Taylor Wins Final UK Open Qualifier

PHIL TAYLOR won his second Speedy Hire UK Open Qualifier, defeating Colin Osborne 6-3 to claim victory in the last of eight events as players battled to win places in the televised finals in Bolton.

Taylor bounced back from Saturday's loss to Gary Anderson in the final by claiming the £6,000 first prize 24 hours later at Wigan's Robin Park Tennis Centre - copying his achievements a fortnight ago in Wigan.

The world number one, and reigning UK Open champion, will now enter the televised finals in Bolton next month as the number one seed, having edged out Anderson by £400 to top the UK Open Order of Merit following the eight Qualifiers.

Taylor's success on the day in Wigan included a win over Anderson, coming from 2-0 down to win six straight legs in the semi-finals, as he gained revenge for Saturday's loss.

Taylor also defeated PDC Unicorn Under-21 World Champion Arron Monk, Colin Lloyd, Nigel Heydon, Joe Cullen and Robert Thornton on his way to the final.

Taylor took a 2-0 lead in the final, hitting double eight in the opening leg and an 11-darter to break, before Osborne hit back to level with a brace of double top finishes.

Taylor, though, took out 139 to win the fifth leg and finished 93 in the next and double eight for a 5-2 cushion to take command, with Osborne twice missing chances to hit back.

The Derby ace landed double ten to win the eighth leg, but Taylor hit scores of 140, 140 and 180 in the next to be first to a finish, and hit double 16 for a 13-dart leg to seal victory.

Osborne had won through to his first final for a year - ironically his last decider had been in the seventh UK Open Qualifier of 2010 at the same venue - to claim £3,000 prize money.

He saw off Derby rival Matt Padgett in the opening round, and also defeated youngster Reece Robinson, Peter Wright, Terry Jenkins and Kevin McDine before coming from 2-0 down to defeat Wes Newton 6-4 in the semis.

Anderson had made a greater comeback, from 4-0 down, to win his quarter-final with Alan Tabern, and also defeated Paul Nicholson and Ronnie Baxter in taking home £2,000 for the event.

Newton, meanwhile, reached his fifth PDC ProTour semi-final of the year before losing to Osborne, with 888.com Premier League Darts stars Mark Webster and Simon Whitlock amongst his victims in Wigan.

Kevin McDine won through to his first quarter-final of the year with a narrow 6-5 win over Jamie Caven in the last 16, and he was joined in the last eight by resurgent Robert Thornton, who overcame John Part and Justin Pipe along the way.

The day was also a nervy one for players further down the UK Open Order of Merit who were bidding to gain a spot inside the top 96 players, plus ties, who qualify to compete in the Speedy Hire UK Open.

Steve Hine won through to the last 64 to claim his first £400 in the eight qualifying events, meaning he joins 13 other players tied on that total to sneak into the UK Open - including Peter Manley and South African Devon Petersen.

There will be no place in Bolton, however, for 2008 runner-up Gary Mawson or Steve Farmer, a semi-finalist in January's Players Championship Finals, after the pair only accumulated £200 from the eight qualifying events.

The Speedy Hire UK Open will be played from June 2-5 at the Reebok Stadium, Bolton. Tickets are available now from the Reebok Stadium Box Office in person or via 08448 712932.

The draw for the First Round of the Speedy Hire UK Open will be made on Thursday May 12 and published on www.pdc.tv.

