NEWTON CLAIMS SPEEDY SERVICES UK OPEN QUALIFIER DOUBLE

WES NEWTON won the final Speedy Services UK Open Qualifier with a 6-2 defeat of Justin Pipe at the NIA Community Hall in Birmingham.

The Fleetwood ace picked up his second UK Open Qualifier victory of the year with the triumph, following his win in the first of the eight events back in February.

Newton had overcome Richie Walsh, Tom Jones, Gary Butcher and Andrew Cornwall in the early rounds before seeing off Robert Thornton 6-3 in the quarter-finals.

He then defeated Andy Smith by the same scoreline in the semi-finals before ending Pipe^s hopes with a fine display in the final, winning five straight legs to come from 2-1 down and take the title.

Newton won the final^s opening leg with a brilliant 146 checkout for a 12-darter, with the pair trading 180s in the second as Pipe levelled in 12 darts on double 16.

Double eight edged Pipe ahead and he was waiting on a double in the fourth as Newton recovered from a bounce-out to finish 61 on double 14.

Newton then broke throw again in the fifth leg, hitting three 140s and taking out 81 on double 13 to regain the lead, which he consolidated by landing double eight at the fifth attempt in the next, as Pipe missed a dart at double 12 to level.

Newton hit a timely 180 to leave 60 in the next, with Pipe missing double 16 for a 111 checkout to allow him in to post tops for a 14-darter to move 5-2 up.

Pipe hit another 180 in leg eight, but missed three darts at double 16 to keep the game alive and was punished as Newton hit the same bed to complete an 86 combination in sealing the win.

The defeat denied Pipe a repeat of his Sunday success a week earlier when he won the Austrian Darts Open in Wiener Neustadt, but he took home £3,000 in prize money and will climb to 13th in the PDC Order of Merit.

Pipe picked up wins over Chris Mason, John Henderson, Scott Rand, Jon Bott, Colin Osborne, James Hubbard and Joe Cullen in winning through to the final.

Cullen^s run to the semi-finals included victories over fellow youngster Shaun Griffiths along with defeats of Mark Hylton and Vincent van der Voort, and came a week after the Bradford ace reached the quarter-finals of the Austrian Darts Open.

He was joined in the last four by Andy Smith, who won two successive games 6-0 during the event and saw off Peter Wright 6-4 in the quarter-finals.

Youngster James Hubbard prepared for the impending PDC Unicorn World Youth Championship final against Michael van Gerwen on May 17 by winning through to his first professional quarter-final - sealing his place with a brilliant 157 checkout in the deciding leg of his last 16 game with Dennis Smith.

Newton^s success means that finishes the series of UK Open Qualifiers in second place in the UK Open Order of Merit on £13,800, just behind leader Raymond van Barneveld (£14,000) and ahead of third-placed Phil Taylor, who pocketed £12,000 as the trio each took two victories apiece.

Saturday^s Qualifier Seven winner Terry Jenkins finished fourth on £8,400, with Andy Smith on £8,200 and Michael van Gerwen - who hit a nine-darter in the final of Qualifier Two - on £7,400.

The top 96 players plus ties from the UK Open Order of Merit qualify to compete in the televised final in Bolton from June 7-10 - with a total of 114 professionals winning £600 or more to earn their places in the event, where they are joined by 64 amateur qualifiers who win through knockouts held in Speedy Superstores and Rileys Darts Zones across the UK.

The top 32 players enter ^The FA Cup of Darts^ at the third round stage, with the remaining players beginning the event in the first round on Thursday June 7 - including reigning champion James Wade, 2011 semi-finalists Mark Webster and Denis Ovens, Paul Nicholson, Mervyn King and Ted Hankey.

Ovens had only secured his place by picking up £200 on Sunday, while Andy Jenkins^ run to the last 16 earned him a Bolton spot, although there was disappointment for Mark Dudbridge, whose first round loss to Jenkins means that he misses out on qualification for the UK Open.

