Newton Completes Dream Weekend
WES NEWTON completed a magical weekend by claiming back-to-back Players Championship wins in Barnsley, defeating Mark Webster 6-1 in Sunday^s final.
The Fleetwood ace had qualified for the Daily Mirror Grand Slam of Darts in Friday^s ITV Wildcard Qualifier before winning his third ranking title in Saturday^s Players Championship.
That was followed with another victory in Sunday^s £31,600 event, as Newton joined the elite band of players to complete a PDC ProTour weekend double - with only Phil Taylor, Adrian Lewis, Robert Thornton and Mervyn King having picked up back-to-back wins previously.
The 33-year-old defeated Ron Atwill, Steve Grubb and Chris Iedema in his first three games before picking up wins over Wayne Jones and Colin Osborne in progressing to the semis.
He then overcame Blackpool rival Ronnie Baxter 6-3 in the last four to set up a final against in-form Webster, who was brushed aside 6-1.
Although Webster hit a 180 in the final^s opening leg, two missed doubles allowed Newton back on double ten to lead before a 14-darter from the Fleetwood ace saw him break for a 2-0 lead.
Newton hit a 180 in taking the third before seven misses from Webster allowed him to take a 4-0 lead, which was further extended courtesy of an 81 bullseye finish.
Webster hit double top to get off the mark in the next, with Newton waiting on 32 having earlier hit a maximum, but a fourth 180 of the game pushed him clear before a 101 finish, for a 12-dart leg, secured the win.
"I^m happy, amazed and delighted," said Newton, who now moves up to a career-high 16th in the PDC Order of Merit. "It^s the best weekend of my career and one I^ll never forget.
"I don^t think I played my best darts on Sunday and a few players missed doubles against me, but I was in the right place to take advantage and I did that.
"It has been very tiring, more mentally than physically, to play three events but doing so well makes it all worthwhile. Not many players have won two events in a weekend so it^s an honour to do that - in fact I class winning through to the Grand Slam on Friday night as a victory too so it^s a treble for me!"
Webster^s run to the final followed a semi-final appearance in Saturday^s Players Championship and comes only a fortnight after he had claimed his maiden PDC title in Germany.
The Welshman included Andy Smith, Paul Nicholson and Dennis Priestley amongst his victims in reaching the final, while he capitalised in a deciding leg of his semi-final with Mark Walsh after the Hertfordshire man missed the bull for a 121 game shot.
Baxter enjoyed a run to the semi-finals, while local favourite Priestley, Scotland^s Gary Anderson, Derby^s Colin Osborne and Holland^s Co Stompe reached the last eight.
Germany^s Michael Rosenauer and Ireland^s William O^Connor progressed to the last 16 to continue their challenge for qualifying places for the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship, with just two Players Championships remaining in Derby later this month before the field is confirmed for the £1 million event.
Mark Dudbridge hit his first competitive nine-dart finish during a 6-2 defeat to Wayne Jones in the last 32, earning him a £3,600 bonus.
Players Championship 35
First Round
Colin Lloyd (1) Bye
Michael Rosenauer 6-0 Ian McFarlane
Justin Pipe (32) 6-0 Mark Lawrence
Jimmy Mann 6-2 Lionel Sams
Co Stompe (16) 6-0 Peter Hudson
Simon Burt 6-3 Steve Cupitt
Alan Tabern (17) 6-2 Nigel Heydon
Tony Blundell 6-3 Andy Fordham
James Wade (8) 6-1 Paul Williams
William O^Connor 6-1 Andy Hutchings
Richie Burnett (25) 6-3 Steve Evans
Mark Frost 6-3 Dave Ahmet
Ronnie Baxter (9) 6-1 Andy Relf
Steve Hine 6-5 Dennis Smith
Terry Jenkins (24) 6-3 Mark Tiller