Speedy Hire UK Open Qualifier Eight
Preliminary Round

Dave Smith 6-1 Andrew Hibbert
Arron Monk 6-1 Adrian Bolitho
Magnus Caris 6-2 Mark Tiller
Ian White 6-4 Jason Crawley
Dave Chisnall 6-2 Martyn Turner

First Round
Chris Thompson 6-4 Adam Smith-Neale
Joe Cullen 6-1 Jon Archer
Jyhan Artut 6-2 Andy Hodges
Dave Smith 6-3 Louis Blundell
Nigel Heydon 6-1 Gary Welding
Brian Woods 6-2 Steve Farmer
Colin Lloyd 6-2 Andy Pearce
Phil Taylor 6-2 Arron Monk
Justin Pipe 6-0 Dyson Parody
Mensur Suljovic 6-3 Prakash Jiwa
Rocco Maes 6-1 Gary Mawson
Robert Thornton 6-2 Michael Rosenauer
Mark Jones 6-0 Mick McGowan
Richie Burnett 6-2 Darren Whittingham
John Part 6-3 Harry Robinson
Alex Roy 6-4 James Richardson
Gary Anderson 6-2 Dave Honey
Paul Nicholson 6-0 Ashley Holgate
Mark Lawrence 6-3 Ian Jopling
Ronnie Baxter 6-2 Magnus Caris
Chris Aubrey 6-3 Nick Fullwell
Steve Hine 6-4 Mark Stephenson
Dennis Priestley 6-0 David Coyne
Steve Brown 6-1 Jimmy Mann
John MaGowan 6-4 Gary Eastwood
Michael Mansell 6-4 Vincent van der Voort
Mervyn King 6-1 John Walton
Mark Frost 6-0 Andy Relf
Mareno Michels 6-5 Mark Hylton
Tony Eccles 6-3 Lee White
Alan Tabern 6-2 Ken MacNeil
Andy Jenkins 6-4 Terry Temple
Kevin McDine 6-2 Richie Corner
Nicky Bache 6-2 Barrie Bates
Wayne Jones 6-2 Nigel Birch
Ian White 6-1 Steve Evans
Jamie Caven 6-2 Dave Ladley
Roland Scholten 6-2 Stephen Hardy
Darren Johnson 6-5 Paul Rowley
Adrian Lewis 6-0 Adam Hunt
Peter Wright 6-4 Kevin Dowling
Mick Todd 6-1 Colin Monk
Colin Osborne 6-3 Matt Padgett
Reece Robinson 6-4 Steve Beaton
Terry Jenkins 6-3 Andy Hutchings
Steve Maish 6-4 Dylan Duo
Kevin Painter 6-0 Ian Lever
Jelle Klaasen 6-5 Andy Brown
Peter Hudson 6-2 Dennis Smith
Tony Ayres 6-5 Scott Rand
James Wade 6-2 Matt Jackson
Dave Chisnall 6-2 Michael Smith
Andy Smith 6-2 John Henderson
Kirk Shepherd 6-1 Steven Pearson
Mark Walsh 6-2 Wayne Atwood
Simon Whitlock 6-2 Steve Grubb
Mark Dudbridge 6-3 Sam Allen
Wes Newton 6-3 Ryan Harrington
Mark Webster 6-1 Geoff Whitworth
Matthew Edgar 6-5 Michael van Gerwen
Andy Hamilton 6-1 Mike Gillet
Denis Ovens 6-0 Adrian Gray
Michael Barnard 6-4 Lee Palfreyman
Shaun Griffiths 6-4 Brendan Dolan

