World Series of Darts 2019

[ssjsa]

LiveDarts interview with MVG.

[ssjsa]

So how many hours was it from start of Price v Mawson to Baggish bagging the trophy.
I think ssjsa might need a holiday after this marathon.

Long day, but a thoroughly enjoyable one. Looking forward to the darts today, then flying to Cancun tomorrow for the 2nd part of my holiday.

[ssjsa]

DANNY BAGGISH took glory in the Dafabet North American Championship as the American ace celebrated Independence Day in style in Las Vegas with a dramatic 6-5 win over Jeff Smith.

The 35-year-old from Florida claimed the $10,000 title and a place in the World Championship by defeating Smith in a superb final at the Mandalay Bay Casino & Resort on Thursday.

The Guam-born thrower had made his TV debut in the Dafabet US Darts Masters earlier in the day, losing out to Daryl Gurney, but came through the eight-player field to succeed Smith as North American Champion.

Baggish had to battle from behind in both his quarter-final with Elliot Milk and semi-final against Leonard Gates to reach the final.

He reeled off five successive legs from 2-1 down to defeat South Dakota's Milk 6-2, before overturning a 5-3 deficit against Gates to follow up a match-saving 140 checkout by surviving one missed match dart in a dramatic deciding leg.

Checkouts of 71, 97 and 82 gave Baggish a 3-0 lead in the final, twice taking advantage of Smith's missed doubles before the Canadian took out 120 to get off the mark in leg four.

Baggish extended his lead to 4-1 and 5-2 as he moved to the brink of victory, with Smith taking out 88 on the bull and double 16 - after surviving one missed match dart - to reduce the gap to 5-4.

He then finished a third-dart double 16 to take the final to a deciding leg, but the Canadian missed the bull for victory to allow Baggish in on tops to claim the title.

"It's a dream come true," said a tearful Baggish after lifting the trophy. "It's the best feeling, just great.

"I was playing well come into this event, so I knew I could compete but to get through that field is overwhelming.

"It's my first time on the stage and you don't know what you have in you until you're in that situation.

"The 140 in the semi-final was the biggest shot of my life. I did tighten up in the final and Jeff came back strongly to make it five-all.

"I look up to Jeff - he's a class act and a great player and it's an honour to be on the same stage as him. I was hanging in there and that moment came, and I had to take it."

Baggish will make his World Championship debut at Alexandra Palace in December, as he becomes the latest American to compete in the sport's biggest tournament.

"Every player dreams of playing at Alexandra Palace and I can't wait for that," he added. "It hasn't sunk in yet but I know it will.

"I'm going to go there and have fun and I'm excited for the opportunity."

6 of 25

Previous

Danny Baggish

Danny Baggish steps up for his quarter-final at the Dafabet North American Championship (Lucas Peltier, PDC)

Elliot Milk

Elliot Milk loses out to Danny Baggish in the Dafabet North American Championship (Lucas Peltier, PDC)

Leonard Gates

Leonard Gates in action at the Dafabet North American Championship (Lucas Peltier, PDC)

Shawn Brenneman

Canada's Shawn Brenneman takes to the stage for the Dafabet North American Championship (Lucas Peltier, PDC)

Shawn Brenneman

Shawn Brenneman lost out to Leonard Gates in the Dafabet North American Championship (Lucas Peltier, PDC)

Fans at the Dafabet North American Championship

Fans at the Dafabet North American Championship (Lucas Peltier, PDC)

Jim Long

Jim Long takes to the stage for the Dafabet North American Championship (Lucas Peltier, PDC)

Jim Long

Jim Long in action at the Dafabet North American Championship (Lucas Peltier, PDC)

Jim Long

Jim Long loses out to Darin Young at the Dafabet North American Championship (Lucas Peltier, PDC)

Darin Young & Jim Long

Darin Young defeats Jim Long in the Dafabet North American Championship (Lucas Peltier, PDC)

Jeff Smith

Jeff Smith begins his defence of the Dafabet North American Championship title (Lucas Peltier, PDC)

Jeff Smith & Gary Mawson

Jeff Smith is congratulated by Gary Mawson at the Dafabet North American Championship (Lucas Peltier, PDC)

Danny Baggish

Danny Baggish enjoys a narrow semi-final win over Leonard Gates at the Dafabet North American Championship (Lucas Peltier, PDC)

