The Dog at the British Open
British Open held in Bridlington is one of the biggest opens in the BDO calendar. The people of Bridlington welcome and embrace the darts at a seaside town, combined with Yorkshire being a hot bed of darts makes it a special tournement.This year it started with a blind drawn pairs comp on the friday evening as usual but alongside was a mens super 32 single^s and Ladies 16, where the top players at the open were invited to enter. This was the 1st of a new idea put together by the Idpa.I was drawn against Dave Prins in round 1 but Dave did not make it so i had a walk over 5-0. The next game was against Steve Douglas which went all the way with me winning 5-4. My next opponent was Red Dragon stable mate Richie George. Those who know Richie will know he plays at a quick pace which i was happy to follow. I came out winner in 5-1 with us both easily doing a 30 average. I now found myself in semi final against Jay Foreman another of the Red Dragon stable players. Early legs had chances to take legs passed up but again at 4-4 it was bull up which i lost. I missed 2 darts at double 4 for a 68 check when Jay shot out on his next throw on double 10. Jay played James Wilson of Yorkshire and England in the final winning 5-3.It was £50 to enter for me and £25 for ladies at this one. The IDPA are trying to find a sponsors to help with the prize monies, which in turn will hopefully see the entries down the line reduced. With having to only win 1 game to get your money back. I believe series will have noproblem filling the entry attached to the larger open comps.
Pairs were on the Saturday and I paired up with Richie George my Red Dragon team mate. We were drawn in group 1 and won 1st 2 matches 4-0. Group semi was against Yorkshire Pair of Brian Preece and Steve O^Donnell. A tight 4-3 that we could have lost was end result in the match. So it was on to group final and another gritty Yorkshire pair in Vinney Hawksworth and Tom Gregory. We were 3-1 down after an 89 shot in leg 4 on the bull for Hawksworth put us under extreme pressure. Battled back to 3-3 and won the bull up to take the darts and match 4-3. So we had won the group and former England Youth Internationals Jake Jones and Matt Dicken. We raced to a 3-0 lead. One leg Richie scoring 2x180^s with myself scoring 100 between them and then shooting the 41 in 2 darts for 11 dart leg. 4th leg we lost after 6 darts to win it but closed leg out in the 5th leg to win 4-1. That put us through to last 4 and to staged finals on Sunday.
Sunday was singles day. I had tough 1st rd v Dave Copley. The Yorkshireman on circuit with us most weekends so always a tough opponent. I^m chasing 1 final points scoring box for the year so really not wanting this one early doors. I played like it too. slow start for both but found ourselves at 1-1 then before I know it I^m 3-1 down after the odd missed dart at a double. So with Dave throwing for 51 for the match I was sat on 96 I did not expect to return. He missed and I shot the 96 in 2 and I was back in it. 14 dart next leg with the darts made it 3-3. I won bull up and finished leg in 17 to take match 4-3. Next wasbBrian Macloed jnr but I missed many darts at double but squeaked through 4-3. Steve Annan was next opponent and he stood inn the way of the 12 points in the ranking and m last box filled. Playing very positive I won 4-1. I played local Scarbrough lad Greame Elvidge. This lad had huge support. They were 6 deep behind the Oche to watch this fella. As he smashed me 1st leg I soon knew why. Got the next back but missed dart at bull allowed Genge as he know to take 3rd leg. I held my leg for 2-2. Missed dart at 32 saw me having to hold my darts to stay in the match. Missed dart at tops for Greame allowed me to hit double 8 for 3-3. I loose bull and a 180 to start with a 55 from me left me an age away chasing. Genge missed 106 for 12 dart leg and went out in 14 with me sat on 116. good game happy with my last ranking box. Great support for Genge and really great to me too when I played well. So can^t thank the fairness of his supporters to me enough. Proper darts fans !!!!
Richie and I had couple hours break and we had our stage semi final to play against Scottish pair of James Bain and. Rich was on fire with his scoring and finishing. We won 4-0 with 31-98 average and I^d had 8 throws (24 darts). Scott Waites and Gary Thompson were our opponents in the final. They had beaten James Wilson and Gary Robson in their semi. Little known fact about James is that he and his mum back in the day were on Bullseye and won the lot as his mum as non dart player hit 85 in the 101 for bully^s star prize. Any how back to the final. Slow start found us 2-1 down but I missedtops with 3 to level match and Too Hotty jumped in to go 3-1 up. I shot 50 to close gap to 3-2 down but with us sat on 40 Gary shot out to win title of British Open Pairs Champion.My report being late I won^t say who winners were as you have all already seen them I^m sure. I^m happy as iv made it as a top 16 for the Winmau World Masters tv stages. I play on the Friday afternoon missing those ultra competative Qualifiers for those stages to be screened on Espn. I^m now looking good to be at Lakeside 2013 and with 1 tournament to go im in good position for auto spot for Zuiderduin Masters on tv in Holland. Long hard ranking season has 1 month left to run and I can relax a bit knowing it^s been a long hard points chasing season,which I looked to have reaped the rewards. Thanks to sponsors Simon at Red Dragon, Gary and Chloe at Motorvation Garage, Sally at Designs by Sazz and Spencer at Branksome Carpets. John who does my web site big thanks too. Loving support from my wife Sharon and Kids Katie and Sam. My achievements are down to you all. Your the fab team that make me.
