Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Hayling Island
Last weekend were the World Matchplay Qualifiers, and 2 Players Championship Events in Hayling Island. Despite having no form whatsoever, I played probably the best most consistant weekend of darts I've ever played. I was down to a 2 dart finish most legs after 12 darts, and if it wasn't for a few missed darts at doubles I'd have progressed deep in to the tournaments.
Friday - Matchplay Qualifiers
I drew John Magowan in the 1st Round, who the weekend before had reached the Semi-Final of the UK Open, only losing narrowly to Raymond van Barneveld. Oh dear! Not the best draw in the world at all. The key moment in the match was before the game even started. He threw for the bull to decide who threw first, and was just outside the 25. I threw, and my dart hit the bull, before falling out. I threw again, and hit the exact same spot in the bull. Again it fell out. After much swearing and head shaking, I decided with my 3rd attempt to aim for the 25. Instead it was just outside, and the darts narrowly went to Magowan. Every leg went with throw. He rarely troubled me on the legs I threw first, and in the 5th and 7th leg I had a dart to finish on 64 and 113. In the end, the 9th leg was easy for him as I was nowhere in site, and I had to suffer a 5-4 defeat.
Pretty gutting in the end, to play so well and lose so narrowly to someone of his quality. But it gave me confidence for the rest of the weekend. Magowan went out in the 3rd Round to Barrie Bates (UK Open Runner Up), who qualified for the World Matchplay next month in Blackpool. Also through were Alan Tabern, Steve Hine, and Andy Hamilton (who beat Raymond van Barneveld in the 1st Round!).
Saturday - PDPA Players Championship Event No.1
I was hopeful of continuing my form from Friday, and had drawn Steve Cuisak in the 1st Round. Not a player I knew alot about (actually, I knew nothing about him), but he'd got through a few rounds on Friday and I knew he'd be tough. In the end, it wasn't. I played very close to as well as I had the night before, and wrapped up at 3-0 win (Sets) very quickly, only losing 1 leg in the process. The 2nd Round was always going to be much tougher, playing Dale Newton who qualified for the World Championships last year, and also had a good run on Friday night. This was probably my worst game of the weekend, as instead of the 140's and 100's I was constantly hitting on Friday, I was hitting too many 81's and 85's. I still gave myself darts at doubles, but they were also stray. I wasted 3 darts to win the 1st set, and darts to win key legs in the 2nd and 3rd sets. His finishing was spot on, and I lost 3-0. This was the last 128, as the game against Cusiak was a Preliminary one. So no money or ranking points for me. Dale went out next round, losing to his brother Wes.
Colin Lloyd won this one, beating Barrie Bates 3-1 in the final.
Sunday - PDPA Players Championship Event No.2
I was detirmined to get something from the weekend, and with no Preliminary round. Robert Parker stood in my way, and again he's not a player who I knew anything about. A hinderance today would be the fact that I had to drive home afterwards, so the alchohol had may have helped the previous days would be absent! Every set went 2-0 against the throw, which as I won the bull meant a 3-2 defeat. Again, I had double trouble, as a total of 7 darts were missed at them in the 2 legs in the final set. Parker went out 3-0 next round to Alan Warriner-Litte.
The tournament was won by Raymond van Barneveld, who beat Adrian Lewis 3-1 in the final.
So despite the performance, no ranking points and no money this weekend. As I won't be going to Las Vegas next week (next year!), the next PDC tournament i'll be at is in 5 weeks. Another PDPA Players Championship event, this time in Blackpool. My next tourament could be the Cheshire Open on Sunday, depending on whether England are playing that day. Other tournaments coming up in July are the Cambridgeshire Open (again, dependant on England) and the Midland Open.
Friday - Matchplay Qualifiers
I drew John Magowan in the 1st Round, who the weekend before had reached the Semi-Final of the UK Open, only losing narrowly to Raymond van Barneveld. Oh dear! Not the best draw in the world at all. The key moment in the match was before the game even started. He threw for the bull to decide who threw first, and was just outside the 25. I threw, and my dart hit the bull, before falling out. I threw again, and hit the exact same spot in the bull. Again it fell out. After much swearing and head shaking, I decided with my 3rd attempt to aim for the 25. Instead it was just outside, and the darts narrowly went to Magowan. Every leg went with throw. He rarely troubled me on the legs I threw first, and in the 5th and 7th leg I had a dart to finish on 64 and 113. In the end, the 9th leg was easy for him as I was nowhere in site, and I had to suffer a 5-4 defeat.
Pretty gutting in the end, to play so well and lose so narrowly to someone of his quality. But it gave me confidence for the rest of the weekend. Magowan went out in the 3rd Round to Barrie Bates (UK Open Runner Up), who qualified for the World Matchplay next month in Blackpool. Also through were Alan Tabern, Steve Hine, and Andy Hamilton (who beat Raymond van Barneveld in the 1st Round!).
Saturday - PDPA Players Championship Event No.1
I was hopeful of continuing my form from Friday, and had drawn Steve Cuisak in the 1st Round. Not a player I knew alot about (actually, I knew nothing about him), but he'd got through a few rounds on Friday and I knew he'd be tough. In the end, it wasn't. I played very close to as well as I had the night before, and wrapped up at 3-0 win (Sets) very quickly, only losing 1 leg in the process. The 2nd Round was always going to be much tougher, playing Dale Newton who qualified for the World Championships last year, and also had a good run on Friday night. This was probably my worst game of the weekend, as instead of the 140's and 100's I was constantly hitting on Friday, I was hitting too many 81's and 85's. I still gave myself darts at doubles, but they were also stray. I wasted 3 darts to win the 1st set, and darts to win key legs in the 2nd and 3rd sets. His finishing was spot on, and I lost 3-0. This was the last 128, as the game against Cusiak was a Preliminary one. So no money or ranking points for me. Dale went out next round, losing to his brother Wes.
Colin Lloyd won this one, beating Barrie Bates 3-1 in the final.
Sunday - PDPA Players Championship Event No.2
I was detirmined to get something from the weekend, and with no Preliminary round. Robert Parker stood in my way, and again he's not a player who I knew anything about. A hinderance today would be the fact that I had to drive home afterwards, so the alchohol had may have helped the previous days would be absent! Every set went 2-0 against the throw, which as I won the bull meant a 3-2 defeat. Again, I had double trouble, as a total of 7 darts were missed at them in the 2 legs in the final set. Parker went out 3-0 next round to Alan Warriner-Litte.
The tournament was won by Raymond van Barneveld, who beat Adrian Lewis 3-1 in the final.
So despite the performance, no ranking points and no money this weekend. As I won't be going to Las Vegas next week (next year!), the next PDC tournament i'll be at is in 5 weeks. Another PDPA Players Championship event, this time in Blackpool. My next tourament could be the Cheshire Open on Sunday, depending on whether England are playing that day. Other tournaments coming up in July are the Cambridgeshire Open (again, dependant on England) and the Midland Open.
# posted by Gaz @ 4:02 pm 
