PDC Media Release - Walsh Cuts The Power In Derby

WALSH CUTS THE POWER IN DERBY

MARK WALSH celebrated victory in a UK Open Qualifier in Derby for a second successive year with a 6-2 defeat of Phil Taylor in Sunday^s final.

Walsh had defeated Raymond van Barneveld to take the £6,000 title at the Moorways Centre in 2009, and this time overcame the World Champion in the decider.

He had held off a Co Stompe fightback to win their semi-final 6-4, having led 3-0 and 4-1 before the Dutchman levelled.

Walsh also took some notable scalps in the early rounds with wins over Colin Lloyd, Mark Webster and Dennis Priestley, before seeing off Colin Monk 6-1 in the quarter-finals.

He saved perhaps his best form for the final, taking out double five for the opening leg after Taylor missed two darts to break throw, before finishing 100 in the second leg to move two legs up.

Taylor hit back with a 14-darter, but paid for missed doubles in the next two as Walsh took out a brace of 14-darters on 62 in reply to move 4-1 up.

Taylor hit a 177 score to lead 28 in taking leg six, but was waiting on 40 as Walsh landed a 14-dart finish to move a leg away from the win.

Taylor missed double top for a 104 finish in the next leg, and Walsh followed up a 177 to leave 40 by hitting the bed for a 13-dart finish in celebrating the victory.

"I must love this venue and it^s a great confidence boost for me," said Walsh. "I^ve had a bad six months or so but I think my game is coming together again.

"Defeating Phil at any time is memorable but to do so in a final is very special. Hopefully I can build on this now and have a good year."

Taylor had dropped only six legs in seven matches in taking victory in Saturday^s Players Championship, and was in fine form again 24 hours later.

Only Andy Callaby won more than one leg against Taylor in his run to the final, losing 6-3 in round two, as Andy Hutchings, Kevin Painter, Nick Fullwell, Jelle Klaasen and Andy Hamilton lost 6-1.

World number three James Wade reached the last eight, including wins over Paul Nicholson, Andy Smith and Wayne Mardle to warm up for Thursday^s Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts clash with Adrian Lewis in Exeter.

Lewis also won through to the quarters before losing to Hamilton, while Monk^s run to the last eight was his best showing since October.

