Lloyd Claims Third Win Of 2008
Lloyd followed up some impressive recent form to take his first ranking tournament win since March, having reached the quarter-finals of a Players Championship in Holland a fortnight ago and the semis in Northern Ireland last week.
This time, he went all the way to the title, with early wins over Americans Leo Ennis and Bill Davis followed by a narrow defeat of Matt Clark and a 3-0 win over Tony Eccles as he moved into the semi-finals.
Steve Maish pegged back a two-set deficit against Lloyd in the semis, but paid for missed doubles as the former World Matchplay champion took victory.
He then edged out Mardle with a strong finish in the final, with the Romford man winning sets one and three without reply only for Lloyd to take the second and fourth 2-1 to send the match into a decider.
Lloyd maintained his momentum to win back-to-back legs in the fifth set and claim the £5,000 first prize - and jump up two places in the PDC Order of Merit to seventh.
Mardle^s run to the final was his best display of the year as he returned to competitive action for the first time since the Stan James World Matchplay.
He was taken to five sets by Mark Walsh, Denis Ovens and Michael van Gerwen en route to the final to claim the £2,500 pay-day as runner-up.
Maish^s run to the semi-finals was his best performance of the year to date, and moved him up the Players Championship Order of Merit ahead of the pivotal double-header in Wales next weekend - after which the qualifiers for the Sky Poker World Grand Prix are known.
Tony Eccles jumped into the provisional 12 places for PDPA members with his run to the last eight, where he lost to Lloyd after defeating Shawn Brenneman, Barrie Bates and Andy Hamilton.
Walsh^s run to the semis included a victory in the last eight over American Ray Carver - who returned to action in top form but finished one game short of jumping above third-placed David Fatum in the North American Order of Merit to win a Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship place.
Number one seed Ronnie Baxter, last year^s champion, was a first round casualty, losing to Canadian qualifier Bob Sinnaeve.
The tournament was held at the Radisson Hotel in Northbrook, Chicago - with the Windy City turned into the Wet City by an unprecedented seven inches of rain on Saturday.
Preliminary Round
Bob Sinnaeve 3-2 Ron Colvard
Larry Butler 3-0 Dave Switzer
Mick McGowan 3-0 Jared Gurman
Joe Chaney 3-0 Dan Lauby
Danny DeRosa 3-2 Pete Riehl
Steve Cusick 3-1 Michael Rosenauer
Scott Cummings 3-1 Jason Watt
Dieter Schutsch 3-1 Isen Veljic
Kory Nichols 3-0 Adrian W Lewis
Leo Ennis 3-1 Brian Wendzonka
Jayson Barlow 3-0 Elliott Milk
William Penn Bye (Tony Paine)
Dan Olson 3-0 Kyle Gregory
Joe Slivan 3-1 Kurt Hartman
Ryan Loch 3-0 Lance Allen
Timmy Nicoll 3-0 Gil Gementiza
Shawn Brenneman 3-0 Brian Blankenhorn
Co Stompe 3-0 Dustin Barnett
Michael Brewer 3-0 Michael Griffin
Mark Walsh 3-0 Bob Adamson
David Wilderman Bye (Donny Joe)
Ed DeBenkhe 3-2 Stuart Brown
David Fatum 3-1 Brenda Roush
Bill Bell 3-1 Manual Lairson
Craig Cook 3-0 Mark Neilsen
Mat Malone 3-1 Robert Race
Frederick Krueger 3-0 Barry Loveless
Chris White 3-1 Scott Kirchner
Dan Morrill 3-0 Chuck Pankow
Dan Zimmerman 3-0 Sean Moran
Tim Prokop 3-0 Chris Greene
Bill Nicoll 3-0 Steve Hertzfeld
Adrian Gray 3-0 Chad Wooten
Brian Blake 3-1 Steve Brown (USA)