Second Round
Joe Cullen 6-5 Chris Thompson
Jyhan Artut 6-5 Dave Smith
Nigel Heydon 6-5 Brian Woods
Phil Taylor 6-2 Colin Lloyd
Justin Pipe 6-3 Mensur Suljovic
Robert Thornton 6-1 Rocco Maes
Richie Burnett 6-2 Mark Jones
John Part 6-1 Alex Roy
Gary Anderson 6-1 Paul Nicholson
Ronnie Baxter 6-5 Mark Lawrence
Steve Hine 6-4 Chris Aubrey
Steve Brown 6-5 Dennis Priestley
John MaGowan 6-5 Michael Mansell
Mark Frost 6-3 Mervyn King
Tony Eccles 6-5 Mareno Michels
Alan Tabern 6-5 Andy Jenkins
Kevin McDine 6-5 Nicky Bache
Wayne Jones 6-4 Ian White
Jamie Caven 6-4 Roland Scholten
Darren Johnson 6-5 Adrian Lewis
Peter Wright 6-4 Mick Todd
Colin Osborne 6-4 Reece Robinson
Terry Jenkins 6-5 Steve Maish
Jelle Klaasen 6-4 Kevin Painter
Peter Hudson 6-3 Tony Ayres
James Wade 6-5 Dave Chisnall
Andy Smith 6-4 Kirk Shepherd
Simon Whitlock 6-2 Mark Walsh
Wes Newton 6-2 Mark Dudbridge
Mark Webster 6-5 Matthew Edgar
Denis Ovens 6-4 Andy Hamilton
Michael Barnard 6-5 Shaun Griffiths 
Losers £200

Third Round
Joe Cullen 6-4 Jyhan Artut
Phil Taylor 6-2 Nigel Heydon
Robert Thornton 6-3 Justin Pipe
John Part 6-1 Richie Burnett
Gary Anderson 6-3 Ronnie Baxter
Steve Brown 6-1 Steve Hine
John MaGowan 6-2 Mark Frost 
Alan Tabern 6-3 Tony Eccles
Kevin McDine 6-4 Wayne Jones
Jamie Caven 6-4 Darren Johnson
Colin Osborne 6-5 Peter Wright
Terry Jenkins 6-4 Jelle Klaasen
Peter Hudson 6-5 James Wade
Simon Whitlock 6-0 Andy Smith
Wes Newton 6-1 Mark Webster
Denis Ovens 6-0 Michael Barnard
Losers £400

Fourth Round
Phil Taylor 6-1 Joe Cullen
Robert Thornton 6-5 John Part
Gary Anderson 6-4 Steve Brown
Alan Tabern 6-4 John MaGowan
Kevin McDine 6-5 Jamie Caven
Colin Osborne 6-1 Terry Jenkins
Simon Whitlock 6-3 Peter Hudson
Wes Newton 6-4 Denis Ovens
Losers £600

Quarter-Finals
Phil Taylor 6-3 Robert Thornton
Gary Anderson 6-5 Alan Tabern
Colin Osborne 6-5 Kevin McDine
Wes Newton 6-1 Simon Whitlock
Losers £1,000

Semi-Finals
Phil Taylor 6-2 Gary Anderson
Colin Osborne 6-4 Wes Newton
Losers £2,000

Final
Phil Taylor 6-3 Colin Osborne
Winner £6,000
Runner-Up £3,000


Final - leg-by-leg
Phil Taylor v Colin Osborne

0-0 - Phil Taylor wins the bullseye and will throw first.
1-0 - Taylor takes the first leg, hitting double eight with his fourth dart at a double.
2-0 - Taylor breaks throw with a brilliant 11-dart finish, featuring scores of 140, 177 and 136 before setting up double 16.
2-1 - Taylor is first to the finish following a 123 opening score and three tons, but misses five darts at double 12 to allow Osborne in to open his account on tops.
2-2 - Osborne looks to have wasted his chance when he fails to leave a double when on 80, but Taylor misses two darts at double 16 and the Derby man returns to hit tops and level.
3-2 - Taylor hits a 180 and takes out 139 on tops for a 12-darter to regain the lead.
4-2 - Osborne leaves 82 with scores of 137 and 140, but again fails to set up a double as Taylor follows a 180 with a 93 finish, ending on double nine.
5-2 - Taylor punishes two misses from Osborne to move a leg away from victory on double eight, as he is given a reprieve for an earlier missed bullseye.
5-3 - Osborne misses double top for a 116 finish but the world number one sees two match darts go astray as the Derby ace lands double ten to stay in the game.
6-3 - Taylor hits scores of 140, 140 and 180 with the throw and finishes double 16 for a 13-darter to take victory.