Phil Taylor Wins Inaugural Champions League Ahead Of Dublin Grand Prix

A busy week’s worth of top darts action gets underway in Dublin this Sunday as the World Grand Prix begins. All of the big names are in the hat and the first round draw was made this week, allowing us to take a look at the order of play before we call a winner.

Phil Taylor
 

Phil Taylor Wins Champions League

First, a quick note on last week’s first ever Champions League of Darts. In a sensational final, Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor blew Michael Van Gerwen off the oche as the sixteen-time world champion recalled the form of his younger years.

Mighty Mike has been the best in the world for some time now, taking down tourney after tourney. However, perhaps because it was the inaugural event, Taylor was inspired to relive the glory days and (as we suggested) was too good to turn down at 5/1.

The event, live on the BBC, took place over two days at Cardiff’s Motorpoint Arena with Taylor and MVG meeting twice along the way. Taylor emerged victorious on both occasions, first winning 10-4 in the group-stage, then 11-5 in the final on Sunday.

In truth, Taylor, 56, had looked near-invincible all weekend; feeding off the crowd, winning all five matches and dropping only 19 legs throughout the whole event.

Taylor and MVG were seeded in the same group and as such avoided each other until Sunday’s trophy match. Instead they faced and defeated James Wade and Gary Anderson respectively i to set up the final everybody was hoping for.

Taylor set the pace, taking an early 4-1 lead, before MVG began the short-lived fight back, pulling it back to 6-3. The Power, though, responded magnificently using an 11-darter to move 7-3 up.

The break in play after ten legs did little to slow Taylor down or recharge his rival as the match sailed away in the Englishman’s favour. The Power quickly finished a 114 on double 17, sealing the title and the £100,000 winner’s cheque as well as being crowned the first ever winner of the event.

World Grand Prix: order of play in Dublin

The running order for this year’s Grand Prix was announced this week, giving us an idea as to what we can expect when the usual suspects return to the Citywest Hotel in Dublin on Sunday.

Darts Grand Prix
With Michael Van Gerwen, Phil Taylor and Peter ‘Snakebite’ Wright not making their entrance until Monday, James Wade, twice a winner in the Fair City, is the first of the seeds to step up.

Defending champion Robert Thornton will be in action on the opening night as will Raymond van Barneveld and current world champion Gary Anderson. The event, live on Sky Sports 3 at 7pm, will begin with Australian Kyle Anderson looking to out throw Spaniard Cristo Reyes, which will be followed by Belgium’s Kim Huybrechts taking on Ian White.

Later in the evening, Scotland’s Thornton faces former BDO world champion Stephen Bunting before Anderson’s game with Jamie Caven prior to Barney’s match.

As for the betting, third seed Adrian Lewis is a surprisingly generous 18/1 which, with each way bets paying half of the odds for a top two finish, represents good value with Jackpot more than capable of making the final. Betway are laying 9/2 on Taylor to continue his return to form in the outright betting, while the best you can take on MVG at 5/4 at SkyBet. Personally, I’m looking at Anderson who is due a win and, at 11/2 with Betway, is a worthwhile punt.

Full order of play

Sunday October 2 – 1st round

  • Kyle Anderson v Cristo Reyes
  • Ian White v Kim Huybrechts
  • James Wade (6) v Terry Jenkins
  • Gerwyn Price v Benito van de Pas
  • Adrian Lewis (3) v Jelle Klaasen
  • Robert Thornton (7) v Stephen Bunting
  • Gary Anderson (2) v Jamie Caven
  • Mervyn King v Raymond van Barneveld

Monday October 3 – 1st round

  • Dave Chisnall v Robbie Green
  • Mick McGowan v James Wilson
  • Mensur Suljovic v Daryl Gurney
  • Michael Smith (8) v Alan Norris
  • Joe Cullen v Simon Whitlock
  • Phil Taylor (4) v Steve West
  • Michael van Gerwen (1) v Steve Beaton
  • Peter Wright (5) v Brendan Dolan

Tuesday October 4 – 2nd round

  • James Wade (6)/Terry Jenkins v Gerwyn Price/Benito van de Pas
  • Robert Thornton (7)/Stephen Bunting v Ian White/Kim Huybrechts
  • Gary Anderson (2)/Jamie Caven v Kyle Anderson/Cristo Reyes
  • Adrian Lewis (3)/Jelle Klaasen v Mervyn King/Raymond van Barneveld

Wednesday October 5 – 2nd round

  • Michael Smith (8)/Alan Norris v Joe Cullen/Simon Whitlock
  • Peter Wright (5) v Brendan Dolan v Dave Chisnall/Robbie Green
  • Phil Taylor (4)/Steve West v Mensur Suljovic/Daryl Gurney
  • Michael van Gerwen (1)/Steve Beaton v Mick McGowan v James Wilson

Thursday October 6

  • Quarter-Finals x 4 (TBA)

Friday October 7

  • Semi-Finals x 2 (TBA)

Saturday October 8

  • Final
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Phil Taylor Suffers First Round Shock In Perth, Opens Up The Field

taylor-cadby
The Perth Masters began yesterday with the mother of all shocks as 16-time world champion Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor suffered a first round defeat to Australian Corey Cadby. The sixth and final leg of this year’s World Series continues today and is the final event to count towards the World Series rankings table before the field and seedings are determined for the World Series Finals in Glasgow this November.

Only one week ago, Cadby had lost to Taylor; The Power was then on his way to winning the Sydney Masters. No such joy this week, however, as the 21-year-old Aussie exacted his revenge with an amazing 6-2 victory, despite Taylor’s decent 111 average. Having won at Perth for the last two years, Taylor’s form Down Under had been more than solid, having won his third straight Sydney Darts Masters title a week ago (which also made it 24 games unbeaten in Australia).

