James Wade reached a second Euro Tour semi-final in seven days in Munich at the weekend, but it was Michael van Gerwen who again took the big prize,
Wade’s confidence and belief is returning and it is showing on the oche with another terrific run at the German Darts Grand Prix.
Van Gerwen clinched a 22nd Euro Tour title with an 8-5 win over Peter Wright in the final.
But the Unicorn man showed good form all weekend. In the 2nd Round he produced a brilliant display to win an all Unicorn affair 6-4 against Jelle Klaasen after being 0-3 and 2-4 down. The highlight was a superb 150 finish to keep him in the game.
In the last 16, ‘The Machine’ won another all Unicorn clash beating Michael Smith 6-1 before he saw off local favourite Max Hopp 6-3 in the last eight. But in the semi-finals he ran into an inspired Wright who triumphed 7-3.
There was another quarter-final appearance for Joe Cullen, who had produced THE moment of the weekend in Munich. The Unicorn star banged in a brilliant 164 check-out to win a last leg decider against Yordi Meeuwisse. He had survived match darts and hit a 120 finish to force the deciding leg.
In the last 16, Cullen dispatched Steve West 6-0 but in the quarters Wright averaged 110 in beating the Yorkshireman 6-1.
And Keegan Brown enjoyed a great run in Germany as he reached the last eight. He had no answer to Van Gerwen, losing 6-0 but it was still a successful weekend. Brown held his nerve to beat Darren Webster in a final leg in the last 16.
Team Unicorn’s Ian White got through to the last 16 but lost out to Daryl Gurney.
Michael Smith had beaten fellow Unicorn ace Chris Dobey in round two with a 106 average, hitting seven 180s.
Story from STUART PYKE
Image courtesy PDC