Speedy Services UK Open Qualifier Eight

Sunday May 6, Community Hall, NIA, Birmingham
Preliminary Round
Stuart White 6-1 Gino Vos
Richie Howson 6-0 John Turnbull
Steve Evans 6-2 Stephen Hardy
Paul Nicholson 6-1 Steve Maish
Michael Peel 6-1 Anthony Littleton
Peter Hudson 6-2 Ian Jopling
Matt Clark 6-3 Mike Veitch
Ian Moss 6-0 Neville Roberts
Alan Tabern 6-0 Peter Evison
Mareno Michels 6-5 Aden Kirk
Chris Aubrey 6-2 Adrian Bolitho
Shaun Griffiths 6-2 Darren Latham
Darren Williams 6-0 Ashley Holgate
Michael van Gerwen 6-4 Jamie Caven
Darren Johnson 6-4 Josh Jones
Andrew Hibbert 6-4 Adrian Gray
Brendan Dolan 6-2 Steve Beaton
Nigel Heydon 6-5 Devon Petersen
Steve Brown 6-2 Lee Whitworth
Gary Anderson 6-2 Andy Firth
Tony West 6-1 Connie Finnan
Colin Osborne 6-4 Co Stompe
John Henderson 6-1 Dave Kelly
Justin Pipe 6-3 Chris Mason
Nigel Birch 6-2 Jamie Lewis
Scott Rand 6-3 Johnny Haines
Michael Smith 6-5 Dave Honey
Ross Smith 6-0 Joe Thompson
Darren Webster 6-1 Andrew Johnson
Lee White 6-3 James Young
Denis Ovens 6-2 Gareth Pass
Kirk Shepherd 6-3 Matthew Waddoups
Dennis Smith 6-1 Hans Hagley
Reece Robinson 6-5 Joey Palfreyman
Kevin Painter 6-5 Dave Chisnall
Dyson Parody 6-1 Paddy Meaney
Andrew Gilding 6-0 Andy Relf
Terry Jenkins 6-1 Mark Frost
Ryan Harrington 6-4 Mervyn King
Nathan Richards 6-5 Patrick Pace
Steven Barrow 6-3 Kevin McDine
Mark Webster 6-1 Kevin Dowling
James Thompson 6-3 Andy Turnbull
Damien Sherwood 6-5 Wayne Atwood
Colin Lloyd 6-3 Les Wallace
Sam Hill 6-3 Matthew Tedstone
Adam Hunt 6-5 John Part
Gary Butcher 6-1 Aaron Turner
Jerry Hendriks 6-3 Carlos Rodriguez
Mark Jones 6-2 Mick McGowan
Jelle Klaasen 6-2 Matt Padgett
Dennis Priestley 6-3 Gaz Cousins
Darren Whittingham 6-0 Martin Whatmough
Andy Hamilton 6-2 William O^Connor
Roland Scholten 6-4 John Scott
Craig Pope 6-4 John Walton
Peter Wright 6-1 Magnus Caris
Mick Todd 6-4 Matthew Dicken
Joe Murnan 6-0 Dylan Duo
Antonio Alcinas 6-4 Stefanie Luck
Alex Roy 6-1 Martyn Turner
Steven Pearson 6-3 Tony Tasker
Michael Barnard 6-1 Arron Monk
Adrian Lewis 6-3 Brandon Walsh
Ted Hankey 6-5 John Bowles
Stuart Kellett 6-4 Ian White

First Round
Brian Woods 6-4 Darrell Claydon
Stuart White 6-2 Mark Walsh
Richie Howson 6-1 Steve Evans
Paul Nicholson 6-1 Michael Peel
Mark Stephenson 6-3 Martin Perring
Mark Hylton 6-4 Karl Forrington
Peter Hudson 6-5 Matt Clark
Alan Tabern 6-2 Ian Moss
Joe Cullen 6-5 Peter Hughes
Mark Lawrence 6-4 Matthew Edgar
Mareno Michels 6-3 Chris Aubrey
Shaun Griffiths 6-3 Darren Williams
Ronnie Baxter 6-1 Chris Thompson
Vincent van der Voort 6-0 Danny Summers
Michael van Gerwen 6-5 Darren Johnson
Brendan Dolan 6-4 Andrew Hibbert
Jim Walker 6-2 Andy Pearce
Nigel Heydon 6-3 Geoff Whitworth
Steve Brown 6-2 Gary Anderson
Colin Osborne 6-3 Tony West
Jon Bott 6-4 Dave Smith
Daniel Starkey 6-4 Prakash Jiwa
Justin Pipe 6-2 John Henderson
Scott Rand 6-1 Nigel Birch
Toon Greebe 6-0 Steve Farmer
James Hubbard 6-3 Wayne Pepper
Michael Smith 6-4 Ross Smith
Darren Webster 6-0 Lee White
Adam Smith-Neale 6-1 Daniel Bunker
Andy Brown 6-5 Steve Hine
Denis Ovens 6-5 Kirk Shepherd
Dennis Smith 6-5 Reece Robinson
Robert Thornton 6-1 Keegan Brown
Dave Ladley 6-5 Paul Barham
Kevin Painter 6-5 Dyson Parody
Andrew Gilding 6-5 Terry Jenkins
Wayne Jones 6-2 Steve West
Simon Whitlock 6-1 James Richardson
Ryan Harrington 6-4 Nathan Richards
Mark Webster 6-5 Steven Barrow
Andrew Cornwall 6-4 Liam Kelly
Nick Fullwell 6-1 Barrie Bates
Damien Sherwood 6-5 James Thompson
Sam Hill 6-5 Colin Lloyd
Wes Newton 6-1 Richie Walsh
Tom Jones 6-4 Steve Grubb
Gary Butcher 6-3 Adam Hunt
Jerry Hendriks 6-3 Mark Jones
Michael Rosenauer 6-4 Philip Wathen
Andy Jenkins 6-2 Mark Dudbridge
Jelle Klaasen 6-3 Dennis Priestley
Andy Hamilton 6-4 Darren Whittingham
Dean Winstanley 6-4 Keith Stephen
Andrew Palmer 6-5 Christopher Dale
Roland Scholten 6-3 Craig Pope
Peter Wright 6-5 Mick Todd
Bernd Roith 6-5 Paul Rowley
Kim Huybrechts 6-2 Fred Smith
Antonio Alcinas 6-3 Joe Murnan
Alex Roy 6-5 Steven Pearson
Andy Smith 6-4 Daniel Day
Michael Mansell 6-2 Keith Rooney
Adrian Lewis 6-2 Michael Barnard
Stuart Kellett 6-4 Ted Hankey

