WAYNE JONES took victory in Group Eight of Championship League Darts, defeating debutant Mark Webster 6-2 to earn a place in Thursday's Winners Group.
Jones was competing for a fourth successive day in the internet-streamed event atoned for two previous semi-final defeats by going all the way in the last of the eight groups.
He ended the league phase with five wins from his seven matches before defeating Dennis Priestley 6-2 in the semis.
He then overcame Webster in the decider to earn his spot in the big-money Winners Group on Thursday at Crondon Park GC in Essex.
Webster took the final's opening leg against the throw, but Jones replied with finishes of double eight and double 16 to lead before the left-hander from Wales took out 78 for the fourth.
After Jones finished 76 to regain the lead, missed doubles from Webster allowed him in on double eight for a 4-2 lead, with double four moving him clear and double 18 sealing the win.
Webster had won through to the final in his first-ever Championship League Darts appearance, and took home £2,500 for his day's work.
The former Lakeside Champion hit a 180 with his opening three darts of the event, in a win over Jelle Klaasen, and went on to finish fourth in the league table.
He then overcame Co Stompe 6-3 in a thrilling semi-final, which saw the Dutchman lead 3-0 after hitting a 13-darter and two 12-dart finishes - including a 136 checkout - only for Webster to take the next six with an average over 108 to take victory.
The group ended in disappointment for Stompe, who had competed since Group Two and reached the semi-finals on five occasions before losing to Webster in the last four, although he takes home £14,200.
Dennis Priestley's five-day run in the event also ended in the semis, as he lost out to Jones, although £9,500 prize money softens the blow for the 60-year-old battler.
Michael van Gerwen and John Part both picked up three wins in their only appearance of the year, claiming £1,600, while Jelle Klaasen won two games and Denis Ovens suffered disappointment - going through Group Eight without a victory after finishing joint top in Group Seven.
Jones will now join the seven previous Group Winners - 2008 champion Phil Taylor, Simon Whitlock, Alan Tabern, James Wade, Wes Newton, Steve Beaton and Andy Smith - in returning for Thursday's big-money Winners Group, where the £20,000 title will be contested.
Prize money increases to £100 per leg in the round-robin league phase before the top four compete for £200 a leg in the semi-finals and final, with additional prize money of £10,000 for the champion, £5,000 for the runner-up and £2,500 each for the semi-finalists on offer.
The finalists will also be invited to compete in the Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton next month, adding a further incentive for Tabern, Newton and Smith, who have yet to qualify.
Championship League Darts is streamed exclusively live around the world through 16 bookmakers' websites, as well as to PDCtv subscribers at the PDC's official website, www.pdc.tv.
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Championship League Darts - Group Eight Results
|
Board One |
Board Two |
|
Co Stompe 5-6 Dennis Priestley |
John Part 2-6 Michael van Gerwen |
|
Jelle Klaasen 4-6 Mark Webster |
Wayne Jones 6-2 Denis Ovens |
|
Michael van Gerwen 4-6 Co Stompe |
Mark Webster 4-6 Wayne Jones |
|
Denis Ovens 2-6 Jelle Klaasen |
Dennis Priestley 6-3 John Part |
|
Michael van Gerwen 4-6 Wayne Jones |
Co Stompe 6-2 Mark Webster |
|
Denis Ovens 1-6 John Part |
Dennis Priestley 6-3 Jelle Klaasen |
|
Wayne Jones 5-6 Co Stompe |
Michael van Gerwen 3-6 Mark Webster |
|
Dennis Priestley 6-4 Denis Ovens |
John Part 6-5 Jelle Klaasen |
|
John Part 4-6 Wayne Jones |
Jelle Klaasen 4-6 Co Stompe |
|
Mark Webster 6-3 Dennis Priestley |
Denis Ovens 3-6 Michael van Gerwen |
|
Jelle Klaasen 6-3 Michael van Gerwen |
Dennis Priestley 6-5 Wayne Jones |
|
Mark Webster 4-6 John Part |
Co Stompe 6-5 Denis Ovens |
|
John Part 5-6 Co Stompe |
Wayne Jones 6-3 Jelle Klaasen |
|
Denis Ovens 1-6 Mark Webster |
Michael van Gerwen 6-4 Dennis Priestley |
|
Semi-Finals |
|
|
Co Stompe 3-6 Mark Webster |
Wayne Jones 6-2 Dennis Priestley |
|
Final |
|
| Mark Webster 2-6 Wayne Jones |
Final League Table
|
Pl |
W |
L |
Won |
Lost |
Leg +/- |
£Won |
Pts | |
|
Co Stompe |
7 |
6 |
1 |
41 |
31 |
+10 |
£2050 |
12 |
|
Wayne Jones |
7 |
5 |
2 |
40 |
29 |
+11 |
£2000 |
10 |
|
Dennis Priestley |
7 |
5 |
2 |
37 |
32 |
+5 |
£1850 |
10 |
|
Mark Webster |
7 |
4 |
3 |
34 |
29 |
+5 |
£1700 |
8 |
|
M v Gerwen |
7 |
3 |
4 |
32 |
33 |
-1 |
£1600 |
6 |
|
John Part |
7 |
3 |
4 |
32 |
34 |
-2 |
£1600 |
6 |
|
Jelle Klaasen |
7 |
2 |
5 |
31 |
35 |
-4 |
£1550 |
4 |
|
Denis Ovens |
7 |
0 |
7 |
18 |
42 |
-24 |
£900 |
0 |
First Round of Matches
Dennis Priestley held off Co Stompe to take a 6-5 win in their Group Eight opener. Priestley made the early running, breaking throw in leg four for a 3-1 lead before taking out a brilliant ten-darter in the next, opening with scores of 177 and 180, with a 128 leaving double eight. Stompe hit back to take the next three and level, and the duo traded double ten finishes as the match went into a decider, which Priestley took on double eight with his opponent back on 132.
