PDC Sydney Darts Masters- Day3

PHIL TAYLOR claimed glory at the inaugural Sydney Darts Masters, in association with tab.com.au, as he powered to a 10-3 victory over Michael van Gerwen in Saturday's final at Luna Park in Sydney.
Taylor was at his imperious best as he ended Australian hopes in the tournament with a sensational 10-6 semi-final win over Simon Whitlock, the world number four who never recovered from going 4-1 and 8-2 down.


Semi-Finals

Phil Taylor 10-6 Simon Whitlock
Michael van Gerwen 10-7 Adrian Lewis



Phil Taylor v Simon Whitlock

0-0 - Simon Whitlock won the bullseye and will throw first.
1-0 - Taylor lands double top for a 13-darter to secure an immediate break of throw.
2-0 - The World Champion repeats the feat by landing tops for another 13-dart finish to double his advantage.
2-1 - Whitlock opens with a 180 and finishes double ten for a 14-dart finish.
3-1 - Taylor lands double five with his third dart as he wins a third leg.
4-1 - Whitlock misses two darts at double 18, and Taylor breaks throw again on double 16.
4-2 - Whitlock breaks back when the World Champion misses a dart at tops, landing double 19 to win his second leg.
5-2 - Whitlock misses two darts at tops to reduce the gap to one leg, and Taylor finishes 50 on double 16.
6-2 - Taylor posts his first 180 of the game, and finishes an 11-darter to move four legs clear.
7-2 - Another 180 helps Taylor set up a 13-dart finish, which he completes on double 16.
8-2 - Taylor opens with a 177 and although Whitlock replies with a 180, the world number one lands tops for a ten-dart finish to move two legs from the win.
8-3 - Taylor misses one dart at tops, and Whitlock hits the same bed to finish 65 in two darts.
8-4 - Whitlock opens with a 180, and although he initially misses a dart at double 18, two missed darts at double 12 from Taylor allow him back in to finish double 18 for a 13-darter.
8-5 - Whitlock kicks off with his fifth maximum of the game, and lands double 16 to win a third successive leg.
9-5 - Taylor stems his opponent's charge with a superb 11-darter, finishing 86 clinically to move to the brink of a place in the final.
9-6 - Taylor scores 180 and 130 in successive throws to leave 32, but he misses a dart at double 16 and two at double eight for victory, and Whitlock returns to land double nine to keep his hopes alive.
10-6 - Taylor opens with 135 and 180 - his fourth - and seals victory in style by taking out 90 with two outer bullseyes and tops - ending with a sublime 109.42 average.
Phil Taylor: "I'm delighted to be through to the final, and it was a good game to be involved it. Simon started to come back well and the crowd were behind him and he got on a roll, so I'm glad I got it finished when I did."

Match Stats

Phil Taylor	10-6	Simon Whitlock
25	100+	21
10	140+	6
2	170+	0
4	180	5
109.42	Average	96.61
90	High Finish	65
4	Breaks of Throw	2

Michael van Gerwen v Adrian Lewis

0-0 - Michael van Gerwen wins the bull and throws first.
1-0 - van Gerwen makes a stunning start with back-to-back 180s, hitting a seventh treble 20 before his chances of a nine-darter go begging when he misses the treble 19 - but he returns to win the leg in 11 darts.
1-1 - Lewis hits a 180 before missing the bull for a 170 finish and two further darts at double eight, but van Gerwen misses two darts at double 16 to break as the Stoke ace returns to finish double two and level.
2-1 - Lewis hits a 180 to leave 116, but can only watch as van Gerwen powers in a 161 checkout.
2-2 - Lewis levels by taking out double five with his third dart.
3-2 - The pair trade 180s, with van Gerwen this time taking out 121 on the bull for another superb finish.
3-3 - Lewis again finishes double five with his third dart to square the match.
3-4 - Lewis lands a fourth 180 of the game and breaks for the first time by finishing 65 on double four.
4-4 - van Gerwen takes out another massive checkout by finishing 153 on double 18 to break back.
5-4 - van Gerwen hits a fourth maximum, and though he initially misses two darts at doubles, a miss at tops from Lewis allows him back to land double two to regain the lead.
5-5 - Lewis finishes 76 on double eight
6-5 - van Gerwen posts a 180 and returns from a missed bullseye from Lewis to land double 16 at the second time of asking.
6-6 - The pair trade 180s before Lewis finishes 100 in spectacular fashion with single 20 and two double tops.
7-6 - van Gerwen lands a seventh maximum and double ten to edge back ahead.
7-7 - Lewis posts a maximum in reply, his sixth, and hits double four to level.
8-7 - van Gerwen posts double ten to move two legs away from the final.
9-7 - Lewis hits a seventh 180, but van Gerwen takes out 85 on double seven to move to the brink of victory.
10-7 - Lewis is unable to take out 123, but his handed a reprieve when van Gerwen fails to set up a double on 85 - but the world number three misses two darts to stay in the game, at double top and ten, and van Gerwen steps in to seal his place in the decider on double ten.
Michael van Gerwen: "It was a very special game and I'm so glad that I won. We both scored heavily and it was played at a fast speed, and I'm very pleased with my finishing, especially the big checkouts like 161 and 153. But I need to forget this game now and prepare for the final."

Match Stats

M v Gerwen	10-7	Adrian Lewis
21	100+	19
13	140+	9
0	170+	0
7	180	7
99.90	Average	95.02
161, 153, 121	High Finish	100
2	Breaks of Throw	1

Final

Phil Taylor 10-3 Michael van Gerwen



Phil Taylor v Michael van Gerwen

0-0 - Michael van Gerwen wins the bullseye and will throw first.
1-0 - Taylor opens with 140 and 180, and though van Gerwen lands a 174, the World Champion finishes 82 for an 11-darter to break in the first leg.
2-0 - van Gerwen misses a dart at double 16 to finish 95 to break back, and Taylor doubles his lead on double eight.
3-0 - Taylor misses the bull to finish 121, but van Gerwen is unable to take out tops and allow his opponent in once more on double eight.
4-0 - van Gerwen opens with a 180, but is punished for another missed double as Taylor posts tops to win a fourth straight leg.
4-1 - van Gerwen takes out 66 on double 18 to win his first leg.
4-2 - The Dutch ace finishes 70 on double top to continue his fightback.
5-2 - Taylor opens with 140 and 180, and when van Gerwen misses three darts to finish 36, the World Champion holds throw on double eight.
6-2 - Double 16 sees Taylor restore his two-leg lead.
7-2 - Taylor lands his third 180 of the game, and completes a 13-darter on double 16.
8-2 - Taylor returns with 174 and 180, and though he is unable to complete a nine-darter, he returns to finish a 14-darter on double ten.
9-2 - van Gerwen strives to reply, but Taylor denies him a shot at a double by taking out 72 on double three to move to the brink of glory.
9-3 - van Gerwen scores his second 180 of the game, and finishes 81 on double six to claim his third leg.
10-3 - Taylor seals a brilliant victory with a superb 134 checkout to claim the Sydney Darts Masters title - averaging 109.46 in the game and 107.28 for the tournament.

Match Stats

Phil Taylor	10-3	M v Gerwen
15	100+	22
9	140+	6
2	170+	2
4	180	2
109.46	Average	101.40
134	High Finish	81
6	Breaks of Throw	2