Brilliant Brown's Maiden ProTour Win

KEEGAN BROWN won his first Players Championship title with an astounding display to defeat Adrian Lewis 6-3 in Sunday's ProTour final in Coventry, ending with a 111 average.

The PDC Unicorn World Youth Champion has previously won two Youth Tour events but confirmed his status amongst the world's elite stars with a relentless and mature display against the world number four.

Brown had already overcome Alan Norris, young rivals Jamie Lewis, Ricky Evans and Dirk van Duijvenbode as well as world number five Peter Wright and in-form Scot John Henderson in Sunday's £60,000 event.

He then took on Lewis in the final, and claimed the title in style with a brilliant display.

Brown took out 130 twice for 12-darters as he took a 2-1 lead, while Lewis landed a 180 in the second and another maximum as he levelled with a 14-darter.

Brown then landed a maximum in a 13-darter to edge 3-2 up before breaking throw in the sixth after posting another 180 and double five.

Lewis broke back with a fine 13-darter, landing a 177 and double ten, but saw his chance to level in the next ended when Brown fired in a 177 of his own to set up double 14 for a 13-darter, which moved him into a 5-3 lead.

Brown then scored 140, 180 and 145 in the next to set up 36 for the title, and though he initially missed three darts at double 18, returned to hit the bed for another 13-dart finish as he completed a memorable win.

"It's overwhelming," said Brown. "Adrian got the better of me the last time we played, he destroyed me, so I'm glad I got him this time - he's a Premier League player so you know what to expect.

"The Youth Tour has helped me over the last couple of years to progress onto the latter stages of the ProTour. In my previous final against Robert Thornton I lost 6-5 and in that last leg I'm glad the double 18 went in in the end!"

The £10,000 prize money will move Brown into the provisional qualifying places for July's BetVictor World Matchplay in Blackpool, and he admitted: "The World Matchplay is at the back of the mind of every player.

"I've got to move onto the next competition now, we're back in Crawley in a couple of weeks and I know if I'm not grounded then somebody's going to beat me 6-0 - I need to keep my feet on the ground and relax and play my normal game, but I'll enjoy this first."

Lewis' run to the final saw him bounce back well from his double of defeats in last Thursday's Betway Premier League in Birmingham.

He enjoyed two whitewash wins in his first three games on Sunday, against Mick Todd and Steve West, and also defeated Matt Clark, Mervyn King, Mensur Suljovic and Gerwyn Price on his way to the decider, picking up £5,000 prize money for his efforts on the day.

Price was appearing in his second PDC semi-final since turning professional in 2014, with the £2,500 prize money consolidating his place in the qualifying positions for July's World Matchplay.

After defeating youngsters Ross Smith and Nathan Aspinall, he then knocked out Vincent van der Voort, Brendan Dolan and James Wade - the latter two in a deciding leg - as he won through to the last four, where despite a 170 finish Lewis proved too strong.

Henderson continued the form which had taken him into the German Darts Mastes final a month ago as he battled through to the semis, and like Price improved his position inside the World Matchplay's qualifying places.

After overcoming Wes Newton 6-5 in his opening game, he then saw off Mickey Mansell, Scottish duo Robert Thornton and Jamie Bain and Dave Chisnall as he progressed through the field.

Wade had been the runner-up in both of the weekend's previous Players Championship events, and ended the weekend with a quarter-final appearance.

Having been the top seed on the day, Wade overcame Luke Woodhouse, Jamie Robinson and Robbie Green before edging out Holland's Jermaine Wattimena 6-5, but after finishing 142 and 170 to take Price to a deciding leg missed two match darts as the Welshman ended his hopes.

Wade's Premier League rival Dave Chisnall also went out in the last eight alongside Austrian star Mensur Suljovic and Saturday's Players Championship winner Peter Wright.

The Dutch quartet of Wattimena, Benito van de Pas, Jan Dekker and Dirk van Duijvenbode were joined by English youngster Adam Hunt, Scotland's emerging Jamie Bain and top 16 stars Mervyn King and Brendan Dolan in reaching the last 16.

NB: From the original field of entries, Raymond van Barneveld withdrew and was replaced by the next highest ranked PDPA Associate Member who entered, Ryan Harrington. World number one Michael van Gerwen did not enter for Sunday's event.