Michael van Gerwen opened Group Eight with a 6-2 defeat of John Part. A 98 finish from van Gerwen settled any early nerves, with Part posting double top in the second leg as the two newcomers took to the oche. Van Gerwen won the next three, including a break of throw, to lead 4-1 before the Canadian finished 88 on double 14 to win his second leg of the day. Van Gerwen set up a finish with a superb 168 in the next to move 5-2 up, before securing victory on double eight.
Mark Webster made a winning Championship League Darts debut, overcoming Jelle Klaasen 6-4. Webster, in his first ever appearance in the Crondon Park event, hit a 180 with his first three darts and took the first two legs before Klaasen hit back to lead 3-2. Webster levelled and took out 121 in the seventh, before double top put him 5-3 up. Klaasen replied in the ninth, but a 68 finish gave Webster the win.
Wayne Jones kicked off Group Eight with a strong 6-2 win over Denis Ovens. Jones started well against the Group Seven finalist, taking leads of 3-0 and 4-1 before Ovens finished 142 superbly to take the sixth. Jones broke back to move 5-2 up and double eight in the next secured victory.
Second Round of Matches
Co Stompe took victory in the day's first all-Dutch affair, defeating Michael van Gerwen 6-4. After sharing the first two legs, van Gerwen broke in the third before Stompe levelled with a 136 finish and regained the lead courtesy of double top. The next two were shared before van Gerwen superbly finished 100 with two double tops to level. The pair traded 180s in the ninth, but a missed double 13 from van Gerwen allowed Stompe in to follow a second 180 of the leg with double top, before securing the win in the next.
Wayne Jones picked up a second successive win, defeating Mark Webster 6-4. The pair shared the first four legs before Webster broke on double ten for a 3-2 lead. He then missed the bull in the next as Jones broke back on 68 and moved ahead on double 12. The next two were shared, but Webster was punished for a missed tops in the tenth as Jones returned to the oche to land double eight and seal the win.
Jelle Klaasen bounced back to winning ways, defeating Denis Ovens 6-2. Although Ovens shared the opening two legs, Klaasen hit a 180 and a 135 checkout to take the second, and also won the next three for a 5-1 lead. Ovens took out 88 in the seventh to hit back, but Klaasen returned in the next to secure victory on tops.
Dennis Priestley remains unbeaten in Group Eight following a 6-3 defeat of John Part. Priestley followed up his opening win over Co Stompe by taking the first four legs without reply against Part, who missed darts to take the opening leg and was heavily punished. Double six gave the Canadian leg five, and after tops moved Priestley 5-1 up he rallied to take the next two as Priestley twice failed to close out the win. However, Priestley hit two ton-plus scores to open the next in going on to wrap up victory.
Third Round of Matches
Wayne Jones' fine start to Group Eight continued with a 6-4 defeat of Michael van Gerwen. A tight battle saw only one break of throw, which came in the final leg as Jones took the win, with the opening six legs being shared before the Dutchman missed single 18 to leave the bullseye in the next, as Jones finished double eight to lead 4-3. Jones missed the bull for a 121 to break in the eighth, but hit six perfect darts to open the tenth with two 180s and finished 81 for the win.
Co Stompe won a second successive game, defeating Mark Webster 6-2. Having shared the opening two legs, Stompe made the key break in leg four, breaking with a 124 bullseye finish before winning the fifth for a 4-1 lead. Webster took the sixth, but tops gave Stompe his fifth leg and an 81 finish sealed victory.
