Lisa Ashton picked up her sixth PDC Women’s Series title of 2022 on Saturday as Lorraine Winstanley claimed her maiden victory as the double-header weekend in Barnsley began.
Ashton continued her dominance on the Women’s Series with a sixth win in nine events this year to open Saturday’s action, before Winstanley emerged victorious in Event Ten.
Ashton defeated Aileen de Graaf 5-1 in the Event Nine final, taking out an incredible 158 finish to go 2-0 up, before winning the next three of four legs to take the title, securing another £1,000 in prize money to extend her lead at the head of the Order of Merit.
Ashton burst onto the scene on Saturday with a 4-0 demolition of Sharon Godbeer, averaging 100 in doing so in a display which turned out to be the highest average of the event.
The four-time Women’s World Champion then went on to reach the quarter-finals having dropped just two legs en route with wins over Catherine Handley (4-0), Rhian O’Sullivan (4-1) and Rhian Griffiths (4-1).
The quarter-final stage saw Ashton come through a tense last-leg decider against Corrine Hammond, before another deciding leg in the semi-finals saw her survive match darts against Katie Sheldon to book her place in the final with a 5-4 victory.
Event Ten saw a brand new winner on the PDC Women’s Series in Winstanley, after Ashton and Fallon Sherrock both fell at the last 16 stage.
In what turned out to be a very tense final, Winstanley survived six match darts from Rhian O’Sullivan to come through a 5-4 winner to claim the title and £1,000 top prize as well as securing her spot in the Betfred Women’s World Matchplay this July.
Winstanley enjoyed wins over Rebecca Brouse (4-0) and Louise Pearson (4-1) in reaching the last 16 before seeing off Sherrock in a deciding leg to reach the quarter-finals.
Another 4-1 win, this time over Tina Neylon, saw Winstanley book her spot in the semi-finals, where she came through another last leg decider against Rhian Griffiths 5-4 to reach the final.
O’Sullivan led 2-0 and 4-2 in the final, with Winstanley twice hitting back to level before edging the deciding leg to secure the title.
“I am so pleased to qualify (for the Women’s World Matchplay) - that’s a massive weight off my shoulders,” said Winstanley.
In talking about her form, the former Lakeside Championship finalist added: “It seems to be coming together a bit so I can only feel positive about it.”
Elsewhere in the event, Laura Turner defeated Event Nine winner Ashton 4-2 before falling short at the quarter-final stage.
Following Saturday’s action, Ashton sits on £6,700 at the top of the Women’s Series Order of Merit, with Sherrock in second place on £4,400 and Winstanley boosted to £3,350 in third, with De Graaf (£2,300), Griffiths and Turner (both £2,050) in the top six.
The PDC Women’s Series action continues on Sunday, when the final two events will take place before the cut off for the Women’s World Matchplay next month, in which the top eight on the Order of Merit will qualify.
Action from both events will be streamed from approximately 1015 BST through PDCTV.
The top eight players on the Order of Merit after Event 12 will qualify for next month's Women's World Matchplay.
See full event draw and results in the Match Centre.
Follow live match stats through DartConnect.
2022 PDC Women's Series
Saturday June 25, Barnsley Metrodome
Event Nine
Quarter-Finals
Lorraine Winstanley 4-2 Joanne Locke
Aileen de Graaf 4-2 Fallon Sherrock
Katie Sheldon 4-1 Lerena Rietbergen
Lisa Ashton 4-3 Corrine Hammond
Semi-Finals
Aileen de Graaf 5-1 Lorraine Winstanley
Lisa Ashton 5-4 Katie Sheldon
Final
Lisa Ashton 5-1 Aileen de Graaf
Event Ten
Quarter-Finals
Rhian O'Sullivan 4-3 Deta Hedman
Aileen de Graaf 4-1 Laura Turner
Rhian Griffiths 4-3 Evonne Taylor
Lorraine Winstanley 4-1 Tina Neylon
Semi-Finals
Rhian O'Sullivan 5-4 Aileen de Graaf
Lorraine Winstanley 5-4 Rhian Griffiths
Final
Lorraine Winstanley 5-4 Rhian O'Sullivan