PHIL TAYLOR began the 2010 Championship League Darts with victory in Group One, defeating Colin Lloyd 6-2 in the final of the internet-streamed tournament.
Taylor, the 2008 champion who was the runner-up in last year's Championship League Darts, booked his place in October's big-money Winners Group and claimed £3,100 prize money for his day's work at Crondon Park Golf Club in Essex.
The world number one finished second in the round-robin league phase as the eight players battled it out over best of 11 leg games, with Robert Thornton and Mervyn King defeating him with 6-4 scorelines.
Taylor - who twice missed double 12 for a nine-darter during the day - recovered to win his final three matches, dropping only six legs in the process, before defeating Simon Whitlock 6-1 in the semis and Lloyd 6-2 in the final.
Taylor, who also defeated Lloyd in the Group One final in 2008, made a fine start to lead 2-0 before Lloyd got off the mark on double five in the third.
A 64 finish in the fourth was followed by maximums in the next three legs as he moved 5-1 up.
Lloyd matched his 180 on his way to the seventh, but another maximum from Taylor left him 44 in the next, and double 16 secured his win.
Lloyd, who picked up £2,300 on the day, returns for Group Two on Wednesday having followed up Sunday's Players Championship win with a strong display.
He won his opening three matches on the day and finished fourth in the league phase before seeing off King 6-2 in the semis.
King won his first six games, but a defeat to Whitlock in his final game was followed by a play-off defeat as he ran out of steam, although £2,150 prize money softened the blow.
Whitlock, on his Championship League Darts debut, finished third in the league table with five wins from his seven games, while Adrian Lewis and James Wade avoided elimination from the tournament.
That duo defeated Mark Walsh and Robert Thornton in the final round of games to knock that duo out of the competition, with Ronnie Baxter, Gary Anderson and Paul Nicholson coming in for Wednesday's Group Three.
Championship League Darts is screened solely on the internet via 16 bookmakers' websites and to PDCtv subscribers at the PDC's official website, www.pdc.tv.
The eight players compete for £50 per leg won in the group phase before prize money increases to £100 per leg in the play-offs, with a place in the Winners Group on offer for the day's champion.
Group One Fixtures
|
Time |
Board One |
Board Two | |
|
10.30am |
Match One |
Phil Taylor 6-2 James Wade |
Colin Lloyd 6-4 Robert Thornton |
|
Match Two |
Simon Whitlock 6-1 Mark Walsh |
Mervyn King 6-5 Adrian Lewis | |
|
Match One |
Robert Thornton 6-4 Phil Taylor |
Mark Walsh 3-6 Mervyn King | |
|
Match Two |
Adrian Lewis 6-3 Simon Whitlock |
James Wade 5-6 Colin Lloyd | |
|
Match One |
Robert Thornton 2-6 Mervyn King |
Phil Taylor 6-5 Mark Walsh | |
|
Match Two |
Adrian Lewis 0-6 Colin Lloyd |
James Wade 0-6 Simon Whitlock | |
|
Not before 2.00pm |
Match One |
Mervyn King 6-4 Phil Taylor |
Robert Thornton 1-6 Mark Walsh |
|
Match Two |
James Wade 6-3 Adrian Lewis |
Colin Lloyd 2-6 Simon Whitlock | |
|
Match One |
Colin Lloyd 3-6 Mervyn King |
Simon Whitlock 2-6 Phil Taylor | |
|
Match Two |
Mark Walsh 5-6 James Wade |
Adrian Lewis 6-1 Robert Thornton | |
|
Not before 4.15pm |
Match One |
Simon Whitlock 6-5 Robert Thornton |
James Wade 4-6 Mervyn King |
|
Match Two |
Mark Walsh 3-6 Colin Lloyd |
Phil Taylor 6-3 Adrian Lewis | |
|
Match One |
Colin Lloyd 1-6 Phil Taylor |
Mervyn King 3-6 Simon Whitlock | |
|
Match Two |
Adrian Lewis 6-5 Mark Walsh |
Robert Thornton 3-6 James Wade | |
|
Not before 6.45pm |
Semi-Finals |
Mervyn King 2-6 Colin Lloyd |
Phil Taylor 6-1 Simon Whitlock |
|
Not before 7.30pm |
Final |
Colin Lloyd 2-6 Phil Taylor |
Final League Table
|
Pl |
W |
L |
Won |
Lost |
Leg +/- |
£Won |
Pts | |
|
Mervyn King |
7 |
6 |
1 |
39 |
27 |
+12 |
£1950 |
12 |
|
Phil Taylor |
7 |
5 |
2 |
38 |
25 |
+13 |
£1900 |
10 |
|
Simon Whitlock |
7 |
5 |
2 |
35 |
23 |
+12 |
£1750 |
10 |
|
Colin Lloyd |
7 |
4 |
3 |
30 |
30 |
0 |
£1500 |
8 |
|
Adrian Lewis |
7 |
3 |
4 |
29 |
33 |
-4 |
£1450 |
6 |
|
James Wade |
7 |
3 |
4 |
29 |
35 |
-6 |
£1450 |
6 |
|
Mark Walsh |
7 |
1 |
6 |
28 |
37 |
-9 |
£1400 |
2 |
|
Robert Thornton |
7 |
1 |
6 |
22 |
40 |
-18 |
£1100 |
2 |
First Set of Games
Phil Taylor made an ideal start to Group One with a 6-2 defeat of James Wade. Taylor opened the game with a 12-dart finish which featured two 180s, and landed further maximums in the next two as he took a 3-0 lead. Back-to-back 180s to open the fourth leg set up a possible nine-darter, but that failed to materialise and two later misses at double 16 allowed Wade to get off the mark on double 13. Taylor won the next two before Wade, who set up a potential nine-dart finish with six perfect darts, took out an 11-darter to pull back to 5-2. Taylor, though, took the next on double eight to secure the win.