UK

Open Qualifier Two

Preliminary Round

Nigel Heydon 6-5 Dave Smith

Gary Welding 6-0 Andy Relf

Matt Padgett 6-0 Frazer Hill

Ian McFarlane 6-0 Lee White

Joe Cullen 6-5 Gary Blades

Dave Askew 6-3 Jimmy Mann

Bryan de Hoog 6-4 Anton Liscsey

Michael Smith 6-5 Ian Eames

Stephen Hardy 6-0 Tony Comerford

Rick Lowther 6-0 Steve Cupitt

Robert Alford 6-2 Andy Pearson

Richie Burnett 6-3 Mark Stephenson

Mark Cox 6-5 Stuart Bousfield

Lee Hayes 6-2 Andy Fulton

Andy Hutchings 6-0 Steve Perkins

Andy Callaby 6-1 Anastasia Dobromyslova

Ian Critchett 6-3 Robert Parker

Robbie Newland 6-4 Mareno Michels

John Quantock 6-3 Sean White

Martyn Bevan 6-1 James Barton

Mark Jones 6-5 Kevin Dowling

Ian Jopling 6-5 Tom Martin

Kevin Harris 6-3 Steve Musson

Nigel Birch 6-5 Mark Hylton

Tony Blundell 6-1 Mike Roberts

Tony Clark 6-4 Andy Pearce

Ron Atwill 6-3 Chris Sargeant

Terry Temple 6-5 Patrick Pace

Anthony Urmston-Toft 6-1 Tony Martin

Chris Allen 6-3 Steven Perry

Matt Gallett 6-3 Henry Zapata

Steve Farmer 6-2 Simon Burt

Chris Loudon 6-5 Paul Rowley

Peter Hudson 6-2 Par Riihonen

First Round

Stuart Dutton 6-2 Steve Grubb

Mervyn King 6-4 Nigel Heydon

Wayne Atwood 6-1 Gary Welding

Matt Padgett 6-0 Martyn Turner

Adrian Lewis 6-0 Tommy McIntosh

Steve Hine 6-1 Matthew Wenham

Mark Frost 6-2 Ian McFarlane

Joe Cullen 6-3 Matt Clark

Darren Webster 6-3 Kirk Shepherd

Steve Beaton 6-2 Sam Allen

Andy Hamilton 6-1 Dave Askew

Ronnie Baxter 6-5 Bryan de Hoog

Mark Lawrence 6-1 Geoff Whitworth

Gary Anderson 6-0 Matt Draper

Michael van Gerwen 6-3 Michael Smith

Stephen Hardy 6-2 Toon Greebe

Mark Dudbridge 6-0 Brian Jones

Vincent van der Voort 6-0 Mark Jodrill

Tony Eccles 6-2 Rick Lowther

Peter Wright 6-2 Robert Alford

John Part 6-1 Jamie Atkins

Jelle Klaasen 6-3 Richie Burnett

Mark Cox 6-5 Louis Blundell

Lee Hayes 6-4 Alex Roy

Michael Barnard 6-1 James Dunlop

Kevin Painter 6-1 Daz Mawer

Phil Taylor 6-1 Andy Hutchings

Andy Callaby 6-4 Simon Whitlock

Peter Edmonds 6-3 Tony Ayres

Terry Jenkins 6-5 Paul Williams

Nick Fullwell 6-4 Ian Critchett

Robbie Newland 6-4 Adrian Gray

Co Stompe 6-3 Dean Allsopp

Darren Latham 6-2 Dennis Smith

Wes Newton 6-2 John Quantock

Steve Maish 6-0 Martyn Bevan

Steve Brown 6-3 Lee Williams

Peter Manley 6-0 Steve Watts

Jamie Caven 6-1 Mark Jones

Wayne Jones 6-0 Ian Jopling

James Wade 6-0 Jon Archer

Wayne Mardle 6-4 Mark Carter

Kevin McDine 6-3 Kevin Harris

Andy Smith 6-2 Nigel Birch

Arron Monk 6-5 Mick McGowan

Dave Ladley 6-1 Dave Honey

Steve Evans 6-1 Tony Blundell

Paul Nicholson 6-0 Tony Clark

Chris Thompson 6-2 Danny Pinhorne

Alan Tabern 6-2 Ian Lever

Dylan Duo 6-4 Ron Atwill

Jyhan Artut 6-4 Terry Temple

Barrie Bates 6-1 Justin Pipe

Colin Monk 6-1 Andy Fordham

Brendan Dolan 6-3 Anthony Urmston-Toft

Denis Ovens 6-3 Chris Allen

Colin Lloyd 6-2 Tony Randell

Mark Walsh 6-2 Darren Weaver

Roland Scholten 6-3 Matt Gallett

Mark Webster 6-3 Steve Farmer

Dennis Priestley 6-1 Peter Allen

Chris Mason Bye (Andrew Downs withdrew)

Chris Loudon 6-4 Darren Johnson

Peter Hudson 6-5 Robert Thornton

Second Round

Stuart Dutton 6-2 Mervyn King

Wayne Atwood 6-3 Matt Padgett

Adrian Lewis 6-2 Steve Hine

Mark Frost 6-3 Joe Cullen

Darren Webster 6-5 Steve Beaton

Andy Hamilton 6-4 Ronnie Baxter

Gary Anderson 6-1 Mark Lawrence

Stephen Hardy 6-5 Michael van Gerwen

Vincent van der Voort 6-5 Mark Dudbridge

Tony Eccles 6-5 Peter Wright

Jelle Klaasen 6-5 John Part

Mark Cox 6-2 Lee Hayes

Kevin Painter 6-4 Michael Barnard

Phil Taylor 6-3 Andy Callaby

Terry Jenkins 6-2 Peter Edmonds

Nick Fullwell 6-3 Robbie Newland

Co Stompe 6-3 Darren Latham

Wes Newton 6-3 Steve Maish

Peter Manley 6-2 Steve Brown

Jamie Caven 6-2 Wayne Jones

James Wade 6-0 Wayne Mardle

Andy Smith 6-2 Kevin McDine

Arron Monk 6-4 Dave Ladley

Paul Nicholson 6-1 Steve Evans

Chris Thompson 6-3 Alan Tabern

Jyhan Artut 6-2 Dylan Duo

Colin Monk 6-2 Barrie Bates

Brendan Dolan 6-5 Denis Ovens

Mark Walsh 6-2 Colin Lloyd

Mark Webster 6-4 Roland Scholten

Dennis Priestley 6-4 Chris Mason

Peter Hudson 6-2 Chris Loudon

Losers £200

Third Round

Stuart Dutton 6-2 Wayne Atwood

Adrian Lewis 6-3 Mark Frost

Andy Hamilton 6-3 Darren Webster

Gary Anderson 6-4 Stephen Hardy

Vincent van der Voort 6-3 Tony Eccles

Jelle Klaasen 6-1 Mark Cox

Phil Taylor 6-1 Kevin Painter

Nick Fullwell 6-4 Terry Jenkins

Co Stompe 6-2 Wes Newton

Jamie Caven 6-1 Peter Manley

James Wade 6-3 Andy Smith

Paul Nicholson 6-1 Arron Monk

Chris Thompson 6-3 Jyhan Artut

Colin Monk 6-4 Brendan Dolan

Mark Walsh 6-4 Mark Webster

Dennis Priestley 6-1 Peter Hudson

Losers £300

Fourth Round

Adrian Lewis 6-5 Stuart Dutton

Andy Hamilton 6-1 Gary Anderson

Jelle Klaasen 6-2 Vincent van der Voort

Phil Taylor 6-1 Nick Fullwell

Co Stompe 6-2 Jamie Caven

James Wade 6-2 Paul Nicholson

Colin Monk 6-3 Chris Thompson

Mark Walsh 6-5 Dennis Priestley

Losers £500

Quarter-Finals

Andy Hamilton 6-4 Adrian Lewis

Phil Taylor 6-1 Jelle Klaasen

Co Stompe 6-1 James Wade

Mark Walsh 6-1 Colin Monk

Losers £1,000

Semi-Finals

Phil Taylor 6-1 Andy Hamilton

Mark Walsh 6-4 Co Stompe

Losers £1,500

Final

Mark Walsh 6-2 Phil Taylor

Winner £6,000

Runner-Up £3,000