Anderson: I Need Body Transplant

Gary Anderson picked up his first major title in two years but reckons he now needs a Body Transplant. The Flying Scotsman ground out a battling Coral UK Open final victory over Corey Cadby, his first big silverware win since landing the World Championship at the start of 2016. As all the top seeds fell in Minehead, Ando kept his cool to produce three solid days of consistent form to take the Open on Sunday night, previously his bogey tournament. But he revealed it’s tough to keep up with the new young guns of the oche. He said: “It’s a real struggle to keep going in an event over three days like this. “To do three big matches in one day is tough especially when most of your opponents have got 20 years on you. “I’ve been struggling with a back problem as most people know. I feel like I need a new body now, maybe even a body transplant with someone of about 22! “It might not seem much to some folk watching but it’s a long day being at a venue for almost 12 hours. You are on your feet practising during that time and then playing. “But I still managed to get through it, I played OK on Friday and Saturday but I was lucky a few times on Sunday. “That’s why I always said Phil Taylor was the master. He could handle the stamina better than anyone. He could just keep playing and playing and practising non-stop. “Even Corey who is a young guy, I could see him dipping in the final on Sunday night. It becomes a survival of the fittest. “However there’s life in the old boy yet, I’ve proved that. It’s a big lift for me. It’s been too long since I won a big tournament. “But it is becoming a young man’s game. You look at Corey, David Pallett, Michael Smith, Chris Dobey, they all have so much time and youth on their side. “It’s been a tough start to the year with the back problems but this is a boost and hopefully I can take this form into the Premier League on Thursday night.” Anderson, 47, takes on Daryl Gurney in Leeds in two days time having picked up just three points in four outings following his back injury. But he’s just delighted to beat his final rival Cadby to save his ears from a bashing. He added: “I would have never heard the end of it if I’d lost to Corey. The boy is a class act but he would have given me so much abuse! “I love the kid and I think he’s got an amazing future in the game. He’s over here away from his family and kids and that’s hard. “But fair play to him he’s giving it a right go and it’s working for him. I can see him being around for a very long time. “He got a load of stick from the fans in Glasgow when he played in the World Series last November. But you’ve got to know the kid. He’s such a nice lad, great fun and good to be around in the practice room. “I can see him going straight up the world rankings very quickly and he’ll be back in finals I’m absolutely sure of that.” By Phil Lanning (@lannomedia)