Colin Lloyd opened the 2010 Championship League Darts with a 6-4 defeat of Robert Thornton. Lloyd hit a maximum in a 13-darter to break Thornton's throw in the opening leg, and finishes of 93 and 100 helped him into a 3-0 advantage. Thornton took the next two to cut the gap to one, before the pair shared the next four as Lloyd moved 5-4 up, before a 180 for a second successive leg helped him set up double nine for victory.
Simon Whitlock enjoyed an ideal Championship League Darts debut with a 6-1 defeat of Mark Walsh in his opening game. A maximum in the opening leg settled any nerves from the Australian, and he capitalised on missed bullseyes from Walsh in the opening two legs to lead 2-0 before his opponent powered in a 146 finish to get off the mark. A 44 finish gave Whitlock a third leg, and he punished six further misses from Walsh to lead 4-1, with a 100 finish moving him to the brink of victory and double 12 sealing the win and the two points.
Mervyn King came from 4-1 down to defeat Adrian Lewis in a deciding leg in their opening clash. Lewis broke throw to win the opening leg and doubled his lead before King landed double four in the third. Finishes of 81 and double top gave Lewis a 4-1 lead, but King twice punished his misses as he took three in a row to level. Lewis hit a maximum in the ninth, but King led 5-4 only for his opponent to take out 90 with a 25, 25, double top finish to force a decider. King, with the advantage of throw, pulled clear and landed double 16 for the win.
Second Set of Games
Robert Thornton defeated 2008 Championship League Darts winner Phil Taylor 6-4 to pick up his first win of Group One. Taylor hit 180s in the first two legs as he led 2-0, but missed the bull and two darts at double eight in the next as Thornton got off the mark on double top. Thornton levelled thanks in part to a 180 and double ten in the fourth, before Taylor responded with scores of 180 and 177 to open the fifth, hitting two more treble 20s but missing double 12 for a nine-darter - returning to win the leg in ten darts. Thornton hit double nine to level and replied to an 11-darter to post double top and level at four-all. A missed double top from Taylor in the ninth gave the Scot a chance on double 12, after a 159 score left him 24, and he then took out 112 to take the win.
Mervyn King claimed a second successive victory, defeating Mark Walsh 6-3. King broke throw in the opener on double nine before the pair traded double top finishes, and a 100 finish from Walsh saw him level in the fourth. The next two were shared, but King won the seventh against the darts with an 84 finish, landed double eight in the next for a 5-3 lead and sealed the win on double 18.
Adrian Lewis bounced back from his deciding-leg defeat to Mervyn King with a 6-3 win over Simon Whitlock. The pair traded breaks of throw in the opeing two legs, before Lewis stepped in after two misses from the Australian to lead 2-1. Whitlock levelled, but Lewis won the next three to move 5-2 up, only to then miss three darts for the win as the World Championship finalist won a third leg to stay in the game. Lewis, though, was not to be denied and once again posted double top in sealing the win.
