What a day, what a moment, what a win!
Team Unicorn youngster Harry Ward has claimed a magical maiden senior PDC title as he won a thrilling final against Max Hopp to win Players Championship 16 in Barnsley.
Just four months after winning a Tour Card at Q School, Ward held his nerve to show once again why he is going to be a big hit in the world of darts.
He won a brilliant final 8-7 against German Max Hopp.
“It is unreal,” he admitted. “I can’t quite believe what I’ve achieved in such a short time.”
It was a dramatic final. Ward started with a 133 finish, went 2-0 up, extended his lead to 5-3 and 6-3 before Hopp hit back. The Unicorn ace then missed three darts to win 8-6, only for the German to force a last leg decider.
Ward though kept his cool and a 68 finish handed ‘Big H’ a landmark career victory. He’d earlier beaten Vincent Kamphuis, Unicorn stablemate Madars Razma and James Richardson.
In the last 16, a fantastic 145 check-out saw him win a last leg decider against Michael Smith. He also won 6-5 against Nathan Aspinall in the quarters, before a 7-4 victory over Jose de Sousa in the semi-finals.
“I rode my luck but it has just been the best day!”
Harry is pictured shortly after claiming the title at the Barnsley Metrodome, holding the match board, which will be a prized keepsake for the 21-year old from Swadlincote!
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And it was also a special weekend for another Unicorn youngster as Chris Dobey moved into the top 32 in the World for the very first time. Dobey reached the quarter-finals of both PC events, losing to Michael van Gerwen and Robert Thornton, but it all added up to a landmark day.
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After the disappointment of this year’s Premier League campaign, Michael Smith’s form is looking better. A good weekend at Barnsley at the Players Championship and he also qualified for the next two European Tour events....the Dutch Darts Masters and Danish Darts Open.
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Kyle Anderson was certainly refreshed after a break back home in Australia with the family. He also qualified for the tournaments in Zwolle and Copenhagen.
Harry Ward and Keegan Brown won through to the Dutch event, while Dobey will play in Denmark.
Story by STUART PYKE