Players Championship 8
Ricoh Arena, Coventry, Sunday May 3
First Round
James Wade (1) 6-4 Luke Woodhouse
Jamie Robinson 6-3 Ronnie Baxter
Robbie Green 6-3 Christian Kist (32)
Kevin McDine 6-5 Mark Walsh
Steve Beaton (16) 6-0 Jim Walker
Jermaine Wattimena 6-2 Ian Moss
James Wilson 6-3 Jamie Caven (17)
Kyle Anderson 6-5 Magnus Caris
Brendan Dolan (8) 6-5 Pete Dyos
Nick Fullwell 6-5 Jyhan Artut
Tony Newell 6-1 Dean Winstanley (25)
David Pallett 6-1 Chris Dobey
Vincent van der Voort (9) 6-0 John Part
Jeffrey De Zwaan 6-5 Matt Padgett
Gerwyn Price (24) 6-3 Ross Smith
Nathan Aspinall 6-3 Prakash Jiwa
Josh Payne 6-2 Michael Smith (5)
Adam Hunt 6-1 Steve Douglas
Ronny Huybrechts 6-5 Andy Smith (28)
Wayne Jones 6-3 Mike Zuydwijk
Mark Barilli 6-3 Terry Jenkins (12)
Mark Hylton 6-4 Barrie Bates
Mensur Suljovic (21) 6-1 Conan Whitehead
Dave Ladley 6-3 Jason Wilson
Adrian Lewis (4) 6-0 Mick Todd
Matt Clark 6-4 Matthew Edgar
Max Hopp 6-3 Kevin Painter (29)
Steve West 6-5 Jay Foreman
Mervyn King (13) 6-3 Nathan Derry
Lee Palfreyman 6-3 Joey Ten Berge
Jelle Klaasen (20) 6-4 Ken MacNeil
Gary Stone 6-3 Ben Ward
Joe Murnan 6-3 Gary Anderson (2)
Jan Dekker 6-1 Andy Parsons
Darren Webster (31) 6-0 Daryl Gurney
Kirk Shepherd 6-4 Steve Hine
Dave Chisnall (15) 6-5 Terry Temple
Cristo Reyes 6-3 Tomas Seyler
Jonny Clayton 6-5 Stephen Bunting (18)
Darren Johnson 6-3 Paul Nicholson
Robert Thornton (7) 6-0 Curtis Hammond
Jason Marriott 6-2 Robert Owen
John Henderson (26) 6-5 Wes Newton
Mickey Mansell 6-1 Ross Twell
Ian White (10) 6-1 Ryan Harrington
Devon Petersen 6-2 Alan Tabern
Andrew Gilding (23) 6-4 Joe Cullen
Jamie Bain 6-2 Steve McNally
Ricky Evans 6-5 Simon Whitlock (6)
Jason Lovett 6-4 Stuart Kellett
Jamie Lewis (27) 6-2 Andy Boulton
Keegan Brown 6-4 Alan Norris
Justin Pipe (11) 6-5 Andy Jenkins
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-5 James Hubbard
Tim Martin 6-3 Andy Hamilton (22)
Steve Brown 6-2 William O'Connor
Peter Wright (3) 6-2 Paul Milford
Dennis Smith 6-5 Martyn Turner
Mark Webster (30) 6-3 John Bowles
Johnny Haines 6-4 Nigel Heydon
Kim Huybrechts (14) 6-4 Mark Frost
Roxy-James Rodriguez 6-5 Kevin Thomas
Benito van de Pas (19) 6-3 Mark Dudbridge
Dimitri van den Bergh 6-3 Eddie Dootson