Colin Lloyd won a dramatic final-leg clash with James Wade, who hit back from 5-3 down to level but missed two darts for the match in the 11th leg. Lloyd held the initial advantage with two break of throw to lead 2-1, only for Wade to punish a missed bull in the fourth to level and then land double top for a 3-2 cushion. Lloyd took the sixth and a superb 11-darter saw him break throw before a 96 finish put him 5-3 up. Double top gave Wade the ninth, and after Lloyd missed double eight for the match the left-hander took out 136 to force a deciding leg. Lloyd opened with a 180 but Wade posted a 140 and was first to a finish, leaving 96 but missing two darts at double 18 before the Essex star posted tops for the win.
Third Set of Games
Mervyn King won his third successive match, defeating Robert Thornton 6-2 to remain unbeaten in Group One. The duo shared the first two legs before King hit top gear, winning the third on double top and hitting 180s in the next two to lead 4-1, before a host of missed doubles from the Scot allowed him into a four-leg lead. He added another maximum in the seventh, but missed double four and double two for victory as Thornton remained in the contest, but a fourth maximum from King pushed him ahead in the eighth and a 121 finish sealed a comprehensive win.
Phil Taylor came from 4-0 down to defeat Mark Walsh 6-5 and avoid a second successive defeat. Walsh performed superbly in taking command against the world number one, opening with an 11-darter against the throw and also securing a second break in leg three with a 107 finish after a second 180 - while double top in the fourth moved him 4-0 up. Double ten got Taylor off the mark and he broke in the next to halve the deficit. Walsh landed double 12 to move a leg away from the win, but missed double top in the next two as Taylor hit back to 5-4, before taking out a pressure 108, with Walsh on 40, to set up a deciding leg. Taylor turned the screw with opening scores of 137 and 140 in the final leg, with an opening 22 from Walsh handing him the advantage as he took out double top for a 13-darter to snatch victory.
Colin Lloyd produced the first whitewash of the 2010 Championship League Darts, powering to victory against Adrian Lewis. Double top gave Lloyd the first leg and he then secured an immediate break of throw on double ten, before punishing missed doubles from Lewis to take the next two and a 4-0 lead. A 72 finish gave Lloyd a fifth leg, and after two further misses from Lewis he finished 80 on the bull to wrap up a third straight win in Group One.
Simon Whitlock claimed his second win of the day, matching Lloyd's 6-0 win with a whitewash of his own against James Wade. Whitlock broke throw in the opening leg on double five before doubling his lead and then taking out 81 for a 3-0 lead. Double four moved the Aussie 4-0 up and a 64 finish put him to the brink of victory, with a missed bullseye from Wade for a 170 checkout allowing Whitlock back to seal the win on double eight.
Fourth Set of Games
Mervyn King's unbeaten start to Group One continued with a 6-4 defeat of Phil Taylor. Taylor made an explosive start, missing double 12 for a nine-darter in the opening leg of the contest, eventually hitting the bed to take the lead before finishing 133 for a 2-0 cushion. King hit back with a 70 finish and double ten to level, before finishing 132 in the sixth after double eight from Taylor gave him a third leg. Taylor hit 177 to leave 24 in the next, but five missed doubles allowed King back in to break on double ten, and he also took out 81 for a 5-4 lead after Taylor broke on double 16 in the eighth. Taylor, though, could only watch in the next after leaving 36, with King sealing victory in style with a 141 finish.
Mark Walsh claimed his first win of Group One, powering past Robert Thornton 6-1. Walsh bounced back from his early losses in style as he saw off Thornton, who opened the game with a 180 and took the first leg against the throw only to see his opponent reel off six in a row for the win. The Scot missed three darts to take the second leg, with double top allowing Walsh to break back before double 16 and double eight finishes put him 3-1 up. He hit a 180 and double top to take the fifth before punishing a missed double top from Thornton to hit the same bed and lead 5-1, before taking out 82 with a bullseye, double 16 combination to seal the win.
James Wade picked up his first victory of Group One, defeating Adrian Lewis 6-3 in their fourth match. The game's opening four legs went with the throw, with Lewis hitting a ten-darter in the fourth after successive 180s set up a potential nine-dart finish. Wade won the fifth and then broke on double 12 for the next, before double top moved him 5-2 clear. Tops for Lewis kept him in the game, but Wade hit the same bed in the next to secure the points.
Simon Whitlock inflicted a first defeat of the day on Colin Lloyd with a 6-2 victory which earned him a third two-pointer of the group. Whitlock made a sensational start to win the first four legs without having a dart at a double - the Australian hitting double 12, 18 and top at the first time of asking to move 3-0 up and double 16 in the fourth. Lloyd posted double six to get off the mark, and also won leg seven with a 114 finish to pull back to 5-2. But Whitlock's scoring took him clear in the eighth, as he landed a 13th 140-plus score of the game before posting double four to seal victory.
