Players Championship 19th September 2010

[nikkiboy]

Farmer Claims Maiden Win
19 Sep 2010

STEVE FARMER won his maiden career title with a 6-4 defeat of Kevin Painter in Sunday's Dutch Players Championship final - and dramatically booked a place in the Bodog.com World Grand Prix with the triumph.[wrapimg=right]http://www.pdc.tv/javaImages/2c/3a/0,,1 ... 860,00.jpg[/wrapimg]

The 45-year-old from Church Stretton, Shropshire produced a remarkable finale to the decider against Painter to snatch a qualifying place in next month's event at the Citywest Hotel in Dublin, denying Mark Webster a spot in the tournament.

Farmer trailed Painter 4-2 before reeling off four successive 13-dart finishes to take the £6,000 title, and admitted: "It's the best moment of my career and I'm lost for words, quite emotional really.

"I've been playing for over 25 years and all the practice has paid off. When I was up there on stage I was determined not to waste all those years and to win this is a dream come true."

Farmer had reached a Players Championship final earlier this month, losing to Adrian Lewis, but went one better in Holland with a fine day of darts.

He overcame Marko Puls in his opening game before knocking out Ronnie Baxter, Paul Nicholson and Spain's Antonio Alcinas to reach the last eight, where he saw off Tony Ayres 6-4.

Farmer then defeated Steve Maish by the same scoreline in the semis before coming from 4-2 down against Painter.

Painter moved from two-all to lead 4-2 when he finished 100 for the first break of throw in leg six, but had no answer as Farmer found an extra gear to win the next four, all in 13 darts.

"I knew going into the tournament that I had to win it to get into the World Grand Prix but I had to try put it out of my mind in the final," he said.

"It's the first tournament I've won and it might take a few days to sink in. It's the best comeback I've ever done and I'm over the moon.

"I got to the final against Adrian and lost that 6-4 but it wasn't my day, I missed a couple of darts to level at five-all and he won, but today's my day.

"I've been working hard on my stamina and it's paying off for me, because it's a long day to win seven matches, but long may it continue!

"I'm looking forward to playing in the World Grand Prix now and it's good to see the double-start format on TV. Anything can happen, so bring it on!"

Painter had defeated Australian Simon Whitlock 6-4 in the semis as he searched for a first tournament victory since January 2006, but takes home £3,000 for his day's work.

The Daventry man bounced back from a first round defeat in Saturday's Players Championship to see off Kevin Wensink, Braulio Roncero, Colin Osborne, Steve Hine and Kevin McDine on his way to the final.

Maish had given himself an outside chance of winning a World Grand Prix spot, but his semi-final loss saw those hopes ended, while Brendan Dolan, Kevin McDine, Justin Pipe and Tony Ayres enjoyed runs to the last eight.

Saturday's Players Championship winner James Wade suffered a first round exit to Hungary's Nandor Bezzeg as his bid for back-to-back titles fell at the first hurdle.

Dutch Players Championship (Sunday)
Preliminary Round
Kim Huybrechts 6-0 Sebastijan Pecjak
Roland Scholten 6-1 Leon de Geus
Braulio Roncero 6-0 Andy Relf
Magnus Caris 6-2 Dennis Koenen
William O'Connor 6-1 Roy Westerlaken
Jorgen Aerts 6-4 Andy Pearce
Andries Sterk 6-5 Maurizio Monterubbianesi
Peter Martin 6-5 Bobby Biemans

