the opening leg in 12 darts with a fine 136 checkout.

Taylor replied in style, opening leg two with a 174 score, which he followed up with a 180 and then a 147 finish of treble 20, treble 17 and double 18 to record the first nine-dart finish in a televised final.

A classy 110, of single 20, bullseye and double top, put him 2-1 up before Wade levelled on double top after the World Champion missed the bullseye for a 132 checkout.

Taylor found an extra gear to take the next three legs, taking out 86 for the fifth leg, an 11-darter which featured scores of 177 and 180 to break throw and then double top for a 5-2 cushion.

Wade left double top with a 171 score in hitting back, only for double 16 to give Taylor a sixth leg.

Wade hit a 180 and a 121 bullseye finish to take the tenth, only for Taylor to reply in kind with a maximum and an 82 checkout of bullseye and double 16 for a 7-4 lead.

Wade took a key 12th leg on double ten before edging a scrappy 13th as the tension rose, with Taylor missing the bull and two darts at double eight before Wade landed double two to cut the gap to one leg.

The pair then traded maximums in the next, with Wade first to a finish and posting double top to square the match at seven-all.

Taylor, rattled by Wade's revival, kicked off the 15th leg with a 180, which he repeated on his second visit to the oche before landing a 141 finish to create history with his second nine-darter of the game - raising the Wembley Arena roof.

Taylor also set up a potential third nine-darter of the game when he opened the next with scores of 174 and 180, only to miss his eighth dart, at treble 17, with double eight for a ten-dart finish putting him into a 9-7 lead.

However, three missed darts at double top for the match in the next allowed Wade to finish 64 on double top.

Taylor, though, found a tenth 180 of the game to open the next leg and finished 88 on double 14 for a 12-darter in taking back the coveted trophy.

Wade into third Premier League Final

JAMES WADE remains on course to retain the Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts title following an 8-6 semi-final victory over Simon Whitlock at the Wembley Arena.

Reigning champion Wade jumped into the play-off places in the 14th and final weekly round, and continued his march by progressing to the final.

Whitlock had finished second in the league table in his debut Premier League season, but the deadly doubling which had seen him power through the eight-player field deserted him in the semi-finals.

He missed six darts at a double in the opening two legs as Wade opened up a 2-0 lead, although double eight in the third got the Australian off the mark after the pair traded maximum scores.

Wade broke back with a 180 and a two-dart 83 finish, before double ten gave the left-hander a 4-1 cushion.

Wade missed chances at the bullseye in the next two legs, as Whitlock hit back to cut the gap to one leg before trading 180s with the reigning champion in leg eight.

It was Whitlock who reached the double first, with double eight levelling the match, before he then hit the front by taking out 70 on double top to move 5-4 up.

He was also waiting on a finish in the next, but Wade landed a killer blow with a superb 107 finish to square the game.

A clinical 81 gave Wade the advantage once again, although Whitlock hit back to level.

Double eight, though, saw Wade edge a leg away from the win, and he defied a 180 from Whitlock to post double five in the next and move into the final.

"I'm delighted to be in the final," said Wade. "I had a bad start to the season but hopefully I'm coming good now and I'll give it everything in the final.

"It wasn't my best performance but the 107 checkout was vital and I managed to finish the job."

Whitlock admitted: "The 107 won him the game.

"Missing early doubles cost me and I was playing catch-up for a long time. It's disappointing not to reach the final and I'm pretty gutted because I played badly."

Wade's Premier League title defence postponed

JAMES WADE will return to Wembley Arena tomorrow night to defend his Whyte & Mackay Premier League title.

He opens with his semi-final against Simon Whitlock while Phil Taylor takes on Mervyn King.

No play was possible this evening due to a power failure in the area.

Monk on TV Stage at Reebok

ARRON MONK's second round clash with Nick Fullwell has been selected as one of the Main Stage matches on the opening night of the UK Open at Bolton on Thursday 3rd June.

A win will put Monk into Friday's lucrative third round draw where he would be guaranteed at least £1,000 from the £200,000 prize fund.

Players Championship 14 Salzburg

COLIN MONK reached the last 32 at the Renaissance Hotel before Mark Dudbridge stopped his run.

Andy Jenkins and Ian Jopling made the last 64 losing out to Alan Tabern and Mark Walsh.

Phil Taylor won the event despite Simon Whitlock starting the final with a perfect 9 darter.

Players Championship 13 Salzburg

JAMES WADE reached the last 16 at the first of two events in Austria this weekend but was beaten by Adrian Lewis.

Ian Jopling and Arron Monk made the last 64 losing to Mervyn King and Michael van Gerwen.

Simon Whitlock won a fourth Pro Tour title beating Steve Beaton in the final at the Renaissance Hotel.

Wade makes it to Wembley after Nottingham win

REIGNING champion James Wade qualified for the Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts play-offs with an 8-5 defeat of Terry Jenkins, who is condemned to finish last in the league table after the loss in Nottingham.

World number three Wade lost his opening three games this season, but bounced back well and edged into the top four with a fifth victory of the campaign.

Wade's victory also means that Jenkins, the 2007 runner-up, finishes at the bottom of the table after losing his final three games.