Fifth Set of Games
Unbeaten Mervyn King came from 3-0 down to win six successive legs and defeat Colin Lloyd, who suffered a second successive loss. Lloyd made an ideal start to lead 3-0, hitting double top in the first leg and punishing a miss at the same bed from King to break in the second and then taking out 70 for the third leg. King posted a 180 in taking the fourth, and six misses from Lloyd proved costly as double ten saw King pull back to 3-2. King hit a 177 in the sixth as he levelled, and a bullseye finish for 81, with Lloyd sat on a double, put him into the lead for the first time. Double eight gave King a 5-3 lead before he took the next to secure the win.
Phil Taylor picked up his third triumph of Group One with a 6-2 win over Simon Whitlock. Taylor took out 108 and 80 to win the first two legs before Whitlock traded maximums and landed double 16 for the third - Taylor actually hitting six perfect darts but unable to complete a nine-darter for the third time in the day. Taylor hit a 177 and took out 125 for the fourth leg, which was followed by an 11-darter as he moved 4-1 up. Whitlock fired in a 12-darter, which featured an 82 finish, to win a second leg but was waiting on a finish when Taylor took out 103 for a 5-2 lead, before the world number one checked out 84 for the game.
James Wade edged out Mark Walsh in a deciding leg, as the Hertfordshire man saw a 4-0 lead slip away for the second time in the day. Walsh, like he had against Phil Taylor two games earlier, made a fine start by trading 177s with the left-hander in the opening leg before punishing six misses from his opponent to post double nine for the lead. Double top and double five gave Walsh the next two legs, and a 102 finish moved him 4-0 up, a lead which could have been extended had he landed tops in the fifth, as Wade hit the bed to get off the mark. Double 12 and double ten gave Wade the next two, before tops from Walsh put him 5-3 up. Walsh, though, missed four darts for the match in the next as Wade finished 68 on double ten to stay alove, and double top sent the match into a deciding leg. Wade kicked off the decider with a 180, and defied three ton-plus scores from Walsh to land double 12 for a remarkable win.
Adrian Lewis kick-started his play-off bid with a 6-1 defeat of Robert Thornton, who remains on two points after a fourth loss of the day. Lewis finished 68 for the first leg and broke on double ten in the second, before a 117 finish put him 3-0 up. He missed three darts to extend the lead as double two got Thornton off the mark, but the Scot missed double 12 for a 144 finish in the next as Lewis regained his three-leg cushion. Lewis broke throw again to take the sixth leg, and double nine secured a comprehensive win.
Sixth Set of Games
Simon Whitlock edged to his fourth win of Group One, after Robert Thornton missed one dart for victory in a dramatic deciding leg to their contest. In a tight match, there was never more than one leg between the pair, with Thornton breaking throw in the third for a 2-1 lead only for Whitlock to take the next two to move 3-2 up. The pair traded maximums in the sixth before the Scot took out 62, while Whitlock took two of the next three to lead 5-4. Thornton won the tenth to force a decider but wired double top for the match as Whitlock returned to hit the bed at the first time of asking for the two points.
Meryvn King picked up a sixth win from as many matches as he held off James Wade's fightback with a 6-4 victory. King won the opening leg on double 18 and broke throw in the second for a 2-0 lead, only to miss one dart for the third as Wade took out 124 to get off the mark. However, the left-hander missed the bull in the fourth and King capitalised, taking out 80 and also winning the next two for a 5-1 advantage. Double top gave Wade a second leg, and after King missed three darts for the game in the eighth double ten saw the world number three pull back to 5-3. Tops put Wade within a leg, but a miss at the same bed to level the game have King his chance to seal the win, which he took on double 16.
Colin Lloyd picked up his first win since the third games by seeing off Mark Walsh 6-3 to ensure his play-off berth. Lloyd opened the match in style with a 180, taking the first leg on double top before doubling his lead with a break in the second. Walsh took out 36 to get off the mark, but Lloyd posted a 121 finish and double eight to move into a 4-1 cushion. Double top gave Walsh a second leg, but he then missed the bull for a 161 finish to take leg seven, as Lloyd followed an earlier 180 to take the leg. A 64 finish from Walsh kept the game alove, but Lloyd opened the next with a maximum before double ten ensured the points and a top-four place.