First Round
Simon Whitlock (1) 6-1 Joe Cullen
Alex Roy 6-0 Lars Erkelenz
Nigel Heydon (32) 6-2 Tony Randell
Hermie van Orsouw 6-2 Anastasia Dobromyslova
Alan Tabern (16) 6-2 Dylan Duo
Michael Rosenauer 6-2 Jorn Lossau
Co Stompe (17) 6-1 Andy Hutchings
Kim Huybrechts 6-1 Mick McGowan
Andy Hamilton (8) 6-2 Sam Allen
John MaGowan 6-4 Davyd Venken
Brendan Dolan (25) 6-2 Jyhan Artut
Scott Rand 6-1 Barry Zander
Mark Walsh (9) 6-3 Ian McFarlane
Dave Ladley 6-2 Par Riihonen
Mark Webster (24) 6-2 Willy van der Wiel
Mensur Suljovic 6-4 Roland Scholten
Nandor Bezzeg 6-2 James Wade (5)
Wilchard Vissers 6-4 Olaf Tupuschis
Steve Hine (28) 6-1 Mario Masurka
Aodhagan O'Neill 6-4 Maik Langendorf
Colin Osborne (12) 6-1 Kirk Shepherd
Carlos Rodriguez 6-5 Karsten Kornath
Kevin Painter (21) 6-1 Kevin Wensink
Braulio Roncero 6-3 Tomas Seyler
Adrian Lewis (4) 6-1 Frank Liebeton
John Part 6-0 Jochen Graudenz
Steve Evans 6-0 Peter Wright (29)
Kevin McDine 6-3 Richie Burnett
Mervyn King (13) 6-2 Gary Mawson
Willem Kralt 6-5 Jimmy van Schie
Terry Jenkins (20) 6-0 Sergio Pettarini
Magnus Caris 6-5 Michael Klonhammer
Colin Lloyd (2) 6-1 Johan van Lier
Steve Grubb 6-2 Michael Peters
Justin Pipe (31) 6-0 Henry Zapata
Nick Fullwell 6-3 Chris Iedema
Mark Dudbridge (15) 6-5 Andy Jenkins
Matt Clark 6-2 Ian Jopling
Bernd Roith 6-3 Barrie Bates (18)
William O'Connor 6-0 Anton Liscsey
Jamie Caven (7) 6-5 Colin Monk
Johnny Okken 6-2 Kevin Munch
Jelle Klaasen (26) 6-1 Jon Archer
Andree Welge 6-1 Mark Frost
Gary Eastwood 6-5 Wayne Jones (10)
Dennis Smith 6-2 Niels Stuiver
Darren Johnson 6-5 Michael van Gerwen (23)
Steve Maish 6-1 Jorgen Aerts
Vincent van der Voort (6) 6-3 Ian White
Arron Monk 6-1 Martino Tagliepietra
Tony Eccles (27) 6-1 Robert-Jan Bartels
Jerry Hendriks 6-4 Wayne Atwood
Steve Beaton (11) 6-0 Tonci Restovic
Tony Ayres 6-3 Mareno Michels
Steve Brown (22) 6-3 Mark Hylton
Andries Sterk 6-1 Milos Bedy
Wes Newton (3) 6-0 Stefanie Luck
Joey Ten Berge 6-0 Romano Ruggeri
Chris Thompson (30) 6-2 Marcel Manders
Antonio Alcinas 6-0 Rudiger Lohse
Ronnie Baxter (14) Bye (Wim Mink timed out)
Steve Farmer 6-2 Marko Puls
Paul Nicholson (19) 6-4 Adrian Gray
John Michael 6-2 Peter Martin

Second Round
Simon Whitlock 6-4 Alex Roy
Nigel Heydon 6-4 Hermie van Orsouw
Alan Tabern 6-5 Michael Rosenauer
Co Stompe 6-2 Kim Huybrechts
Andy Hamilton 6-1 John MaGowan
Brendan Dolan 6-5 Scott Rand
Mark Walsh 6-5 Dave Ladley
Mark Webster 6-5 Mensur Suljovic
Nandor Bezzeg 6-2 Wilchard Vissers
Steve Hine 6-3 Aodhagan O'Neill
Colin Osborne 6-0 Carlos Rodriguez
Kevin Painter 6-4 Braulio Roncero
Adrian Lewis 6-0 John Part
Kevin McDine 6-3 Steve Evans
Mervyn King 6-5 Willem Kralt
Terry Jenkins 6-5 Magnus Caris
Colin Lloyd 6-2 Steve Grubb
Justin Pipe 6-2 Nick Fullwell
Mark Dudbridge 6-2 Matt Clark
William O'Connor 6-5 Bernd Roith
Jamie Caven 6-5 Johnny Okken
Jelle Klaasen 6-5 Andree Welge
Gary Eastwood 6-5 Dennis Smith
Steve Maish 6-1 Darren Johnson
Arron Monk 6-2 Vincent van der Voort
Tony Eccles 6-2 Jerry Hendriks
Tony Ayres 6-3 Steve Beaton
Steve Brown 6-2 Andries Sterk
Wes Newton 6-3 Joey Ten Berge
Antonio Alcinas 6-5 Chris Thompson
Steve Farmer 6-4 Ronnie Baxter
Paul Nicholson 6-3 John Michael
Losers £200

