PDPA Hat-Trick For Taylor
PHIL TAYLOR took a third successive PDPA Players Championship title with a 3-0 win over Denis Ovens at the Citywest Hotel, Ireland.
Taylor was in imperious form, dropping just two sets throughout the day's event to pick up another £5,000.
Following his wins in the Bobby Bourn Memorial in Blackpool and Newport a month ago, Taylor claimed another title in style.
He took the first set 2-0, although Ovens missed chances to punish wayward Taylor finishing in both legs before double ten came to the 13-time World Champion's rescue.
Taylor landed a maximum on his way to the opening leg of the second set, but a 180 from Ovens enabled him to break back immediately.
Despite another maximum from Ovens in the deciding leg, Taylor stopped in with a 14 darter to take the second set against the throw.
He landed a second maximum of his own before taking out double ten for the first leg of the third set, and wrapped up victory with a marvellous 11-dart leg.
Ovens hit three successive scores of 140 to leave himself an 81 finish, but after he saw that chance slip away Taylor - who had shot 140, 180 and 165 - took out double 16 at the second attempt for the title.
"I'm very happy," said Taylor. "Despite the scorelines there were some tough games there and it was hard work."
Ovens had earlier shown some superb form in seeing off James Wade, Raymond van Barneveld, Dennis Priestley and Lionel Sams.
Andy Jenkins enjoyed a good run of form in reaching the semi-finals, while World Matchplay finalist Wade knocked out John Part and Colin Lloyd on his way to the last four.
PDPA Players Championship - Ireland
| Final Phil Taylor 3-0 Denis Ovens Winner £5,000, 20 ranking points Runner-Up £2,500, 16 ranking points |
| Semi-Finals Denis Ovens 3-0 James Wade Phil Taylor 3-0 Andy Jenkins Losers £1,250, 12 ranking points |
| Quarter-Finals James Wade 3-0 Kevin Painter Denis Ovens 3-2 Raymond van Barneveld Phil Taylor 3-1 Roland Scholten Andy Jenkins 3-0 Mick McGowan Losers £600, 10 ranking points |
| Round Four James Wade 3-2 Colin Lloyd Kevin Painter 3-1 Adrian Lewis Raymond van Barneveld 3-1 Steve Beaton Denis Ovens 3-2 Dennis Priestley Phil Taylor 3-1 Chris Mason Roland Scholten 3-2 Terry Jenkins Andy Jenkins 3-2 Matt Clark Mick McGowan 3-1 Gary Spedding Losers £300, 8 ranking points |
| Round Three Colin Lloyd 3-1 Wayne Jones James Wade 3-1 John Part Adrian Lewis 3-0 Alan Tabern Kevin Painter 3-2 Tom Wilson Steve Beaton 3-2 Peter Manley Raymond van Barneveld 3-0 Mark Dudbridge Dennis Priestley 3-2 Dennis Smith Denis Ovens 3-2 Lionel Sams Phil Taylor 3-0 Alex Roy Chris Mason 3-1 Alan Warriner-Little Roland Scholten 3-1 Andy Callaby Terry Jenkins 3-0 Barrie Bates Matt Clark 3-1 Wayne Mardle Andy Jenkins 3-0 Andy Hamilton Gary Spedding 3-1 Ronnie Baxter Mick McGowan 3-1 Andy Smith Losers £150, 6 ranking points |
| Round Two Colin Lloyd 3-0 Lee Palfreyman Wayne Jones 3-1 Paul Williams James Wade 3-2 Darren Latham John Part 3-0 Stuart Dutton Adrian Lewis 3-0 Simon Craven Alan Tabern 3-2 Tom Kirby Kevin Painter 3-1 Dennis McCarthy Tom Wilson 3-1 Alan Green Peter Manley 3-2 Darren Johnson Steve Beaton 3-2 Wayne Atwood Mark Dudbridge Bye (Shayne Burgess) Raymond van Barneveld 3-0 Dave Askew Dennis Priestley 3-0 Ian Eames Dennis Smith 3-1 Jamie Harvey Denis Ovens 3-1 Chris Hook Lionel Sams 3-0 Ian Branks Phil Taylor 3-0 Alan Caves Alex Roy 3-1 Ray Farrell Chris Mason 3-0 Robbie Parker Alan Warriner-Little 3-0 Robert Watson-Lang Roland Scholten 3-1 Yves Cottenge Andy Callaby 3-1 Tony Randell Terry Jenkins 3-2 Darren Moulsley Barrie Bates 3-0 Mark Robinson Wayne Mardle 3-1 Ray Carver Matt Clark 3-0 Mark Lawrence Andy Jenkins 3-0 Martin Burchell Andy Hamilton 3-1 Bob Crawley Ronnie Baxter 3-1 Jason Lowe Gary Spedding 3-1 Richie Burnett Mick McGowan 3-1 Mark Walsh Andy Smith 3-2 Steve Hine Losers £75, 4 ranking points |
| Round One Lee Palfreyman 3-1 Henry O'Neill Colin Lloyd Bye (Deta Hedman) Paul Williams 3-1 Nigel Langton Wayne Jones 3-2 Paul Watton James Wade 3-2 Steven Smith Stuart Dutton 3-0 Jimmy Mann John Part 3-0 Mark Tiller Adrian Lewis 3-0 Gary Noonan Alan Tabern 3-0 John Kuczynski Tom Kirby 3-0 Bob Anderson Dennis McCarthy 3-0 Mark Thomson Kevin Painter 3-1 Bill Davis Tom Wilson 3-1 Keith Deller Alan Green 3-0 Wes Newton Peter Manley 3-0 Ben Burton Wayne Atwood Bye (Jon Archer) Steve Beaton 3-0 Alan Taylor Mark Dudbridge 3-1 John Quantock Raymond van Barneveld 3-0 Dave Honey Dave Askew 3-0 Geffrey Matthews Dennis Priestley 3-1 John MaGowan Jamie Harvey 3-0 Daniel Sare Dennis Smith 3-1 Steve Brown Chris Hook 3-1 Michael Barnard Denis Ovens 3-0 Steven Cusick Ian Branks 3-2 Chris Sargeant Lionel Sams 3-0 Sean Palfrey Alan Caves 3-1 Matt Sheehan Phil Taylor 3-1 Jason Clark Ray Farrell 3-2 Graeme Stoddart Alex Roy 3-1 Mark Stephenson Chris Mason 3-1 Dave Johnston Robert Watson-Lang 3-2 Paul Whitworth Alan Warriner-Little 3-0 Gary Welding Roland Scholten 3-2 Simon Whatley Tony Randell 3-1 Michael Kendrick Andy Callaby 3-1 Steve Maish Terry Jenkins 3-0 Steve Grubb Mark Robinson 3-0 Geoff Wylie Barrie Bates 3-0 Ian Critchett Wayne Mardle 3-0 Owen Caffrey Mark Lawrence 3-0 John Scott Matt Clark 3-2 Rocco Maes Andy Jenkins 3-0 Martyn Turner Bob Crawley 3-2 Brendan Dolan Andy Hamilton 3-0 Andrew Davies Ronnie Baxter 3-0 Paul Harrison Gary Spedding 3-0 Colin Osborne Richie Burnett 3-0 Colin Monk Mick McGowan 3-0 Tony Smith Mark Walsh 3-1 Kieran Lennon Steve Hine 3-0 Adrian Gray Andy Smith 3-0 Jason Crawley |
Pictured is Phil Taylor receiving a set of commemorative glasses from PDPA Chairman. Courtesy PDPA Press Secretary Chris Sargeant
