NATHAN RAFFERTY won his first ranking title with a 5-3 defeat of Dawson Murschell in the final of PDC Unicorn Development Tour Event One in Wigan.

The Northern Irish youngster earned prominence on the big stage by defeating Peter Wright in the Coral UK Open last month, and continued his progress by claiming the £2,000 title in Saturday’s opening event.

Event Two saw 17-year-old Dutch youngster Nijman go all the way to win the first title of his promising career, edging out Bradley Brooks 5-4 in the final. Nijman had played in the final four Development Tour events of 2017, but bounced back from his loss to Brooks in the last 64 of the day’s earlier tournament by going all the way to glory.

Canadian youngster Dawson Murshell hit a 9 Darter in event 1. Rob Hewson and Niels Zonneveld shared victories as the opening PDC Unicorn Development Tour weekend of 2018 came to a close at Wigan’s Robin Park Tennis Centre on Sunday.

Lincolnshire’s Hewson, 22, claimed his first Development Tour success in Event Three to open Sunday’s double-header as he took the £2,000 top prize.

The weekend concluded with Event Four later on Sunday, as Niels Zonneveld became the second Dutch winner of the weekend, following Wessel Nijman’s Event Two triumph 24 hours earlier.

The 19-year-old from Uitgeest enjoyed whitewash wins over Aiden Cope, Scott Jackson and Declan Cox during the event, and also defeated Maiden, Bradley Halls, Daniel Thomas and William Borland on his way to the final.

For the Development Tours No 5-8 Hildesheim, Germany Information.
CLICK HERE

PDC UNICORN Development Tour 1
Robin Park, Wigan

Nathan Rafferty 5-3 Dawson Murshell

PDC UNICORN Development Tour 2
Robin Park, Wigan

Wessel Nijman 5-4 Bradley Brooks

PDC UNICORN Development Tour 3
Robin Park, Wigan

Rob Hewson 5-3 Melvin de Fijter

PDC UNICORN Development Tour 4
Robin Park, Wigan

Niels Zonneveld 5-2 Joe Davis