Third Round
Simon Whitlock 6-3 Nigel Heydon
Alan Tabern 6-2 Co Stompe
Brendan Dolan 6-4 Andy Hamilton
Mark Walsh 6-4 Mark Webster
Steve Hine 6-4 Nandor Bezzeg
Kevin Painter 6-4 Colin Osborne
Kevin McDine 6-5 Adrian Lewis
Terry Jenkins 6-5 Mervyn King
Justin Pipe 6-4 Colin Lloyd
Mark Dudbridge 6-0 William O'Connor
Jamie Caven 6-5 Jelle Klaasen
Steve Maish 6-1 Gary Eastwood
Arron Monk 6-0 Tony Eccles
Tony Ayres 6-2 Steve Brown
Antonio Alcinas 6-2 Wes Newton
Steve Farmer 6-4 Paul Nicholson
Losers £300

Fourth Round
Simon Whitlock 6-2 Alan Tabern
Brendan Dolan 6-3 Mark Walsh
Kevin Painter 6-2 Steve Hine
Kevin McDine 6-3 Terry Jenkins
Justin Pipe 6-2 Mark Dudbridge
Steve Maish 6-4 Jamie Caven
Tony Ayres 6-5 Arron Monk
Steve Farmer 6-2 Antonio Alcinas
Losers £500

Quarter-Finals
Simon Whitlock 6-0 Brendan Dolan
Kevin Painter 6-3 Kevin McDine
Steve Maish 6-4 Justin Pipe
Steve Farmer 6-4 Tony Ayres
Losers £1,000

Semi-Finals
Kevin Painter 6-4 Simon Whitlock
Steve Farmer 6-4 Steve Maish
Losers £1,500

Final
Steve Farmer 6-4 Kevin Painter
Winner £6,000
Runner-Up £3,000

Semi-Finals
Kevin Painter held off Simon Whitlock's fightback to win through to the final with a 6-4 victory. Whitlock took out 93 for the opening leg, but Painter replied in style, levelling and then breaking throw in the third, before finishes of 84 and 74 put him 4-1 up. Whitlock missed two darts to take the sixth, and Painter finished 40 with double five and then double 15 to move 5-1 up. Three missed match darts in the next allowed Whitlock to post double eight and stay in the game, while double ten and double top also gave him the next two to cut the gap to 5-4. The Australian posted a 180 in the next, but missed double ten for a 140 finish to allow Painter to follow up a 145 score which left 36 by hitting double 18 with his third dart for the win.
Steve Farmer won through to his second Players Championship final of the month, defeating Steve Maish 6-4. Farmer took out 116 for the first leg and double five for the second, before Maish punished three misses to get off the mark in the third on double ten. The pair traded the next four as Farmer moved 5-3 up, although double 16 from Maish in the ninth kept the match alive. Maish also had a chance to save the game in the next as Farmer missed five match darts, but a missed double top allowed the Shropshire man back to post double two for the win.

Final - leg by leg
Kevin Painter 1-0 Steve Farmer - Double five puts Painter ahead
1-1 - Farmer gets off the mark on double eight
2-1 - Painter notches double 16 at the fourth time of asking to move 2-1 up
2-2 - Farmer posts double ten to square the game once more
3-2 - Farmer misses one dart at double 16 to break, and Painter hits the same bed at the second attempt
4-2 - Painter takes out 100 to break throw
4-3 - Farmer breaks back with double 16
4-4 - Farmer repeats the finish to level
4-5 - Painter opens with a 180 but Farmer hits a maximum of his own and double top for a third successive 13-darter
4-6 - Farmer takes out double top for another 13-dart finish and his first PDC title