RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD has won the Topic International Darts League, defeating Colin Lloyd 13-5 in Sunday's final in Nijmegen.
The Dutchman picked up the title for a third time in the tournament's four-year history with a classy display to overcome the world number one and take home a 30,000 Euro winner's cheque.
He averaged 99.54 in the game, and his 14 maximums helped him to surpass his own record for 180s in the tournament - leaving him on 55 for the week.
His clinical finishing punished Lloyd early on in the contest, winning each of the first five sets 2-1 - despite finishes of 125 and 107 from Lloyd.
The Englishman took the sixth set without reply and returned from the break to win the next two, taking the eighth with an 11-dart leg.
Van Barneveld lifted his game to win the ninth set 2-0, breaking Lloyd's throw in the first leg before repeating his double 16 finish to punish further missed doubles from his opponent.
The Dutchman seven perfect darts on his way to taking the first leg of the next set, but Lloyd responded by landing double 16 in the next two to cut the gap to 6-4.
Lloyd then punished four missed doubles from van Barneveld to win the opening leg of the 11th set, only to see the home favourite hit back with two 13-darters.
Van Barneveld then won six of the next seven legs to storm 10-4 clear, before a stunning ten-dart leg put him within two sets of victory.
Lloyd landed a 134 finish to win the 16th set, only to see van Barneveld better that with a 151 finish in the opening leg of the next.
Another perfect double 16 helped the Dutchman take a 12-5 lead, and a two-dart 78 checkout ensured the title for a third time by winning the next set without reply.
"This is probably my most satisfying win in the IDL," said van Barneveld.
"The best players in the world were here, and this is the first time I've won a tournament that has had Phil Taylor in it.
"I've enjoyed every single minute. I didn't start well, losing 6-4 to Gary Robson, but that made me sharper.
"Today, in the first six sets, Colin missed a lot of doubles and every player in the world would be affected by being 5-0 down.
"You never think you can win the final from that position, winning another 13 sets from there, but all credit to him.
"He came back fantastically after the first break and did everything to make it a very good game."
Picture courtesy Robert Lusing, Topic IDL
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