John Part picked up his first victory of Group Eight, overcoming winless Denis Ovens 6-1. The Canadian punished a missed double top to take the game's opening leg and also took the second before Ovens got off the mark. Double five restored his advantage, and he took the next two to move a leg away from the win, which he sealed with a 100 finish.
Dennis Priestley's unbeaten start continued as he saw off Jelle Klaasen 6-3. Klaasen broke with an 89 finish in the opener, before Priestley took out double top twice to move 2-1 up. Klaasen levelled, but Priestley hit a 180 in taking the fifth and a key 120 to break for a 4-2 lead - after the Dutchman, on 40, hit single five and then double three in failing to check out. The next two were shared, but a missed double 16 from Klaasen in leg nine proved his final throw as double ten gave Priestley the win.
Fourth Round of Matches
Co Stompe inflicted Wayne Jones' first defeat of Group Eight, edging out the Wolverhampton man 6-5 in a deciding leg. Stompe hit back from being a leg down to take three successive legs, including a break in the third, for a 3-1 lead. Jones won the next three to lead 4-3, but missed three darts for the eighth as Stompe took out 54 to level. A bullseye finish on 95 moved Jones 5-4 up, but Stompe levelled and then punished two missed match darts from Jones in the decider, as he hit a 180 but missed double 16 and double eight, to land tops at the first time of asking.
Mark Webster claimed win number two of the day, defeating Michael van Gerwen 6-3. The young duo shared the opening four legs before Webster pulled away, taking double top in the fifth and breaking in the sixth with an 87 finish after van Gerwen opened the leg with scores of 180 and 139 but failed to close out the finish. Double top gave the Welshman a 5-2 lead, and though van Gerwen took the eighth another double top from Webster sealed the points.
Dennis Priestley maintained his own unbeaten record, and left Denis Ovens without a victory with a 6-4 win. The pair shared four legs before Priestley took charge, hitting double top twice to lead and break throw before double six put him 5-2 up. Ovens took out double eight and a 104 finish to pull back to 5-4 as the two-time World Champion wasted match darts, but double ten in the tenth leg wrapped up the win.
John Part staged a brilliant comeback from 5-3 down to edge past Jelle Klaasen in a decider for his second successive win. Klaasen, who had finished 130 for the opening leg, pulled clear from two-all to lead 4-2. Part took the next with a 74 finish but missed the bull for a 124 checkout as Klaasen moved 5-3 up. Part, though, finished 68 and 86 in two darts to level and force a decider, which he took superbly in 11 darts with scores of 140, 137, 180 and a 44 finish on double 16.
Fifth Round of Matches
Wayne Jones continued his play-off challenge with a 6-4 win over John Part to end the Canadian's winning run. Jones made the early running to lead 3-0 before Part, aided by an 84 finish and double top, pulled back the next two. Jones hit a 180 to set up a 41 finish in the sixth, only for Part to reply with a maximum in the next. A finish of 98 from Jones was opposed by an 80 finish from Part, but he missed the bull in the tenth to allow the Wolverhampton man in to seal the win on double 16.
Co Stompe won his fourth match of the day, defeating Jelle Klaasen 6-4 in their all-Dutch meeting. Klaasen led 2-0 early on, but Stompe, aided by a 116 finish, took three in a row to move 3-2 up. A 76 finish saw Klaasen level, but Stompe won the next two for a 5-3 cushion. Double top gave Klaasen a fourth leg, but Stompe pulled away in the next and landed double six for the win.
Mark Webster inflicted a first defeat of Group Eight on Dennis Priestley, who went down 6-3. Webster took the first two legs before Priestley hit back to level, but the left-hander finished double ten and an 83 finish to lead 4-2. Priestley took the next, after a missed bullseye from Webster, who took out 125 in the next and double ten to secure the win.
Michael van Gerwen produced some brilliant finishing to defeat Denis Ovens 6-3. Ovens took the opener only for the youngster to fire in three legs to snatch the lead, before a missed bull allowed him back in on double 16 for the fifth. The next two were shared, but van Gerwen found another gear to hit legs of 13 and 12 darts from 4-3 ahead to seal the victory, including a 143 finish in completing the win.
Sixth Round of Matches
Jelle Klaasen defeated Michael van Gerwen 6-3 in a quick-fire thriller as the pair battled out an exciting 12-minute contest. Klaasen found himself 4-0 up in the blink of an eye, opening with two 13-dart finishes before taking out 70 for the third and a 180 in the fourth. Van Gerwen got off the mark with a 111 finish and also took the sixth, but Klaasen landed a 180 and double ten to move a leg away from the game. Van Gerwen took out 72 for a 12-darter to hit back and also landed a 180 in the next, but Klaasen finished 64 to sweep to the win.