Pairs were on the Saturday and I paired up with Richie George my Red Dragon team mate. We were drawn in group 1 and won 1st 2 matches 4-0. Group semi was against Yorkshire Pair of Brian Preece and Steve O^Donnell. A tight 4-3 that we could have lost was end result in the match. So it was on to group final and another gritty Yorkshire pair in Vinney Hawksworth and Tom Gregory. We were 3-1 down after an 89 shot in leg 4 on the bull for Hawksworth put us under extreme pressure. Battled back to 3-3 and won the bull up to take the darts and match 4-3. So we had won the group and former England Youth Internationals Jake Jones and Matt Dicken. We raced to a 3-0 lead. One leg Richie scoring 2x180^s with myself scoring 100 between them and then shooting the 41 in 2 darts for 11 dart leg. 4th leg we lost after 6 darts to win it but closed leg out in the 5th leg to win 4-1. That put us through to last 4 and to staged finals on Sunday.
Sunday was singles day. I had tough 1st rd v Dave Copley. The Yorkshireman on circuit with us most weekends so always a tough opponent. I^m chasing 1 final points scoring box for the year so really not wanting this one early doors. I played like it too. slow start for both but found ourselves at 1-1 then before I know it I^m 3-1 down after the odd missed dart at a double. So with Dave throwing for 51 for the match I was sat on 96 I did not expect to return. He missed and I shot the 96 in 2 and I was back in it. 14 dart next leg with the darts made it 3-3. I won bull up and finished leg in 17 to take match 4-3. Next wasbBrian Macloed jnr but I missed many darts at double but squeaked through 4-3. Steve Annan was next opponent and he stood inn the way of the 12 points in the ranking and m last box filled. Playing very positive I won 4-1. I played local Scarbrough lad Greame Elvidge. This lad had huge support. They were 6 deep behind the Oche to watch this fella. As he smashed me 1st leg I soon knew why. Got the next back but missed dart at bull allowed Genge as he know to take 3rd leg. I held my leg for 2-2. Missed dart at 32 saw me having to hold my darts to stay in the match. Missed dart at tops for Greame allowed me to hit double 8 for 3-3. I loose bull and a 180 to start with a 55 from me left me an age away chasing. Genge missed 106 for 12 dart leg and went out in 14 with me sat on 116. good game happy with my last ranking box. Great support for Genge and really great to me too when I played well. So can^t thank the fairness of his supporters to me enough. Proper darts fans !!!!
Richie and I had couple hours break and we had our stage semi final to play against Scottish pair of James Bain and. Rich was on fire with his scoring and finishing. We won 4-0 with 31-98 average and I^d had 8 throws (24 darts). Scott Waites and Gary Thompson were our opponents in the final. They had beaten James Wilson and Gary Robson in their semi. Little known fact about James is that he and his mum back in the day were on Bullseye and won the lot as his mum as non dart player hit 85 in the 101 for bully^s star prize. Any how back to the final. Slow start found us 2-1 down but I missedtops with 3 to level match and Too Hotty jumped in to go 3-1 up. I shot 50 to close gap to 3-2 down but with us sat on 40 Gary shot out to win title of British Open Pairs Champion.My report being late I won^t say who winners were as you have all already seen them I^m sure. I^m happy as iv made it as a top 16 for the Winmau World Masters tv stages. I play on the Friday afternoon missing those ultra competative Qualifiers for those stages to be screened on Espn. I^m now looking good to be at Lakeside 2013 and with 1 tournament to go im in good position for auto spot for Zuiderduin Masters on tv in Holland. Long hard ranking season has 1 month left to run and I can relax a bit knowing it^s been a long hard points chasing season,which I looked to have reaped the rewards. Thanks to sponsors Simon at Red Dragon, Gary and Chloe at Motorvation Garage, Sally at Designs by Sazz and Spencer at Branksome Carpets. John who does my web site big thanks too. Loving support from my wife Sharon and Kids Katie and Sam. My achievements are down to you all. Your the fab team that make me.