A nervy opening saw the players share the opening four legs, with the first two being won on double ten and the next pair on double top.

Jenkins also posted double top to win the fifth, but Wade found another gear and landed a 180 in levelling before punishing one missed double from his opponent to break throw for the first time in the game on double top.

Another double top finish put Wade 5-3 up, before he missed the same bed in the ninth as Jenkins posted double four to hit back.

Wade claimed a sixth leg with a key 110 checkout as the pace increased, Jenkins replying in 11 darts but left waiting on a finish in the 12th leg, as double top crucially gave Wade a 7-5 cushion.

With only a draw to play for, Jenkins set up a 141 finish only to miss the double 12, and Wade sealed victory on double 18.

"That's the most pressure I've ever felt in my life," admitted Wade afterwards. "It's my own fault I was in this situation but I'd love to get hold of the trophy again.

"It's really up for grabs in the play-offs. I'm starting to come into a little bit of form and we'll see what happens at Wembley now."

He added: "The 110 finish was crucial and won me the game. It wasn't the best match but I did the job and that's what was important."

UK Open draw

THE DRAW for the first night of the UK Open at Bolton's Reebok Stadium has taken place.

None of the four Hampshiremen in the first phase of the event are drawn in a preliminary round.

Robbie Newland starts against Rileys Amateur qualifier John Robertson and Dennis Smith waits for the winner in round 2.

Danny Pinhorne will play the winner from the preliminary match between Rileys qualifier Reece Robinson and Lothian county qualifier Hugh Ringland. Victory will mean he faces Richie Burnett or Lousi Blundell.

Paul Gibbs who came through the Rileys Amateur Qualifiers at Bournemouth faces another Rileys qualifier Mark Wilson. His second round, if successful will be against Robert Thornton.

Tony Hutchinson who won the Hampshire county qualifier starts against Darren Sullivan and will be hoping to survive to face Steve Evans.

Father and son Colin and Arron Monk both face tough openers against Darren Johnson and Nick Fullwell in the second round. Their finishing positions in the final table excuse them from having to play in the first round.

James Wade will join the event on the second night in the third round. The draw for the third round takes place after the second round is complete.

The event opens on Thursday 3 June and is live on Sky Sports.

UK Open Qualifier 8 Wigan

JAMES WADE won his first event of 2010 by takikng the last of of the UK Open Qualifiers at the Robin Park Tennis Centre with victory over Gary Anderson.

Ian Jopling reached the last 32 before losing narrowly to Matt Clark while Andy Jenkins, back on the tour after a four month suspension reached the last 64 losing to Nigel Heydon.

Co Stompe hit a perfect nine darter in his match against Vincent van der Voort.

Wade will be joined at the UK Open finals at Bolton by Arron and Colin Monk, Danny Pinhorne and Robbie Newland.

Paul Gibbs and Tony Hutchinson will also play at the finals having won through amateur and county qualifying rounds.

Players Championship 12 Wigan

JAMES WADE reached the last 8 of the twelfth Players Championship of 2010 at Robin Park Tennis Centre where he lost to Mark Webster.

Colin Monk made the last 64 but was edged out by Kevin Painter.

Simon Whitlock defeated Andy Hamilton 6-0 to win his third Players Championship in four attempts.

Hamilton scooped a £3,200 bonus for a nine dart leg against Dennis Priestley during the afternoon.

Wizard casts spell over Wade at Newcastle

SIMON WHITLOCK clamed a key 8-4 win over James Wade to put one foot into the Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts play-offs on a dramatic night in Newcastle.

The pair entered the clash locked on 12 points in the league table, and it was the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship runner-up who emerged victorious to enter the final week needing only a draw to qualify.

Wade, the reigning champion, now has to defeat Terry Jenkins in Nottingham to keep alive his hopes of retaining the title at Wembley Arena on May 23.

Whitlock, as so often during the Premier League, benefitted from his tremendous finishing, hitting eight from 13 attempts at a double in the game and three ton-plus finishes.

The game's opening two legs both went against the throw before Whitlock broke with a superb 124 bullseye finish in the third.

The pair traded 180s in the fourth leg, which Wade won in 12 darts, only to then miss two darts to edge in front as Whitlock took out double eight for a third leg.

The Australian posted a third 180 of the game in holding throw for the first time, with double 16 seeing him move 4-2 up thanks to hitting four of five attempts at a double.

Wade hit a 180 in a 13-darter to pull back in leg seven, but Whitlock found another gear to win the next three, including a 104 checkout against the throw, in taking a commanding 7-3 lead.

Wade checked out 127 on the bull to win the next in 12 darts, but any hopes of a fightback to claim a draw were dashed when Whitlock took victory thanks to a 100 finish.

"I knew I needed a good result and I've got a win so I'm very happy with that," said Whitlock. "Being in fifth spot going into the game and knowing I needed at least a draw meant there was a lot of pressure.

"I've been working hard on my finishing again recently and it paid off for me. If my finishing is there my scoring usually flows and it did.

"It's down to me next week now. Mervyn King will be ready for me and it will be a big game but hopefully I can get the win again and make sure of a play-off spot."