Leonard Gates

Leonard Gates misses a match dart to reach the Dafabet North American Championship final (Lucas Peltier, PDC)

Jeff Smith

Jeff Smith in action in his semi-final at the Dafabet North American Championship (Lucas Peltier, PDC)

Jeff Smith

Jeff Smith celebrates reaching the final of the Dafabet North American Championship (Lucas Peltier, PDC)

Darin Young

Darin Young in action at the Dafabet North American Championship (Lucas Peltier, PDC)

Jeff Smith

Jeff Smith misses a match dart at the Dafabet North American Championship (Lucas Peltier, PDC)

Danny Baggish

Danny Baggish celebrates his victory in the Dafabet North American Championship (Lucas Peltier, PDC)

Jeff Smith

Jeff Smith with CDC COO Anthony Eugenia at the Dafabet North American Championship (Lucas Peltier, PDC)

Jeff Smith

Dafabet North American Championship runner-up Jeff Smith (Lucas Peltier, PDC)

Danny Baggish

Dafabet North American Championship winner Danny Baggish with CDC CEO Peter Citera (Lucas Peltier, PDC)

Danny Baggish

Dafabet North American Championship winner Danny Baggish is interviewed by Dan Dawson (Lucas Peltier, PDC)

Jeff Smith & Danny Baggish

Dafabet North American Championship winner Danny Baggish and runner-up Jeff Smith (Lucas Peltier, PDC)

Danny Baggish

Dafabet North American Championship winner Danny Baggish (Lucas Peltier, PDC)

Next

Smith had bounced back from his narrow US Darts Masters defeat to Peter Wright earlier in the day by defeating Gary Mawson 6-2 in their quarter-final tie.

The reigning champion then battled past CDC number one Darin Young in the semi-finals with a 6-4 success, but saw his title defence ended by Baggish in the decider.

"I'd love to have that last dart all over again," reflected Smith. "Danny played awesome all week and he deserved to win.

"There's a lot of great players in North America and if you want to further your progression, you've got to get into the CDC."

American number one Young had seen off Canada's Jim Long 6-4 in the quarter-finals, landing checkouts of 103, 136 and 102 to progress to the last four.

Gates, the former Minor League Baseball player who made his TV debut in Las Vegas, was a 6-3 quarter-final winner against Canada's Shawn Brenneman.

2019 Dafabet North American Championship
Thursday July 4
Quarter-Finals
Danny Baggish 6-2 Elliot Milk
Leonard Gates 6-3 Shawn Brenneman
Darin Young 6-4 Jim Long
Jeff Smith 6-2 Gary Mawson

Semi-Finals
Danny Baggish 6-5 Leonard Gates
Jeff Smith 6-4 Darin Young

Final
Danny Baggish 6-5 Jeff Smith

[ssjsa]

[ChrisW]

MVG loses to Smitty. 8-6

[devosteve]

Cracking win for Smith there. Not the greatest game but glad I cught that after switching over from the tennis (super win for coco ).

[ChrisW]

Good match that. Price wins 8-6

[ChrisW]

Proper order again from this crowd. Did Sue and Wayne bring some ringers in?

[foggs3355]

The unicorn dart board cutting up badly lucky this not best of 25

[ssjsa]

Great start by Aspinall, but should have taken his chances earlier on. Cross starting to up the gears.

[ChrisW]

The unicorn dart board cutting up badly lucky this not best of 25

It is very bad again tonight.

[BlueSpark]

Unicorn boards are shit

[foggs3355]

Unicorn boards are shit

Agree wimau boards don’t cut up as bad as these do

[trotter01]

Aspinall is really good to watch.. and some talent... Pity we'll have to suffer Barney's face in some of these rather than a player on the up who really wants it..

[ssjsa]

Have to say Aspinall was brilliant today. A well deserved winner, and demonstrated that he is without doubt a top player.

[ssjsa]

[Deleted User]

Cracking win for Smith there. Not the greatest game but glad I cught that after switching over from the tennis (super win for coco ).

Possibly the gayest poet ever on here.
Women's tennis? Seriously?

[ChrisW]

Cracking win for Smith there. Not the greatest game but glad I cught that after switching over from the tennis (super win for coco ).

Possibly the gayest poet ever on here.
Women's tennis? Seriously?

Poet?

[ssjsa]

[ssjsa]

LiveDarts interview with Nathan Aspinall.