Phil Taylor ended Adrian Lewis' play-off hopes and secured his own semi-final place with a 6-3 win. Lewis actually started the better, winning the opening two legs, but Taylor broke in the third and landed a killer blow to level, taking out 100 with single 20 and two double tops after Lewis hit a 180 to leave 42. Lewis then missed two chances to take the fifth as double eight put Taylor ahead for the first time in the game, and he pulled clear at 5-2 by winning the next two legs. Lewis landed double top for a third leg after Taylor missed two match darts in the eighth, but another wasted chance from Lewis was punished as his Stoke rival took out tops to secure victory.
Final Set of Games
Phil Taylor ensured a second-placed finish with a 6-1 win over Colin Lloyd, who will meet Mervyn King in the semi-finals. Taylor picked up his fifth - and heaviest - win of the day in style, reeling off five successive legs after the pair shared the first two. Taylor opened with a 64 finish before Lloyd hit a 180 in levelling. Taylor replied with a 177 in the third, and double 16 broke throw for a 3-1 lead. He took out an 11-darter in the fifth, and hit a 180 in taking the next as Lloyd waited on a finish as his opponent took out double eight for a 5-1 cushion before double two, for a 68 checkout, secured the win.
Mervyn King suffered his first loss of Group One with a 6-3 reverse to Simon Whitlock, who finishes third and now meets Taylor in the semis. King took the lead but missed five darts for the second leg as Whitlock levelled, and then took out double 16 for a 2-1 lead. King hit a 170 to sqquare the game in the fourth - the first of this year's event - but could only watch as the Australian took the next three for a 5-2 cushion. Double 16 from King stopped that run, but Whitlock finished 130 on double five to seal his fifth win of the day.
Adrian Lewis eliminated Mark Walsh from the 2010 Championship League Darts and kept himself in the tournament with a 6-5 win in their final league match. Lewis hit a 180 in the first leg but missed nine darts at a double as Walsh took the lead on double top, and he doubled his lead in the second before Lewis hit back to win the next two and level. Double top from Walsh - after Lewis missed two darts in the next - gave him a 3-2 lead, only for the Stoke man to win the sixth and seventh - hitting 180s in both as well as a brace of double top finishes. Walsh levelled at four-all thanks to a maximum and double 16, before Lewis moved a leg away from the win on double top. He opened the next leg with scores of 180, 137 and 180 to leave four after nine darts - but missed three darts at double two and double one to allow Walsh to pile home a 148 finish and force a decider. Lewis, though, hit his sixth maximum of the game to edge clear and sealed a narrow win and a spot in Group Two.
James Wade secured his place in Group Two and also ended Robert Thornton's hopes with a 6-3 victory. Wade made an ideal start to the decisive match by taking the opening three legs, finishing 90 in two darts in the opener, double six and then double ten to assume command. Thornton won three of the next four to cut the gap to 4-3, but Wade punished four misses from the Scot in the next to land double eight and move a leg away from the win. Wade missed his chance for victory in the ninth, but two more misses at double top from Thornton allowed the left-hander back to the oche, and he hit double two to take victory.
Semi-Finals
Colin Lloyd won through to the Group One final with a 6-2 win over Mervyn King, who had finished top of the league table with six wins. King, who had also lost his final league game, paid the price as Lloyd took the opening four legs without reply. After winning the first he landed double 16 for the second against the throw, double ten in the third and double 18 for a 4-0 lead, after King missed double top in the latter. A fine 119 finish from King saw him get on the scoreboard in the fifth, and he returned after missing two darts at double 15 for a 90 finish in the next to hit the bed on his return to the oche after Lloyd missed five darts for the leg. Double ten for Lloyd steadied his nerves as he moved 5-2 up, and a 130 bullseye finish earned him victory.
Phil Taylor reeled off six straight legs against Simon Whitlock to progress to the Group One final with a 6-1 win. Taylor had won the league game between the pair 6-2, and completed a comprehensive double on the day despite Whitlock opening the match with a 65 finish in the first leg. Double top from Taylor levelled before he broke in the third, finished double eight in the fourth and then landed a 90 finish for a 4-1 lead. Another double eight checkout saw him move 5-1 up, and he completed the win in style with a 128 finish on double four.
King ends the day with £2,150 prize money, while Whitlock picked up £1,850 on his Championship League Darts debut.
Final
Phil Taylor repeated his Group One final win over Colin Lloyd from the 2008 Championship League Darts with a 6-2 success in this year's opening. Taylor made a fine start to lead 2-0 before Lloyd got off the mark on double five in the third. A 64 finish in the fourth was followed by maximums in the next three legs as he moved 5-1 up. Lloyd matched his 180 on his way to the seventh, but another maximum from Taylor left him 44 in the next, and double 16 secured his win.
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