Dennis Priestley secured his semi-final place with a 6-5 win over Wayne Jones, snatching victory with an 11-darter against the throw. After Priestley won the opener, Jones took out 80 on the bull and a 141 finish in three successive legs to lead 3-1. Priestley landed a 120 finish in the fifth and also won two of the next three to level at four-all. The next two were shared to force a decider, which Priestley began with scores of 180 and 140, and finished 88 on double 14 for an 11-darter.
John Part defeated Mark Webster 6-4 in what could prove a significant clash to keep the semi-final race wide open. Webster needed to win to secure a top four finish, and led 3-2 after the first five legs, only for Part to take the next two to move 4-3 up. Webster took out 104 to level, only for Part to take out a brilliant 125 of bull-25-bull for a 5-4 lead, before punishing two missed doubles from the Welshman to seal the win on double eight.
Co Stompe booked his semi-final place in a dramatic final leg against Denis Ovens, who missed three match darts for his first win of the day. Ovens began superbly by winning the game's opening three legs, before Stompe hit back to level by winning the next three and then added two more legs to lead 5-3 in an amazing turnaround. Stompe missed six match darts in the next as double nine from Ovens cut the gap before a 101 finish forced a decider. Ovens, though, missed the bullseye for a 164 finish and two darts at double 16 before Stompe landed double four for victory.
Final Round of Matches
Co Stompe produced a 108 finish to win a thriller 6-5 against John Part - whose play-off hopes hinge on Mark Webster losing 6-3 or worse in the final round of games. Part replied to losing the opening leg with finishes of 136, 119 and 85 to move 3-1 up. Two misses allowed Stompe in for the fourth, and the Dutch ace also won the next two to edge 4-3 up. The next two were shared before Part finished 81 on double six to force a decider, but Stompe was first to a finish and took out 108 on tops to grab the win.
Wayne Jones sealed his semi-final spot, defeating Jelle Klaasen 6-3 in their final match. Klaasen opened with a 13-darter and held throw for a 3-2 lead before Jones levelled and then hit a 180 to leave a 61 finish as he broke for a 4-3 advantage. He capitalised on two misses from Klaasen in the next to land double eight for a 5-3 cushion before finishing 139 on double top to take the win.
Mark Webster won a semi-final spot, defeating Denis Ovens 6-1 to leave the Hertfordshire man without a win in Group Eight. Webster, who needed a win to seal a top-four finish, started brilliantly to hit a 180 in the opening leg and a 100 in the second, before punishing misses from Ovens to take the next two. Double three got Ovens off the mark in leg five, but tops from Webster punished two further misses in the next before the left-hander wrapped up the win.
Michael van Gerwen ended the league phase with a 6-4 win over Dennis Priestley, but the win was not enough for the Dutchman to claim a semi-final place. Van Gerwen took the opener before Priestley levelled with a 140 finish and took the next two to lead 3-1. Van Gerwen hit back to lead 4-3 before Priestley hit a 180 in levelling. Van Gerwen, though, hit a 180 before reclaiming the lead on double eight with his third dart and wrapping up victory on double four.
Semi-Finals
Mark Webster came from 3-0 down against Co Stompe to reel off six successive legs and reach a debut final in Championship League Darts. Stompe - the league leader - made an electric start, winning the opening leg in 13 darts and hitting two 180s in a 12-darter to break Webster's throw before a 136 finish saw him add a third leg in 12 more darts. Webster took out a 12-darter of his own to get off the mark, opening with scores of 180 and 139 and taking out 123. He also took the next before a brace of double top finishes moved Webster in front at 4-3. He then took out 101 before completing the win, after a missed bullseye from Stompe, with tops once more - having averaged over 108 for the final six legs.
Wayne Jones saw off Dennis Priestley 6-2 to reach the Group Eight final. The pair shared the first two legs before a 99 finish gave Jones the third and two more legs put him 4-1 up. Double 14 gave Priestley the sixth, after a 180 from the 60-year-old, but Jones finished 64 to lead 5-2 and sealed the win on double eight, after the two-time World Champion missed six darts to stay in the game.
Final
Wayne Jones took victory in Group Eight of Championship League Darts, defeating debutant Mark Webster 6-2 to earn a place in Thursday's Winners Group.
Webster took the final's opening leg against the throw, but Jones replied with finishes of double eight and double 16 to lead before the left-hander from Wales took out 78 for the fourth.
After Jones finished 76 to regain the lead, missed doubles from Webster allowed him in on double eight for a 4-2 lead, with double four moving him clear and double 18 sealing the win.