Second Round
Brian Woods 6-1 Stuart White
Richie Howson 6-5 Paul Nicholson
Mark Hylton 6-0 Mark Stephenson
Peter Hudson 6-4 Alan Tabern
Joe Cullen 6-4 Mark Lawrence
Shaun Griffiths 6-2 Mareno Michels
Vincent van der Voort 6-3 Ronnie Baxter
Michael van Gerwen 6-2 Brendan Dolan
Jim Walker 6-5 Nigel Heydon
Colin Osborne 6-4 Steve Brown
Jon Bott 6-2 Daniel Starkey
Justin Pipe 6-4 Scott Rand
James Hubbard 6-2 Toon Greebe
Darren Webster 6-4 Michael Smith
Andy Brown 6-0 Adam Smith-Neale
Dennis Smith 6-5 Denis Ovens
Robert Thornton 6-0 Dave Ladley
Andrew Gilding 6-3 Kevin Painter
Simon Whitlock 6-2 Wayne Jones
Mark Webster 6-0 Ryan Harrington
Andrew Cornwall 6-4 Nick Fullwell
Sam Hill 6-4 Damien Sherwood
Wes Newton 6-1 Tom Jones
Gary Butcher 6-5 Jerry Hendriks
Andy Jenkins 6-1 Michael Rosenauer
Jelle Klaasen 6-5 Andy Hamilton
Dean Winstanley 6-3 Andrew Palmer
Peter Wright 6-1 Roland Scholten
Kim Huybrechts 6-2 Bernd Roith
Alex Roy 6-1 Antonio Alcinas
Andy Smith 6-4 Michael Mansell
Stuart Kellett 6-5 Adrian Lewis
Losers £200

Third Round
Richie Howson 6-4 Brian Woods
Mark Hylton 6-0 Peter Hudson
Joe Cullen 6-3 Shaun Griffiths
Vincent van der Voort 6-1 Michael van Gerwen
Colin Osborne 6-3 Jim Walker
Justin Pipe 6-3 Jon Bott
James Hubbard 6-4 Darren Webster
Dennis Smith 6-4 Andy Brown
Robert Thornton 6-2 Andrew Gilding
Simon Whitlock 6-0 Mark Webster
Andrew Cornwall 6-3 Sam Hill
Wes Newton 6-3 Gary Butcher
Andy Jenkins 6-5 Jelle Klaasen
Peter Wright 6-4 Dean Winstanley
Alex Roy 6-5 Kim Huybrechts
Andy Smith 6-0 Stuart Kellett
Losers £400

Fourth Round
Mark Hylton 6-4 Richie Howson
Joe Cullen 6-1 Vincent van der Voort
Justin Pipe 6-4 Colin Osborne
James Hubbard 6-5 Dennis Smith
Robert Thornton 6-2 Simon Whitlock
Wes Newton 6-1 Andrew Cornwall
Peter Wright 6-1 Andy Jenkins
Andy Smith 6-0 Alex Roy
Losers £600

Quarter-Finals
Joe Cullen 6-4 Mark Hylton
Justin Pipe 6-3 James Hubbard
Wes Newton 6-3 Robert Thornton
Andy Smith 6-4 Peter Wright
Losers £1,000

Semi-Finals
Justin Pipe 6-0 Joe Cullen
Wes Newton 6-3 Andy Smith
Losers £2,000

Final
Wes Newton 6-2 Justin Pipe
Winner £6,000
Runner-Up £3,000

Final - Leg-By-Leg
0-0 - Justin Pipe wins the bull - at the fifth time of asking! - and will throw first.
0-1 - Newton starts superbly by checking out 146 on double 13 to break with a 12-darter.
1-1 - The pair trade 180s, with Pipe^s coming between scores of 140. Newton has the first chance at a finish, but misses double 18 to take out 99 and Pipe lands double 16 for a 12-dart leg to break back.
2-1 - Pipe is first to a finish, initially missing double 16 for a 101 checkout before returning to hit double eight.
2-2 - Pipe hits three ton-plus scores but cannot take out 126, leaving 28 onto to see Newton finish 61 by following up a bounce-out with a treble 11, double 14 combination.
2-3 - Newton hits three 140s to be first to a finish, and takes out 81 for a 12-darter to break throw.
2-4 - Newton again scores the heavier but misses two darts to take the leg before Pipe is just off-target on double 12 for a 104 finish, and the Fleetwood ace returns to land double eight with his third dart.
2-5 - Newton hits a 180 to leave 60, and when Pipe misses double 16 for a 111 finish he returns to land tops for a 14-darter to move a leg away from victory.
2-6 - Pipe starts with a 180 but pays the price for missing three darts at double 16, with Newton taking out 86 with a treble one, treble 17, double 16 combination for the win.
Final Match Averages: Justin Pipe 102.83, Wes Newton 100.76