GWYNEDD OPEN 2016
Mark Layton is the 2016 Gwynedd Open Champion.
The 58 year-old Welsh International from Llandrindod Wells
who plays his County darts for Breconshire captured £1,200.00 first prize of
the Wellmans Sports & Social Club sponsored event in conjunction with Red
Dragon Sports, when he defeated Leicestershire County thrower Simon Hardy in
the final.
Mark added his name to trophy that has been inscribed with previous winners, such former World Champion Mark Webster, Robbie Green, Martin Phillips and many others, when he recorded a 30.37 average in his 5 legs to 2 final win, clinching the victory and the title with a 13 dart-leg, to follow up on his successful opening legs of 15, 20, 17 and 14 darts, which included two maximums against his opponent 16 and 15 dart efforts.
The semi-finals of the 15 year-old event saw Layton ending the hopes of his Welsh International team-mate Dafydd Williams of retaining the title he won 12 months ago when he edged him out 4 – 3 after winning legs of 12, 17, 16 and 15 darts which included a 137 & 110 check-outs and a maximum which gave him an average 31.62 against the Gwynedd thrower Dafydd winning legs of 15, 15 and 21 darts for a 28.30 average.
The second last four match at the Wellmans Club Llangefni, was also decided in the deciding leg when Simon Hardy had the better of Gwynedd’s Heber Thomas, when he secured his place in the final with a 21 dart leg to added to his previous winning legs of 20, 23 and 18 darts to upstage Thomas’s efforts of 27, 20 and 17 darts.
Quarter-Finals were –
Chris Ware (Cheshire), Arwyn Morris (Gwynedd), Gareth Jones (Gwynedd), John Lieber (Yorkshire).