Taylor Wins PartyPoker.net PDC US Open
PHIL TAYLOR claimed the PartyPoker.net PDC US Open title for a second successive year with a 3-0 defeat of Colin Lloyd at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut on Sunday evening.
Taylor
retained the title with an imperious display, dropping just one set during eight matches on his way to claiming the £12,500 winner^s cheque.
After averaging 107 to see off Colin Osborne in the last 16 on Saturday, Taylor stormed past Ray Carver in the quarter-finals and then averaged 111 in defeating Dennis Priestley in the semis.
He then dropped just one leg to overcome Lloyd in the final and pick up the PDC US Open title for a second time.
"I^m delighted," said Taylor. "My game plan was to keep my opponent under pressure in every leg. It^s a short format and I had to bash them up as fast as I could, and it worked.
"I^m fighting and I really want to win titles. I^m appreciating it more as I get older and loving everything."
Taylor broke Lloyd^s throw immediately in the final, landing a maximum in the first leg and then punishing a missed double top from the Essex man in the next to take the set on an improvised double seven.
Double top put Taylor ahead in the second, and he doubled his lead with a clinical two-dart 70 finish after Lloyd missed two darts at double top.
Taylor
led in the third before Lloyd took out a fine 130 checkout on the bullseye to get off the mark and stay in the game.
He was given one chance to take the set in the decider when Taylor missed two darts for victory, but two misses of his own on double ten gave the defending champion another opportunity, which he took to ensure victory.
Lloyd included Roland Scholten and Ronnie Baxter among his victims en route to the final, and edged out Canada^s David Fatum in a deciding leg in a tight semi-final.
"I didn^t quite perform against Phil in the final but he was very, very good in the final," said Lloyd. "I missed a couple of shots but he was there to take them and deserved the win.
"It^s nice to get to a major final again and be playing well. I^ve had people write me off in the last year or so and it^s good to have a run like this."
PartyPoker.net PDC US Open
Quarter-Finals
Ronnie Baxter 0-3 Colin Lloyd (1-2, 0-2, 1-2)
David Fatum 3-1 Chris Mason (2-0, 2-1, 1-2, 2-1)
Phil Taylor 3-0 Ray Carver (2-1, 2-1, 2-1)
Dennis Priestley 3-0 Mark Dudbridge (2-1, 2-1, 2-1)
Losers £4,000
Semi-Finals
Colin Lloyd 3-2 David Fatum (1-2 , 2-1, 0-2, 2-0, 2-1)
Phil Taylor 3-0 Dennis Priestley (2-1, 2-0, 2-1)
Losers £5,000
Final
Colin Lloyd 0-3 Phil Taylor (0-2, 0-2, 1-2)
Winner £12,500
Runner-Up £7,500
COLIN LLOYD 3-0 RONNIE BAXTER
(2-1, 2-0, 2-1)
COLIN LLOYD powered into the semi-finals of the PartyPoker.net PDC US Open with a straight sets victory over Ronnie Baxter.
Lloyd whitewashed Roland Scholten in the last 16 on Saturday and continued his excellent form in dropping just two legs to see off Baxter.
A 12-darter against the throw in the opening leg announced Lloyd^s intentions in style.
Both players traded maximums in the next before Baxter replied with a 126 finish on the bullseye, but another 180 from Lloyd in the decider sent him clear before he won the set on double top.
Lloyd landed a third maximum in taking the lead in set two, and punished a missed double top from Baxter to double his advantage.
Baxter took the third set^s opener in 13 darters, including another 180, but missed two darts to steal the next and allowed Lloyd back in to take the leg on double one.
And a missed bullseye for a 164 finish from Baxter gave Lloyd his chance for victory, which he took in style on double top.
"Ronnie was a tough game but 3-0 is a great result for me," said Lloyd. "It gives me a lot of confidence going into the semi-finals.
"I^ll take each game as it comes now and I^m not worried about who I have to play, I^m just getting on with the job in hand."
DAVID FATUM 3-1 CHRIS MASON
DAVID FATUM^S dream PartyPoker.net PDC US Open continued with a 3-1 defeat of Chris Mason to send the Canadian star into the semi-finals at the Mohegan Sun.
The Arizona-based firefighter had to take a day off work on Sunday after qualifying for the quarter-finals of the tournament - and is now within touching distance of his first major final.
He backed up Saturday^s straight sets win over Bill Davis with a composed display against Mason.
The game perhaps turned in the opening leg, with Mason starting off with scores of 140, 140 and 180 but missing eight darts at a double before Fatum took out 80 on double top.
He landed the same bed to win the first set, and took the second in a deciding leg with a brilliant 119 checkout after Mason was off-target with two darts at a double.
Fatum missed four darts to lead in set three before Mason landed double seven, with the American replying in 14 darts before Mason took the decider with a sparkling 13-darter of his own, including a third maximum of the contest.
A 12-darter put him ahead at the start of set four, but Fatum levelled in 14 darts against the throw before sealing the win on double eight.