Robert Watson-Lang 3-0 Robert Miske
First Round
Bob Sinnaeve 3-2 Ronnie Baxter
Larry Butler 3-0 Darin Young
Joe Chaney 3-2 Mick McGowan
Wes Newton 3-0 Danny DeRosa
Peter Manley 3-2 Steve Cusick
Lionel Sams 3-2 Scott Cummings
Colin Osborne 3-0 Dieter Schutsch
Steve Maish 3-0 Kory Nichols
Colin Lloyd 3-0 Leo Ennis
Bill Davis 3-2 Jayson Barlow
Andy Jenkins 3-0 William Penn
Matt Clark 3-0 Dan Olson
Andy Hamilton 3-1 Joe Slivan
Jacko Barry 3-1 Ryan Loch
Barrie Bates 3-1 Timmy Nicoll
Tony Eccles 3-0 Shawn Brenneman
Terry Jenkins 3-0 Co Stompe
Dave Honey 3-2 Michael Brewer
Mark Walsh 3-0 David Wilderman
Steve Beaton 3-1 Ed DeBenkhe
Alan Tabern 3-0 David Fatum
Ray Carver 3-1 Bill Bell
Kevin Painter 3-1 Craig Cook
Kevin McDine 3-1 Mat Malone
Frederick Krueger Bye (Roland Scholten)
Chris White 3-1 Robert Thornton
Denis Ovens 3-2 Dan Morill
Gary Mawson 3-0 Dan Zimmerman
Wayne Mardle 3-0 Tim Prokop
John Kuczynski 3-2 Bill Nicoll
Adrian Gray 3-0 Brian Blake
Michael van Gerwen 3-2 Robert Watson-Lang
Losers £75
Second Round
Larry Butler 3-2 Bob Sinnaeve
Wes Newton 3-0 Joe Chaney
Lionel Sams 3-0 Peter Manley
Steve Maish 3-0 Colin Osborne
Colin Lloyd 3-0 Bill Davis
Matt Clark 3-1 Andy Jenkins
Andy Hamilton 3-2 Jacko Barry
Tony Eccles 3-1 Barrie Bates
Terry Jenkins 3-1 Dave Honey
Mark Walsh 3-2 Steve Beaton
Ray Carver 3-1 Alan Tabern
Kevin McDine 3-1 Kevin Painter
Frederick Krueger 3-1 Chris White
Denis Ovens 3-2 Gary Mawson
Wayne Mardle 3-1 John Kuczynski
Michael van Gerwen 3-0 Adrian Gray
Losers £150
Third Round
Wes Newton 3-1 Larry Butler
Steve Maish 3-1 Lionel Sams
Colin Lloyd 3-2 Matt Clark
Tony Eccles 3-1 Andy Hamilton
Mark Walsh 3-2 Terry Jenkins
Ray Carver 3-0 Kevin McDine
Denis Ovens 3-1 Frederick Krueger
Wayne Mardle 3-2 Michael van Gerwen
Losers £300
Quarter-Finals
Steve Maish 3-0 Wes Newton (2-0, 2-0, 2-0)
Colin Lloyd 3-0 Tony Eccles (2-1, 2-0, 2-1)
Mark Walsh 3-1 Ray Carver (2-1, 1-2, 2-1, 2-0)
Wayne Mardle 3-2 Denis Ovens (2-1, 1-2, 0-2, 2-1, 2-0)
Losers £600
Semi-Finals
Colin Lloyd 3-2 Steve Maish (2-0, 2-1, 1-2, 0-2, 2-0)
Wayne Mardle 3-2 Mark Walsh (0-2, 2-0, 2-0, 1-2, 2-0)
Losers £1,250
Final
Colin Lloyd 3-2 Wayne Mardle (0-2, 2-1, 0-2, 2-1, 2-0)
Winner £5,000
Runner-Up £2,500
News Updates
Preliminary Round
Qualifier Bob Sinnaeve defeats Ron Colvard 3-2 to reach first round.
2008 Las Vegas Desert Classic qualifiers Larry Butler and Shawn Brenneman progress to round one with 3-0 wins over Dave Switzer and Brian Blankenhorn.
Co Stompe^s win over Dustin Barnett - one of the eight qualifiers to win a place in the main event - puts him into first round.
David Fatum, a semi-finalist in May^s PDC US Open, opens with 3-1 win over Brenda Roush and will play in-form Alan Tabern in last 64.
Steve Cusick, a quarter-finalist in the Kitchener Open Players Championship last month, defeats Germany^s Michael Rosenauer 3-1 and now meets Peter Manley.
Dieter Schutsch defeats Isen Veljic - who lives in Northbrook - 3-1.
Scott Cummings sets up first round meeting with Lionel Sams after 3-1 win over Jason Watt.
Mark Walsh and Adrian Gray progress to last 64 after wins over Bob Adamson and Chad Wooten respectively.
Mick McGowan completes the preliminary round action with 3-0 win over Jared Gurman.
First Round
Andy Jenkins sweeps past William Penn in straight sets.
Terry Jenkins joins namesake Andy in last 32 with 3-0 win over Co Stompe.
