Photo courtesy of Lawrence Lustig/PDC.

MERVYN KING claimed victory in Group Three of Championship League Darts with a 6-2 defeat of Vincent van der Voort.

King bounced back from the disappointment of semi-final defeats on the opening two days of the tournament by booking his place in October’s Winners Group in a strong finish to Group Three.

King finished second in the league table following the eight-player group stage, but defeated Colin Osborne 6-1 in the semi-finals and dropped just two legs against van der Voort in a high-quality final.

The Dutchman won the opening leg against the throw to lead, but missed four darts for the second leg, with King checking out double top to level and then producing an 11-dart finish, a 150 checkout and a bullseye to move 4-1 up.

Van der Voort hit seven perfect darts on his way to the sixth leg, which he won in 11 darts, but could do little as King won the next two to seal victory.

King earned £2,900 for the day, on top of £4,100 won in the first two days to take his earnings to £7,000 ahead of the big-money Winners Group next month.

“I’m really pleased to get through,” said King. “It sounds daft but I’m really relieved I don’t have to play again next week now because I struggled today.

“People this it’s easy but it’s mentally and physically draining. You’re at the venue for 12 hours practising and playing and it’s really hard for all the players.

“It was hard work on the first day because I was a little out of practice and my arm didn’t feel quite right, then on day two I made the semi-finals again.

“After the third game today things clicked for me and it must have been right because I made it through, so I’m really happy.

“I’d lost to Colin Osborne in the league game earlier today but felt I threw that away and got my own back in the semis and did the business against Vincent.”

Van der Voort picked up £2,500 on the day, having finished fourth overall before seeing off Mark Walsh 6-3 in the semis.

Walsh won six of his seven league games before running out of steam in the semis, while Colin Lloyd escaped elimination in the final round of matches for the second successive day.

Adrian Lewis also progressed to Group Four – to be held next Tuesday – in dramatic fashion, winning 6-5 against van der Voort in the final round to knock out Robert Thornton.

The Scot is joined by Alan Tabern in dropping out of the competition, with the left-hander victorious only once on Thursday but left to ponder two earlier 6-5 defeats where he had held 5-2 leads.

Championship League Darts continues with Group Four from 11am next Tuesday, with matches screened exclusively live on the internet through a series of ten bookmakers’ websites.

World number five Terry Jenkins, Kevin Painter and Denis Ovens come in to join Walsh, Osborne, Van der Voort, Lloyd and Lewis in Group Four, with prize money of £50 per leg on offer in the league phase and £100 per leg in the play-offs.

Group Matches
Mervyn King 3-6 Adrian Lewis
Robert Thornton 4-6 Vincent vd Voort
Colin Osborne 3-6 Mark Walsh
Colin Lloyd 6-3 Alan Tabern

Vincent vd Voort 1-6 Mervyn King
Mark Walsh 6-3 Colin Lloyd
Alan Tabern 2-6 Colin Osborne
Adrian Lewis 4-6 Robert Thornton

Vincent vd Voort 6-4 Colin Lloyd
Mervyn King 2-6 Mark Walsh
Alan Tabern 5-6 Robert Thornton
Adrian Lewis 4-6 Colin Osborne

Colin Lloyd 4-6 Mervyn King
Vincent vd Voort 4-6 Mark Walsh
Adrian Lewis 5-6 Alan Tabern
Robert Thornton 3-6 Colin Osborne

Robert Thornton 6-3 Colin Lloyd
Colin Osborne 6-5 Mervyn King
Mark Walsh 2-6 Adrian Lewis
Alan Tabern 5-6 Vincent vd Voort

Colin Osborne 5-6 V vd Voort
Adrian Lewis 1-6 Colin Lloyd
Mark Walsh 6-5 Robert Thornton
Mervyn King 6-2 Alan Tabern

Robert Thornton 0-6 Mervyn King
Colin Lloyd v Colin Osborne
Alan Tabern 4-6 Mark Walsh
Vincent vd Voort 5-6 Adrian Lewis

Semi-Final 1
Mark Walsh 3-6 Vincent vd Voort

Semi-Final 2
Mervyn King 6-1 Colin Osborne

Final
Mervyn King 6-2 Vincent vd Voort