"It feels absolutely brilliant - it was worth taking the day off work!" said Fatum.
"Colin was simply amazing in his last match and I aspire to play darts like that. Hopefully he^ll give me a chance and I can take it."
PHIL TAYLOR 3-0 RAY CARVER
(2-1, 2-1, 2-1)
PHIL TAYLOR^S bid to retain the PartyPoker.net PDC US Open remains on course following a straight sets quarter-final win over Ray Carver.
Taylor
maintained his record of dropping just one set so far in the event with another imperious display to see off the American number one.
However, the game could have been different had Carver taken the first set - with a costly mistake on a finish in the deciding leg allowing Taylor back in to take the lead.
Carver had begun with a 180 and 110 finish in the first leg, with Taylor replying in 13 darts and then being on hand to win the decider on double top.
Taylor
kicked off set two with a 105 finish, and then won the deciding leg in 14 darts to double his lead, after Carver had missed double nine for a 138 checkout.
Carver landed a quality 14-darter to kick off set three, but Taylor replied in kind before sealing the win in 12 darts with a fine 89 checkout.
"It was a tough game. Ray hit some good finishes but neither of us scored at our best.
"I^m still in and still doing well, so I^ll relax now and prepare for the semis."
DENNIS PRIESTLEY 3-0 MARK DUDBRIDGE
(2-1, 2-1, 2-1)
VETERAN Dennis Priestley booked his place in the semi-finals of the PartyPoker.net PDC US Open with a straight sets win over Mark Dudbridge.
The two-time World Champion showed his class with some powerful scoring to see off Dudbridge, with all three sets going to a deciding leg.
Dudbridge took the game^s opening leg, landing a maximum before hitting double ten, but paid for missed doubles in the next two as Priestley levelled on double five and then punished four misses at double eight to hit the same bed and win the opening set.
Priestley landed a maximum in each of the three legs in set two, with Dudbridge stepping in to take the second leg before the Yorkshireman landed double ten in the decider.
A superb 11-darter, including his fifth maximum of the game, saw Priestley take the third set^s opener.
He missed four darts for the match in the next leg, with Dudbridge being let back in to hit double eight and stay alive.
But his challenge was swiftly ended by Priestley, who took the next leg in 14 darts to set up a semi-final against old foe Phil Taylor.
"It^s nice to win 3-0," said Priestley. "I had a little bit of luck and should have closed it out earlier, but
"If you don^t take your chances you don^t win, he missed and I took the set against the darts in the first set, which was important.
"I^m feeling good, I^ll have a little rest during the first semi-final and then prepare, but it^s just another game."
SEMI-FINALS
COLIN LLOYD 3-2 DAVID FATUM
(1-2, 2-1, 0-2, 2-0, 2-1)
COLIN LLOYD ended the PartyPoker.net PDC US Open hopes of Canada^s David Fatum in a final-leg shoot-out in the opening semi-final.
Lloyd twice found himself a set down to Fatum, a paramedic firefighter from Arizona who was the surprise name amongst the semi-finalists following the greatest weekend of his darts career.
Fatum overcame Chris Mason in the quarter-finals, and came close to seeing off the former world number one.
However, he never had a shot for the match after taking a 2-0 lead, and Lloyd won the final set in the deciding leg to book his place in the final.
Lloyd took the game^s opening leg, but missed a host of doubles in the next as Fatum levelled before the crowd favourite took the set on double 16 with the Englishman sat on a double.
Lloyd came from a leg down to take the second set 2-1 thanks to a brace of 15-darters, but a 13-darter put Fatum ahead in the next and he took the set after Lloyd missed four darts at a double.
Lloyd again took another two-leg burst to win set four in 14 and 15 darts to send the match all the way.
Double ten put the Englishman ahead, but Fatum sent the game into a decider with double eight as Lloyd waited on 40 for the match.
But Lloyd showed his class in the decider, following up three poor scores with a maximum and then taking out 107 to move into the final.
"It was very tough," said Lloyd. "I missed too many shots, against Ronnie I was clinical but I got through that.
"It was a battle. he^s done well to get to the semi-finals but I^m just glad to get through it.
"I^ve got to improve in the final - my scoring^s there but if my finishing isn^t better in the final I^ll be punished."
PHIL TAYLOR 3-0 DENNIS PRIESTLEY
(2-1, 2-0, 2-1)
PHIL TAYLOR produced a sensational display to defeat Dennis Priestley in a thrilling semi-final at the PartyPoker.net PDC US Open.
Taylor
averaged 111 to Priestley^s 103 in a brilliant contest to set up a final against Colin Lloyd at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut.
Priestley took the opening leg in 14 darts, only to rattle Taylor^s cage - with the 13-time World Champion responding with an 11-darter and then winning the set in 14 with the Yorkshireman sat on a double.
Taylor
took the second set without reply in 15 and 13 darts to double his lead, and came from behind to take the third.
Priestley won the opening leg in 13 darts, with Taylor replying in kind and then punishing two missed doubles to book his place in the final with a 12-dart break of throw.