SUPER THORNTON TAKES FIRST EURO CROWN
ROBERT Thornton sealed the first European Tour title of his career as he beat Kim Huybrechts to win the 2015 European Darts Open in Dusseldorf on Sunday
Thornton was back to his best on the final day as he defeated Jelle Klaasen and second seed James Wade before defeating Huybrechts 6-2 in the final to take the £25,000 top prize at the Maritim Hotel.
After beating Simon Whitlock in the afternoon session, Thornton was dealt a tough quarter-final draw as he matched up with Jelle Klaasen who was looking to continue his stunning form of late after winning last weekend^s Players Championship event in Wigan.
The Scot started well, kicking off with an 11-darter en route to opening up a 4-1 lead, before Klaasen found his form and took the next three legs to level. Thornton would regain his composure though as he took the final two legs to wrap up a 6-4 win and end the recent dominance of the Dutchman.
And things would not get any easier for the 47-year-old as he matched up with James Wade in the semi-finals, who was heading into the match on the back of an impressive 6-3 win over Vincent van der Voort.
But Thornton would make light work of his opponent as he produced the performance of the weekend, averaging 111.77 and landing four maximums during a 6-1 demolition of The Machine, landing an 11-darter and two 12-dart legs during the stunning victory.
And Thornton^s form would not desert him in the final as he stormed into a 3-0 lead against Huybrechts, before quickly extending that to 5-2 and finishing with a flourish, taking out 116 - his highest checkout of the match - in the final leg to secure the landmark success, averaging 106.18 in the process.
"I came into the tournament and I wasn^t really under any pressure because when I come to these European events I^m normally knocked out on the Saturday afternoon!" said Thornton.
"I^ve got to put the win down to my wife, she calls me a little Pit Bull Terrier and says that I never give in and I proved that tonight.
"I lost my mum last year and I thought to myself ^calm yourself down and go and play darts^ but that wasn^t working. I^m a better player when I show my emotions and it^s taken a couple of months for it to come out but I played well."
Huybrechts also enjoyed a tough route to the final as he survived a resurgence from Brendan Dolan to win 6-3 in the quarter-finals before then stunning world number one Michael van Gerwen to book his place in the final.
The Hurricane produced a fine display, dominating the clash against a below-par van Gerwen for long periods and running out an impressive 6-3 victor to reach his second European Tour final.
The next PDC European Tour event will be the European Darts Trophy, to be held in Mulheim, Germany from September 11-13 and streamed live through www.LIVEPDC.TV and a series of bookmakers^ websites. Ticket information is available at www.pdc-europe.tv.
Evening Session (7pm - 11pm local time, 6pm - 10pm, BST)Quarter-Finals
Michael van Gerwen (1) 6-3 Alan Norris
Kim Huybrechts (13) 6-3 Brendan Dolan (5)
James Wade (2) 6-3 Vincent van der Voort
Robert Thornton (11) 6-4 Jelle Klaasen
Semi-Finals
Kim Huybrechts (13) 6-3 Michael van Gerwen (1)
Robert Thornton (11) 6-1 James Wade
Final
Robert Thornton (11) 6-2 Kim Huybrechts (13)
Thornton was back to his best on the final day as he defeated Jelle Klaasen and second seed James Wade before defeating Huybrechts 6-2 in the final to take the £25,000 top prize at the Maritim Hotel.
After beating Simon Whitlock in the afternoon session, Thornton was dealt a tough quarter-final draw as he matched up with Jelle Klaasen who was looking to continue his stunning form of late after winning last weekend^s Players Championship event in Wigan.
The Scot started well, kicking off with an 11-darter en route to opening up a 4-1 lead, before Klaasen found his form and took the next three legs to level. Thornton would regain his composure though as he took the final two legs to wrap up a 6-4 win and end the recent dominance of the Dutchman.
And things would not get any easier for the 47-year-old as he matched up with James Wade in the semi-finals, who was heading into the match on the back of an impressive 6-3 win over Vincent van der Voort.
But Thornton would make light work of his opponent as he produced the performance of the weekend, averaging 111.77 and landing four maximums during a 6-1 demolition of The Machine, landing an 11-darter and two 12-dart legs during the stunning victory.
And Thornton^s form would not desert him in the final as he stormed into a 3-0 lead against Huybrechts, before quickly extending that to 5-2 and finishing with a flourish, taking out 116 - his highest checkout of the match - in the final leg to secure the landmark success, averaging 106.18 in the process.
"I came into the tournament and I wasn^t really under any pressure because when I come to these European events I^m normally knocked out on the Saturday afternoon!" said Thornton.
"I^ve got to put the win down to my wife, she calls me a little Pit Bull Terrier and says that I never give in and I proved that tonight.
"I lost my mum last year and I thought to myself ^calm yourself down and go and play darts^ but that wasn^t working. I^m a better player when I show my emotions and it^s taken a couple of months for it to come out but I played well."
Huybrechts also enjoyed a tough route to the final as he survived a resurgence from Brendan Dolan to win 6-3 in the quarter-finals before then stunning world number one Michael van Gerwen to book his place in the final.
The Hurricane produced a fine display, dominating the clash against a below-par van Gerwen for long periods and running out an impressive 6-3 victor to reach his second European Tour final.
The next PDC European Tour event will be the European Darts Trophy, to be held in Mulheim, Germany from September 11-13 and streamed live through www.LIVEPDC.TV and a series of bookmakers^ websites. Ticket information is available at www.pdc-europe.tv.
Evening Session (7pm - 11pm local time, 6pm - 10pm, BST)Quarter-Finals
Michael van Gerwen (1) 6-3 Alan Norris
Kim Huybrechts (13) 6-3 Brendan Dolan (5)
James Wade (2) 6-3 Vincent van der Voort
Robert Thornton (11) 6-4 Jelle Klaasen
Semi-Finals
Kim Huybrechts (13) 6-3 Michael van Gerwen (1)
Robert Thornton (11) 6-1 James Wade
Final
Robert Thornton (11) 6-2 Kim Huybrechts (13)