Darts: PDC Media Release - Caven Wins Blue Square UK Open Welsh Regional Final
Jamie Caven’s maiden title
Red Dragon Darts JAMIE CAVEN claimed his first PDC title with a 6-5 victory over his team mate Alan Tabern in the Blue Square UK Open Welsh Regional Final.
The 33-year-old, in his third year as a professional, followed up his appearance in a Players Championship final in Newport last September by going one better at the same venue this time around.
He followed up early wins over Alan Caves and Ben Burton with a narrow 6-5 victory against Vincent van der Voort, before seeing off Andy Hamilton, Mark Dudbridge and Co Stompe to reach the final.
He led 2-0 in the decider before Tabern took four successive legs to lead 4-2.
Tabern also moved 5-4 up, but missed a dart at the bullseye in the next two legs as Leicester^s Caven levelled and then hit double top for the victory.
"I^m over the moon with these new
Gold Star darts that Red Dragon made for me," said Caven, a former World Youth Masters winner."It^s nice to play well throughout the day and a big confidence boost for me ahead of Bolton next month.
"I^m delighted to have come back in the final, but only Alan and Vincent van der Voort had darts to beat me on the day, which is a good achievement."
Caven added: "I told my wife if I won I would take her to the Las Vegas Desert Classic this summer, so I^ve got to shell out for that now - but I don^t mind!"
Tabern^s run to the final moved him into the top 32 of the UK Open Order of Merit, meaning he enters the UK Open televised finals at the third round stage next month.
A high-quality day of darts saw Red Dragons St Helens man defeat Colin Lloyd, Peter Manley, Colin Osborne, Terry Jenkins and Kevin Painter to claim the £3,000 runner-up prize.
Lloyd and Stompe battled through to the last four, while Manley reached the quarter-finals for only the second time in 2009.
Beaton overcame Saturday^s Players Championship winner Gary Anderson on his way to a fifth quarter-final of the year, although he will be among the second round entrants in the UK Open at Bolton.
The Welsh Regional Final was the last of eight qualifiers for next month^s UK Open, with a run to the last 16 for Lee Williams and last 64 appearances for Ian Critchett and Gibraltar^s Dyson Parody seeing them qualify for Bolton at the final attempt.
A first round defeat to Mark Dudbridge for Winmau’s former Lakeside Champion Andy Fordham means he will have to wait for his debut in a major PDC championship, although Anastasia Dobromsylova has qualified for Bolton.
Tickets for the Blue Square UK Open, which is held from June 4-7, are still available from the Reebok Stadium Box Office on 0844 871 2932.
Blue Square UK Open Welsh Regional Final
Preliminary Round
Stephen Hardy 6-5 Ian Jopling
Nigel Birch 6-4 Tom Martin
Peter Wright 6-4 Kevin Harris
Dave Ladley 6-0 Geoff Whitworth
Mark Jodrill 6-0 Chris Jackson
Ben Burton 6-4 Steve Musson
Alan Caves 6-0 Jimmy Dunlop
Stuart Dutton 6-1 Mark Tiller
Paul Gudgeon 6-4 Richard Foster
Ian Lilley 6-4 Geoff Wylie
Owen Caffrey 6-4 Ian Lever
Bryande Hoog 6-4 Chris Allen
Richie Burnett 6-1 Ian McFarlane
Shaun Dring 6-3 Frazer Hill
Alex Tinsley 6-4 Robert Watson-Lang
Louis Blundell 6-3 Ian Perkins
Gary
Blades 6-1 Bryan Whybrow
Steve Perkins 6-1 Jon Archer
Dyson Parody 6-4 Michael Smith
Ken Dobson 6-3 Kieran Leal
Paul Knighton 6-2 Steve Lane
Steve Cupitt 6-0 Norman Fletcher
First Round
Steve Beaton 6-1 Pete Allen
Andy Smith 6-4 Stuart Bousfield
Gary Anderson 6-0 Darren Latham
Kevin McDine 6-5 Stephen Hardy
Andy Jenkins 6-0 Robbie Parker
Steve Evans 6-0 Mike Roberts
Mark Lawrence Bye (Sean White timed out)
Mick McGowan 6-5 Nigel Birch
Dennis Smith 6-3 Jim Withers
John Part 6-1 Danny King
Toon Greebe 6-3 John Quantock
Jelle Klaasen 6-3 Peter Wright
Ian Critchett 6-2 Gary Welding
Co Stompe 6-4 Chris Loudon
Dennis Priestley 6-2 Simon Cunningham
Mervyn King 6-1 Dave Ladley
Tony Ayres 6-5 Dennis Zijderhand
Jason Clark 6-3 Russell Mason
Dave Honey 6-1 Gary Scratchley
Andy Hamilton 6-3 Mark Jodrill
Vincent van der Voort 6-0 Arron Monk