Mareno Michels 6-0 Steve Randall
Vincent van der Voort (5) 6-5 Ian Jopling
Dave Smith 6-0 Darren Weaver
Steve Brown (28) 6-2 Geoff Whitworth
Gary Blades 6-4 Colin Monk
Colin Osborne (12) 6-2 Nigel Birch
Dean Allsopp 6-5 Anastasia Dobromyslova
Steve Beaton (21) 6-3 Nick Fullwell
Ken MacNeil 6-1 Andy Pearce
Wes Newton (4) 6-2 Ron Atwill
Steve Grubb 6-1 Tony Ayres
Tony Eccles (29) 6-2 Gary Welding
Chris Iedema 6-2 Jon Archer
Wayne Jones (13) 6-4 Matt Padgett
Alex Roy 6-1 Adrian Gray
Mark Dudbridge (20) 6-3 Steve Musson
Brendan Dolan 6-5 John Part
Gary Anderson (2) Bye
Terry Temple 6-3 Stephen Hardy
Michael van Gerwen (31) 6-2 Steven Pearson
Peter Wright 6-1 Norman Fletcher
Mervyn King (15) 6-2 Darren Johnson
Michael Barnard 6-3 Gary Eastwood
Kevin Painter (18) 6-4 Dave Honey
Martyn Turner 6-2 Martyn Bevan
Mark Walsh (7) 6-0 Jimi Parr
Andy Jenkins 6-3 Mark Jones
Steve Farmer (26) 6-0 Mick McGowan
Jamie Atkins 6-4 Sam Allen
Andy Hamilton (10) 6-5 Matt Clark
Peter Manley 6-3 Mark Hylton
Steve Maish 6-3 Barrie Bates (23)
Ian White 6-3 Ken Dobson
Adrian Lewis (6) 6-4 Roland Scholten
Kevin Dowling 6-3 Steve Perkins
Joe Cullen 6-2 Jelle Klaasen (27)
Ryan Herrington 6-4 Danny Pinhorne
Denis Ovens (11) 6-5 Scott Rand
Paul Rowley 6-5 Kirk Shepherd
Dennis Priestley (22) 6-3 Aodhagan O^Neill
Robert Thornton 6-1 Michael Smith
Jamie Caven (3) 6-4 Louis Blundell
Stuart Dutton 6-1 Andy Callaby
Paul Nicholson (30) 6-3 Kevin McDine
Mark Jodrill 6-3 Dave Ladley
Mark Webster (14) 6-0 Robbie Newland
Chris Thompson 6-4 Anton Liscsey
Andy Smith (19) 6-3 Denis McCarthy
Wayne Atwood 6-2 Dylan Duo
Second Round
Michael Rosenauer 6-5 Colin Lloyd
Jimmy Mann 6-3 Justin Pipe
Co Stompe 6-2 Simon Burt
Alan Tabern 6-0 Tony Blundell
William O^Connor 6-2 James Wade
Richie Burnett 6-1 Mark Frost
Ronnie Baxter 6-1 Steve Hine
Mareno Michels 6-4 Terry Jenkins
Dave Smith 6-5 Vincent van der Voort
Steve Brown 6-5 Gary Blades
Colin Osborne 6-3 Dean Allsopp
Ken MacNeil 6-5 Steve Beaton
Wes Newton 6-1 Steve Grubb
Chris Iedema 6-5 Tony Eccles
Wayne Jones 6-3 Alex Roy
Mark Dudbridge 6-3 Brendan Dolan
Gary Anderson 6-4 Terry Temple
Peter Wright 6-1 Michael van Gerwen
Mervyn King 6-5 Michael Barnard
Kevin Painter 6-1 Martyn Turner
Mark Walsh 6-4 Andy Jenkins
Jamie Atkins 6-5 Steve Farmer
Andy Hamilton 6-4 Peter Manley
Steve Maish 6-5 Ian White
Adrian Lewis 6-5 Kevin Dowling
Joe Cullen 6-1 Ryan Herrington
Denis Ovens 6-3 Paul Rowley
Dennis Priestley 6-2 Robert Thornton
Jamie Caven 6-3 Stuart Dutton
Paul Nicholson 6-0 Mark Jodrill
Mark Webster 6-4 Chris Thompson
Andy Smith 6-3 Wayne Atwood
Losers £200
Third Round
Michael Rosenauer 6-4 Jimmy Mann
Co Stompe 6-0 Alan Tabern
William O^Connor 6-3 Richie Burnett
Ronnie Baxter 6-4 Mareno Michels
Steve Brown 6-3 Dave Smith
Colin Osborne 6-2 Ken MacNeil
Wes Newton 6-3 Chris Iedema
Wayne Jones 6-2 Mark Dudbridge - Mark Dudbridge hits nine-dart finish
Gary Anderson 6-2 Peter Wright
Mervyn King 6-3 Kevin Painter
Mark Walsh 6-0 Jamie Atkins
Andy Hamilton 6-4 Steve Maish
Adrian Lewis 6-4 Joe Cullen
Dennis Priestley 6-3 Denis Ovens
Paul Nicholson 6-1 Jamie Caven
Mark Webster 6-5 Andy Smith
Losers £300
Fourth Round
Co Stompe 6-3 Michael Rosenauer
Ronnie Baxter 6-2 William O^Connor
Colin Osborne 6-4 Steve Brown
Wes Newton 6-4 Wayne Jones
Gary Anderson 6-2 Mervyn King
Mark Walsh 6-3 Andy Hamilton
Dennis Priestley 6-5 Adrian Lewis
Mark Webster 6-2 Paul Nicholson
Losers £500
Quarter-Finals
Ronnie Baxter 6-4 Co Stompe
Wes Newton 6-4 Colin Osborne
Mark Walsh 6-2 Gary Anderson
Mark Webster 6-1 Dennis Priestley
Losers £1,000
Semi-Finals
Wes Newton 6-3 Ronnie Baxter
Mark Webster 6-5 Mark Walsh
Losers £1,500
Final
Wes Newton 6-1 Mark Webster
Winner £6,000
Runner-Up £3,000