Bob Sinnaeve claims a second win of the day, defeating number one seed Ronnie Baxter in five sets, taking four of the final five legs to come from 2-1 down and take victory.
Matt Clark^s straight sets win over Dan Olson sets up last 32 contest with Andy Jenkins.
Steve Beaton wins 3-1 against Ed DeBenkhe to progress, while Kevin Painter overcomes Craig Cook by the same scoreline.
American Chris White, a semi-finalist at the recent Peachtree Open Players Championship, defeats Scotland^s Robert Thornton 3-1.
Wayne Mardle opens with a 4-0 win over Tim Prokop.
Colin Osborne, Wes Newton, Colin Lloyd and Steve Maish move into second round with straight sets wins.
Peter Manley defeats Steve Cusick 3-2, with Bill Davis overcoming Jayson Barlow by the same scoreline.
Michael van Gerwen edges into round two with narrow win over Robert Watson-Lang.
Barrie Bates and Tony Eccles set up meeting in last 32 with wins over Timmy Nicoll and Shawn Brenneman.
Alan Tabern sees off David Fatum 3-0 to move into second round, while Ray Carver overcomes Bill Bell 3-1.
Kevin McDine^s 3-1 win over Mat Malone sets up game with Kevin Painter.
John Kuczynski moves into last 32 with 3-2 win over Bill Nicoll.
Tennessee^s Joe Chaney defeats Mick McGowan 3-2, but Ireland^s Jacko Barry progresses with 3-1 win over Ryan Loch.
Lionel Sams takes five-set win over Scott Cummings.
Larry Butler defeats Darin Young, the North American Order of Merit leader, 3-0.
Second Round
Ray Carver wins battle of left-handers against Alan Tabern to reach last 16.
Frederick Krueger overcomes Chris White 3-1 to book his place in third round.
Steve Maish defeats Colin Osborne in straight sets.
Wins for Colin Lloyd, over Bill Davis, and Matt Clark, against Andy Jenkins, see them progress.
Tony Eccles reaches last 16 with 3-1 defeat of Barrie Bates.
Terry Jenkins and Mark Walsh set up last 16 meeting with wins over Dave Honey and Steve Beaton respectively.
Kevin McDine defeats Kevin Painter 3-1.
Wayne Mardle wins 3-1 against John Kuczynski and now meets Michael van Gerwen, who defeated Adrian Gray in straight sets.
Wes Newton takes out Joe Chaney in straight sets.
Andy Hamilton edges out Jacko Barry in five sets, with Denis Ovens seeing off Gary Mawson, also with a 3-2 win.
Larry Butler overcomes Bob Sinnaeve in a tight 3-2 win.
Third Round
Colin Lloyd takes five-set win over Matt Clark to progress to quarter-finals.
Mark Walsh defeats Terry Jenkins 3-2, and will take on local star Carver in the quarter-finals, following his 3-0 defeat of Kevin McDine.
Wes Newton reaches his first Players Championship quarter-final of the year with 3-1 win over Larry Butler.
Steve Maish will meet Newton in the last eight after 3-1 win over Lionel Sams.
Tony Eccles defeats Andy Hamilton 3-1 to reach quarters, where he meets Lloyd.
Denis Ovens moves into last eight after 3-1 win over Frederick Krueger.
Wayne Mardle celebrates his return to action by reaching quarter-finals with 3-2 defeat of Michael van Gerwen - matching his achievement in his last PDC Pro Tour outing, at the Bobby Bourn Memorial Players Championship in July.
Quarter-Finals
Steve Maish whitewashes Wes Newton to reach his first Players Championship semi-final of 2008.
He will meet Colin Lloyd in the last four, with the Essex star taking a straight sets win over Tony Eccles.
Wayne Mardle comes from 2-1 down to win in five sets against Denis Ovens.
Mark Walsh will meet Mardle in the semis, following a 3-1 win over the final American left in the event, Ray Carver.
Semi-Finals
Colin Lloyd holds off Steve Maish^s fightback to win a place in the final. Lloyd led 2-0 before Maish took sets three and four by winning four legs out of five, but the Southend man missed doubles in both legs of the deciding set as Lloyd took advantage and seal victory.
He will meet another Essex star in the final, Wayne Mardle, after the Romford man^s 3-2 defeat of Mark Walsh. Walsh took the first set before four successive legs from Mardle put him in front. Walsh edged the fourth in a deciding leg, but Mardle won the fifth without reply to earn his first final of the year.