PDC Media Release - Taylor Powers Through Derby Field

TAYLOR POWERS TO DERBY WIN

PHIL TAYLOR powered past Terry Jenkins 6-1 to claim Saturday^s Players Championship in Derby in his first PDC ProTour appearance of 2010.

The world number one confirmed his return to top form following a virus at the Moorways Centre in Derby, backing up a third successive Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts victory on Thursday with a devastating Players Championship win.

Taylor dropped just six legs in seven matches on his way to the £6,000 title, which included whitewashes of Andy Hamilton and Chris Thompson, with Co Stompe being the only player to win two legs against him, in their quarter-final.

After storming to victory against York^s Thompson in the semi-finals, Taylor blew away Premier League rival Jenkins 6-1 in the final.

He opened the final with a 14-dart finish, and set up a double eight checkout with a 168 score in breaking Jenkins^ throw in the second leg.

A missed double 11, for a 124 finish, allowed Jenkins to hit back in the third, but Taylor slammed home checkouts of 108 and 124 in taking the next two legs, before hitting a 180 in a 13-darter to lead 5-1.

Four missed match darts in the next leg allowed Jenkins a chance to stay in the game, but he wasted two darts at double top as Taylor returned to hit double two for victory.

Jenkins^ run to the final was his best display in a Players Championship since last April, and included a superb comeback from 5-2 down to defeat Steve Brown in the quarter-finals.

He also overcame Premier League star Ronnie Baxter and resurgent Chris Mason on the day in claiming the £3,000 runner-up prize.

Mason defeated Michael van Gerwen, Simon Whitlock, Gary Anderson, Mark Webster and Jelle Klaasen in an impressive run of form in his second weekend after returning from an eight-month break.

Thompson reached his first PDC ProTour semi-final for almost two years, defeating Jamie Caven 6-4 in the last eight as well as whitewashing his York rival Martyn Turner, who had knocked out Colin Lloyd in round one.

Mervyn King and Kevin Painter joined Lloyd and Klaasen in being seeded players to exit in round one, while Welshman Richie Burnett enjoyed a return to form with a run to the last 16, defeating Alan Tabern and Dennis Priestley on the day.

Players Championship Four

Preliminary Round

Dave Ladley 6-2 Nick Fullwell

Adrian Gray 6-3 Ian Lever

Steve Watts 6-2 Mike Roberts

Matt Padgett 6-4 Stuart Bousfield

Darren Webster 6-5 Michael Barnard

Gary Welding 6-5 Matt Draper

Dave Smith 6-3 Dave Askew

Anton Liscsey 6-5 Colin Monk

Darren Latham 6-3 Henry Zapata

Richie Burnett 6-2 Kevin Harris

Joe Cullen 6-2 Steve Grubb

Steve Brown 6-1 Jim McKevitt

Stuart Dutton 6-2 Peter Hudson

Mark Frost 6-3 Anthony Urmston-Toft

Bryan de Hoog 6-5 Steve Musson

Tony Ayres 6-1 Ian Jopling

Andy Hutchings 6-1 Kirk Shepherd

Wayne Atwood 6-1 Gary Blades

Simon Whitlock 6-4 Matt Clark

Tony Randell 6-0 Tony Clark

Kevin McDine 6-0 Tony Blundell

Justin Pipe 6-1 James Barton

First Round

Phil Taylor (1) 6-1 Steve Evans

Mark Hylton 6-3 Mark Carter

Peter Manley (32) 6-4 Tony Martin

Dave Ladley 6-2 Andy Pearson

Andy Hamilton (16) 6-0 Daz Mawer

Jyhan Artut 6-4 Robert Alford

Vincent van der Voort (17) 6-2 Mick McGowan

Adrian Gray 6-2 Steve Watts

Wes Newton (8) 6-2 Anastasia Dobromyslova

Roland Scholten 6-1 Andy Fordham

Co Stompe (25) 6-1 Jimmy Mann

Matt Padgett 6-1 Paul Rowley

Steve Beaton (9) 6-5 Ian McFarlane

Louis Blundell 6-2 John MaGowan

Rick Lowther 6-2 Kevin Painter (24)

Darren Webster 6-4 Danny Pinhorne

Adrian Lewis (5) 6-0 Geoff Whitworth

Mark Stephenson 6-3 Tom Martin

Brendan Dolan (28) 6-2 Steven Perry

Gary Welding 6-2 Dean Allsopp

Jamie Caven (12) 6-3 Kevin Dowling

Paul Williams 6-5 Toon Greebe

Andy Smith (21) 6-0 Tony Comerford

Dave Smith 6-5 Anton Liscsey

Martyn Turner 6-1 Colin Lloyd (4)