Second Round
James Wade 6-1 Jamie Robinson
Robbie Green 6-4 Kevin McDine
Jermaine Wattimena 6-3 Steve Beaton
Kyle Anderson 6-1 James Wilson
Brendan Dolan 6-5 Nick Fullwell
David Pallett 6-5 Tony Newell
Vincent van der Voort 6-4 Jeffrey De Zwaan
Gerwyn Price 6-2 Nathan Aspinall
Adam Hunt 6-3 Josh Payne
Ronny Huybrechts 6-4 Wayne Jones
Mark Barilli 6-2 Mark Hylton
Mensur Suljovic 6-0 Dave Ladley
Adrian Lewis 6-5 Matt Clark
Steve West 6-5 Max Hopp
Mervyn King 6-4 Lee Palfreyman
Jelle Klaasen 6-4 Gary Stone
Jan Dekker 6-5 Joe Murnan
Kirk Shepherd 6-2 Darren Webster
Dave Chisnall 6-5 Cristo Reyes
Darren Johnson 6-4 Jonny Clayton
Robert Thornton 6-1 Jason Marriott
John Henderson 6-2 Mickey Mansell
Devon Petersen 6-4 Ian White
Jamie Bain 6-1 Andrew Gilding
Ricky Evans 6-5 Jason Lovett
Keegan Brown 6-2 Jamie Lewis
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-3 Justin Pipe
Steve Brown 6-4 Tim Martin
Peter Wright 6-1 Dennis Smith
Mark Webster 6-1 Johnny Haines
Kim Huybrechts 6-5 Roxy-James Rodriguez
Benito van de Pas 6-5 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Losers £250

Third Round
James Wade 6-0 Robbie Green
Jermaine Wattimena 6-3 Kyle Anderson
Brendan Dolan 6-1 David Pallett
Gerwyn Price 6-3 Vincent van der Voort
Adam Hunt 6-3 Ronny Huybrechts
Mensur Suljovic 6-1 Mark Barilli
Adrian Lewis 6-0 Steve West
Mervyn King 6-4 Jelle Klaasen
Jan Dekker 6-5 Kirk Shepherd
Dave Chisnall 6-3 Darren Johnson
John Henderson 6-3 Robert Thornton
Jamie Bain 6-5 Devon Petersen
Keegan Brown 6-1 Ricky Evans
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-5 Steve Brown
Peter Wright 6-5 Mark Webster
Benito van de Pas 6-2 Kim Huybrechts
Losers £750

Fourth Round
James Wade 6-5 Jermaine Wattimena
Gerwyn Price 6-5 Brendan Dolan
Mensur Suljovic 6-1 Adam Hunt
Adrian Lewis 6-3 Mervyn King
Dave Chisnall 6-5 Jan Dekker
John Henderson 6-5 Jamie Bain
Keegan Brown 6-3 Dirk van Duijvenbode
Peter Wright 6-3 Benito van de Pas
Losers £1,500

Quarter-Finals
Gerwyn Price 6-5 James Wade
Adrian Lewis 6-4 Mensur Suljovic
John Henderson 6-4 Dave Chisnall
Keegan Brown 6-4 Peter Wright
Losers £2,000

Semi-Finals
Adrian Lewis 6-4 Gerwyn Price
Keegan Brown 6-4 John Henderson
Losers £2,500

Final
Keegan Brown 6-3 Adrian Lewis
Winner £10,000
Runner-Up £5,000

Final - Leg-By-Leg
0-0 - Keegan Brown wins the bull and throws first.
0-1 - Brown takes the opening leg with a superb 12-darter, scoring 131, 140, 100 and finishing 130 on double five.
1-1 - Lewis lands a 180 and finishes 74 on tops to level.
1-2 - Brown's outstanding start continues as he opens with a 180 before finishing 130 for another 12-darter, this time ending on double five.
2-2 - Lewis kicks off the leg with a maximum before levelling by landing double ten for a 14-darter.
2-3 - Brown edges back in front with a 13-darter, opening with another 180 before finishing tops.
2-4 - Brown scores 140, 180 and 105 to be first to a finish before breaking throw on double five in 15 darts.
3-4 - The superb standard continues as Lewis lands a 177 and double ten to break with a 13-darter, after Brown misses double 16 to extend his advantage.
3-5 - Brown breaks once again with another 13-dart leg, landing a 177 to leave double 14 after Lewis is unable to finish 135.
3-6 - Brown scores 140, 180 and 145 to leave 36 after nine darts, and though he initially misses three darts at double 18 he returns to hit the bed to complete a 13-darter for the title, his first PDC ProTour triumph.

Match Stats