Connor Scutt and Justin Hood claimed maiden titles as the 2024 Winmau Challenge Tour continued in Leicester on Saturday.
Following back-to-back titles for Christian Kist in Friday's double-header, Scutt and Hood shared the spoils as 240 players battled it out across a high-quality day of action at the Mattioli Arena.
Scutt stormed to his landmark title in Saturday’s opening event, whitewashing Germany’s Dragutin Horvat 5-0 to celebrate Event 13 success.
The 28-year-old recorded a tournament average of 99.44 across eight matches, featuring four consecutive ton-topping averages in the latter stages of the event.
The former World Championship qualifier kicked off proceedings with 5-2 wins over Daniel Ayres and Andy Boulton, before brushing aside Paul Mitchell and Charlie Symons to book his place in the last 16.
Scutt also averaged 109.93 in his quarter-final victory against Bradley Brooks, which was sandwiched between deciding-leg wins against Poland’s Sebastian Bialecki and Welsh veteran Richie Burnett.
Horvat overcame Kevin Painter, Kai Fan Leung and Wayne Jones to pocket the £1,000 runner-up prize, while Burnett dumped out Scott Mitchell in a battle of the former Lakeside champions in his run to the semi-finals.
Horvat later made it back-to-back finals with another impressive showing in Event 14, although it was Hood who stole the show with a series of spectacular displays.
The 31-year-old averaged 107.24 to demolish the German in the Event 14 showpiece, although that was usurped by his whitewash win over Chris Hurds in the last 16, where he averaged a staggering 112.16.
The Somerset thrower fired in legs of 14, 12, 16, 11 and 14 darts to triumph, before following up another whitewash win against Jarno Bottenberg with a hard-fought victory over Kist in the semi-finals.
Earlier in the campaign, Hood dumped out Reece Robinson, Ben Adams and Jamie Atkins, and accounted for Event 11 runner-up Michael Unterbuchner on his way to landing the £2,500 top prize.
Horvat, meanwhile, accounted for former World Youth Champion Ted Evetts and his compatriot Max Hopp, while averaging 99 in his semi-final triumph against David Evans.
The 2024 Winmau Challenge Tour continues on Sunday, as the year's third weekend of action draws to a close with Event 15.
The top two players from the final 2024 Challenge Tour Order of Merit will secure a PDC Tour Card for 2025/26 and a place in the 2024/25 Paddy Power World Darts Championship.
Click here for Event Draws & Results.
Click here for live scores & match stats through DartConnect.
2024 Winmau Challenge Tour
Saturday June 8, Mattioli Arena, Leicester
Event 13
Quarter-Finals
Liam Goyne 5-2 Noa-Lynn van Leuven
Dragutin Horvat 5-3 Wayne Jones
Connor Scutt 5-2 Bradley Brooks
Richie Burnett 5-4 Kai Gotthardt
Semi-Finals
Dragutin Horvat 5-2 Liam Goyne
Connor Scutt 5-4 Richie Burnett
Final
Connor Scutt 5-0 Dragutin Horvat
Event 14
Quarter-Finals
David Evans 5-3 Sebastian Bialecki
Dragutin Horvat 5-3 Stefaan Henderyck
Christian Kist 5-0 John Henderson
Justin Hood 5-0 Jarno Bottenberg
Semi-Finals
Dragutin Horvat 5-3 David Evans
Justin Hood 5-3 Christian Kist
Final
Justin Hood 5-1 Dragutin Horvat