Chris Thompson 6-2 Andy Relf

Tony Eccles (29) 6-0 Tommy McIntosh

Stephen Hardy 6-3 Darren Latham

Dennis Priestley (13) 6-0 Ron Atwill

Mark Lawrence 6-0 Frazer Hill

Alan Tabern (20) 6-3 Lee Williams

Richie Burnett 6-5 Joe Cullen

Mark Walsh (2) 6-1 Robbie Newland

Darren Weaver 6-4 Mareno Michels

Steve Hine (31) 6-1 Matt Gallett

Steve Brown 6-2 Andy Callaby

Robert Thornton (15) 6-4 Steve Maish

Nigel Birch 6-4 Nigel Heydon

Denis Ovens (18) 6-3 Chris Loudon

Mark Frost 6-4 Stuart Dutton

James Wade (7) 6-1 Mark Jodrill

Wayne Mardle 6-3 Sean White

Peter Wright (26) 6-2 Arron Monk

Sam Allen 6-5 Bryan de Hoog

Ronnie Baxter (10) 6-5 Steve Farmer

Simon Burt 6-2 James Dunlop

Terry Jenkins (23) 6-4 Par Riihonen

Dylan Duo 6-1 Tony Ayres

Gary Anderson (6) 6-2 Dennis Smith

Alex Roy 6-1 Matthew Wenham

Chris Mason 6-4 Jelle Klaasen (27)

Mark Webster 6-1 Andy Hutchings

Wayne Jones (11) 6-0 Lee Hayes

Terry Temple 6-1 Martyn Bevan

Paul Nicholson (22) 6-5 John Part

Simon Whitlock 6-3 Wayne Atwood

Colin Osborne (3) 6-3 Robert Parker

Dave Honey 6-2 Andy Pearce

Mark Dudbridge (30) 6-1 Michael Smith

Mark Jones 6-5 Tony Randell

Darren Johnson 6-4 Mervyn King (14)

Barrie Bates 6-0 Jon Archer

Michael van Gerwen (19) 6-4 John Quantock

Kevin McDine 6-5 Justin Pipe

Second Round

Phil Taylor 6-1 Mark Hylton

Peter Manley 6-1 Dave Ladley

Andy Hamilton 6-2 Jyhan Artut

Vincent van der Voort 6-2 Adrian Gray

Wes Newton 6-4 Roland Scholten

Co Stompe 6-3 Matt Padgett

Louis Blundell 6-5 Steve Beaton

Darren Webster 6-3 Rick Lowther

Adrian Lewis 6-3 Mark Stephenson

Brendan Dolan 6-3 Gary Welding

Jamie Caven 6-1 Paul Williams

Dave Smith 6-0 Andy Smith

Chris Thompson 6-0 Martyn Turner

Stephen Hardy 6-3 Tony Eccles

Dennis Priestley 6-3 Mark Lawrence

Richie Burnett 6-5 Alan Tabern

Mark Walsh 6-2 Darren Weaver

Steve Brown 6-5 Steve Hine

Robert Thornton 6-2 Nigel Birch

Denis Ovens 6-3 Mark Frost

James Wade 6-0 Wayne Mardle

Peter Wright 6-1 Sam Allen

Ronnie Baxter 6-1 Simon Burt

Terry Jenkins 6-2 Dylan Duo

Gary Anderson 6-2 Alex Roy

Chris Mason 6-3 Mark Webster

Wayne Jones 6-4 Terry Temple

Simon Whitlock 6-4 Paul Nicholson

Colin Osborne 6-3 Dave Honey

Mark Dudbridge 6-5 Mark Jones

Darren Johnson 6-4 Barrie Bates

Michael van Gerwen 6-4 Kevin McDine

Losers £200

Third Round

Phil Taylor 6-1 Peter Manley

Andy Hamilton 6-4 Vincent van der Voort

Co Stompe 6-3 Wes Newton

Louis Blundell 6-5 Darren Webster

Brendan Dolan 6-4 Adrian Lewis

Jamie Caven 6-4 Dave Smith

Chris Thompson 6-5 Stephen Hardy

Richie Burnett 6-2 Dennis Priestley

Steve Brown 6-3 Mark Walsh

Robert Thornton 6-4 Denis Ovens

James Wade 6-2 Peter Wright

Terry Jenkins 6-4 Ronnie Baxter

Chris Mason 6-3 Gary Anderson

Simon Whitlock 6-3 Wayne Jones

Mark Dudbridge 6-3 Colin Osborne

Michael van Gerwen 6-1 Darren Johnson

Losers £300

Fourth Round

Phil Taylor 6-0 Andy Hamilton

Co Stompe 6-2 Louis Blundell

Jamie Caven 6-2 Brendan Dolan

Chris Thompson 6-5 Richie Burnett

Steve Brown 6-3 Robert Thornton

Terry Jenkins 6-3 James Wade

Chris Mason 6-5 Simon Whitlock

Michael van Gerwen 6-2 Mark Dudbridge

Losers £500

Quarter-Finals

Phil Taylor 6-2 Co Stompe

Chris Thompson 6-4 Jamie Caven

Terry Jenkins 6-5 Steve Brown

Chris Mason 6-2 Michael van Gerwen

Losers £1,000

Semi-Finals

Phil Taylor 6-0 Chris Thompson

Terry Jenkins 6-3 Chris Mason

Losers £1,500

Final

Phil Taylor 6-1 Terry Jenkins

Winner £6,000

Runner-Up £3,000