At the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre, Cadby broke his man with a decent 122 checkout before holding his nerve to seal the giant-killing win. For his efforts, Cadby, the only Ocenanic representative to make it through the first round, will meet Peter ‘Snakebite’ Wright following his 6-4 defeat of Adam Rowe.

The hugely surprising Taylor result opens the field for the remaining stars of the game, all of whom have progressed into the second round which begins at midday today with delayed coverage at 7pm on ITV4.

Elsewhere, Michael Van Gerwen beat Anderson (Aussie Kyle that is, not Gary) for the second time in a week, with a 6-4 victory. As for Gary, the Flying Scotsman bagged a 6-3 win over Kim Lewis, so plays again.

James Wade eased past Rob Szabo 6-0, while Raymond van Barneveld didn’t run to any problems in his match against Simon Whitlock, taking it down 6-2. Dave Chisnall was another first round winner, seeing off Koha Kokiri 6-1, while Adrian “Jackpot” Lewis was quick to defeat local boy David Platt 6-3.

The event finishes this weekend, with the quarter-finals played over the best of 19 legs, and the semi-finals and final played over a best of 21 leg format.

First Round Results

  • James Wade 6-0 Rob Szabo
  • Dave Chisnall 6-1 Koha Kokiri
  • Peter Wright 6-4 Adam Rowe
  • Adrian Lewis 6-3 David Platt
  • Phil Taylor 2-6 Corey Cadby
  • Gary Anderson 6-3 Kim Lewis
  • Michael van Gerwen 6-4 Kyle Anderson
  • Raymond van Barneveld 6-2 Simon Whitlock

After the opening round’s clearing, Friday’s quarter-finals has been left with a lot of interesting ties, even without the ever popular Phil Taylor. Notably, the first game of the day sees Adrian Lewis face off against former world number one Raymond Van Barneveld. Betway are offering 12/1 on ‘Jackpot’ to win the event, something well worth considering given some of his performances in 2016.

The same bookmaker have installed Gary Anderson as second favourite and are offering a best price of 9/2 on the Scotsman taking the tourney. He faces Englishman and 25/1 shot Dave Chisnall.

Corey Cadby’s reward for eliminating Taylor is a meet with Peter Wright and, although ranked 80/1 following his win, it is hard to see the young Aussie seeing off his second big hitter in 24 hours. Should Wright progress, it might be worth jumping on his 12/1 outright price at Betway right now, especially given his presence in the softer side of the draw, a result of Taylor’s absence.

Friday’s quarter-finals (best of 19 legs)

  • Adrian Lewis v Raymond van Barneveld
  • Michael van Gerwen v James Wade
  • Gary Anderson v Dave Chisnall
  • Corey Cadby v Peter Wright

Perth Darts Masters 2016 Tournament Schedule

Saturday August 27

Semi-Finals (12pm-3pm)

  • Anderson/Chisnall v Lewis/van Barneveld
  • van Gerwen/Wade v Cadby/Wright
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Sydney Masters: Taylor Looking For Third Straight Win In Sydney

Hooray! Tonight sees the return of live tournament darts as the Darts Masters series returns.

Tonight, Phil “The Power” Taylor begins his bid for a third successive Sydney Darts Masters win as he faces an opening test against DPA Qualifier, Melbourne-based bricklayer Clinton ‘Tic’ Bridge.

Following back-to-back wins in 2014 and 2015, reigning champion Taylor is familiar with what it takes to win Down Under, a place where he has been undefeated since the PDC introduced the World Series of Darts in 2013. In fact, there was an untelevised event in Perth last weekend where the winner was (you guessed it) The Power himself.

Tonight’s event, however, takes place at the Qantas Credit Union Arena in Sydney’s Darling Harbour where he plays an Aussie qualifier in the first round.

Elsewhere, Adrian Lewis faces off against Simon Whitlock in the heavyweight tie of the round, while Raymond Van Barneveld faces another qualifier from the continent in New Zealand’s Cody Harris.

World and Premier League champion Gary Anderson has been drawn against the final DPA qualifier Warren Parry, a player who remarkably sent Michael van Gerwen packing at last year’s tournament. Van Gerwen will hope to go better this year and gets to begin his run with a win against Australian World Cup star Paul Nicholson.

Last week’s runner-up in Perth, James Wade, meets the only DPNZ Qualifier Craig Caldwell, while Peter Wright (who made the final of the Japanese leg) steps out against PA Australian Grand Prix winner Loz Ryder. Stephen Bunting, who came second last year in Sydney, drew David Platt.

Despite being seeded first, Phil Taylor has been priced at a very generous 5/1 at bet365. Naturally, MVG goes into the tourney as favourite but, at 10/11, seems a pointless bet.

I am going to go for third seed, Scotland’s Gary Anderson at 4/1, purely because of the form he has shown intermittently this year. For those of you that like looking for the longer prices, Anderson’s countryman Peter “Snakebite” Wright at 16/1 and Englishman Adrian “Jackpot” Lewis look sound bets for this year’s Sydney Darts Masters.

After tonight’s first round, the tournament continues tomorrow with the quarter-finals before the semi-finals and final on Saturday.

First round draw

Phil Taylor (1) v Clinton Bridge

Stephen Bunting (8) v David Platt

James Wade (5) v Craig Caldwell

Peter Wright (4) v Loz Ryder

Michael van Gerwen (2) v Paul Nicholson

Raymond van Barneveld (7) v Cody Harris

Adrian Lewis (6) v Simon Whitlock

Gary Anderson (3) v Warren Parry

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