oche balboa wrote: ↑Sat Feb 08, 2020 5:09 pm
Smith is playing better then i've seen
This.
Always consistent but averaging more and consistently more than his previous PDC attempts and his BDO foray.
Or maybe he was always a world class player?
Maybe he just didn't get the credit because he played in the BDO.
As well as the pixie dust, maybe he plays better when he doesnt have some twerp who cant handle his drink shouting his name over and over again whilst playing.
oche balboa wrote: ↑Sat Feb 08, 2020 5:09 pm
Smith is playing better then i've seen
This.
Always consistent but averaging more and consistently more than his previous PDC attempts and his BDO foray.
Or maybe he was always a world class player?
Maybe he just didn't get the credit because he played in the BDO.
As well as the pixie dust, maybe he plays better when he doesnt have some twerp who cant handle his drink shouting his name over and over again whilst playing.
Gary Anderson claimed the first PDC ranking title of 2020 with victory at Players Championship 1 in Barnsley on Saturday.
Anderson defeated Canada's Jeff Smith 8-4 in the final to get his 2020 campaign off to a perfect start following an injury-ravaged 2019.
The two-time World Champion was in fine form all day, hitting four ton-plus averages, including a 107.5 against Christian Bunse in the first round.
After a win over Simon Whitlock, a 104.4 average saw Anderson defeat rival Gerwyn Price for the second time in a week, which he followed up with a 106.1 to overcome Rob Cross and reach the quarter-finals.
There, the Scottish World Cup winner beat Joe Cullen 6-2 before averaging 102.2 to claim a 7-3 win over Adrian Lewis in the semi-finals.
The final saw Anderson race into a 6-2 lead before Smith, who was competing in his first Players Championship event since 2013, fought back to trail 6-4.
However, two-time World Champion Anderson was not to be denied and he went on to pick up his first PDC ranking title since the 2018 World Matchplay.
"It's been a while since I won something, but I've got the hunger back," Anderson revealed.
"I want to get back to how I was throwing before [injury], I don't mind if I win or lose, but as long as I throw them how I used to then I'll be alright.
"I still have work to do, but it's not a bad start."
The first of 30 Players Championship events in 2020 saw two nine-dart finishes hit, both in the first round, by Northern Ireland's Mickey Mansell and Dutchman Mike van Duivenbode.
The day was also a significant one for another Dutch youngster, Maik Kuivenhoven, who reached his first PDC ranking quarter-final.
Sunday will see the second day of the ProTour double-header take place, with live streaming on PDCTV.
See full Players Championship 1 results in the Match Centre.
Players Championship 1
Saturday February 8
Last 16
Brendan Dolan 6-5 Ross Smith
Maik Kuivenhoven 6-3 Steve Brown
Peter Wright 6-3 Conan Whitehead
Jeff Smith 6-5 Nathan Aspinall
Adrian Lewis 6-1 Darren Webster
Steve Beaton 6-1 Mickey Mansell
Gary Anderson 6-2 Rob Cross
Joe Cullen 6-1 Nick Kenny
Quarter-Finals
Brendan Dolan 6-3 Maik Kuivenhoven
Jeff Smith 6-5 Peter Wright
Adrian Lewis 6-3 Steve Beaton
Gary Anderson 6-2 Joe Cullen
Semi-Finals
Jeff Smith 7-2 Brendan Dolan
Gary Anderson 7-3 Adrian Lewis
