Diamond Ready to Shine on TV

IAN WHITE admitted he now needs to be a TV star after winning the Players Championship - his second PDC title of the year. Diamond White shined with a 6-3 win over Darren Webster in the final The Barnsley Metrodome yesterday. He defeated Martin Schindler, Ted Evetts, Steve Lennon, Bradley Brooks, Steve Beaton and Webster en route to clinching the £10,000 top prize. White said: “I’m delighted with the win and how I played overall today. I had a year without winning a title last year but I’m playing good darts all the time and I’d say I’m in the top five on the floor. “Now I need to replicate that form on TV, but the main thing for me is to keep enjoying it and playing well.” Webster was headbutted the last time he played in Barnsley by a football fan outside the venue a couple of months ago. But he found great form to beat a resurgent Adrian Lewis in the semis before coming unstuck against White. Diamond, famous for his Dab celebrations, had a lot to cheer as he roared into a 4-1 lead in the final. Norwich ace Webster survived three match darts and then hit double seven to stay alive, only for White to throw a 15-dart leg and seal a ninth career Players Championship title. Earlier in the day, two-time World Champion Lewis threw a perfect nine-dart leg in his Last 16 win over Daryl Gurney. World No 2 Peter Wright was defeated by 18-year-old Bradley Brooks, whose run to the quarter-finals was his best performance in a ProTour event. World Champion Rob Cross lost to Brendan Dolan in round three, while Simon Whitlock suffered a first round exit at the hands of Jamie Lewis.

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By Phil Lanning (@lannomedia)