'THE THORN' THRILLS WITH BACK-TO-BACK WORLD SENIORS CHAMPIONSHIPS
Robert Thornton successfully defended his Jenningsbet World Senior Darts Championship trophy at the iconic Circus Tavern, after beating hometown favourite Richie Howson 5-2 in the Final.
The 55 year old found his favourite double tops to cap off what was a fantastic four days for him in Purfleet, checking out 73 with his one and only dart at his favourite segment on the board. The two-time Senior World Champion also showed off his fantastic finishing ability in the fifth set, breaking the Owl with a 130 checkout on the bullseye.
The Thorn picks up £30,000 for his second victory in the competition, beating the likes of Kevin Painter and Roland Scholten. The Scotsman threw the highest average of the entire tournament in beating the reigning WDF World Champion Neil Duff in the Quarter Finals, scoring 98.72 in a 3-1 win over the Northern Irishman.
Thornton has impressed on the World Seniors Circuit, winning two World Championships as well as the World Senior Darts Matchplay in 2022, beating the legendary Phil Taylor 12-10 in the Final at the Bonus Arena in Hull.
The Red Dragon player retains the Number 1 spot in the World Senior Order of Merit and can now look forward to the Champion of Champions as he faces a rematch with Howson in the Quarter Finals.
The Thorn showed his talent in the sport when he played in the Professional Darts Corporation, winning the UK Open and the Grand Prix as his two major televised title successes.
Robert has gone onto to become a leading figure on the World Seniors Circuit, with the Scotsman showing strong character in his Semi Final win over Kevin Painter. The Scotsman went 2-0 down in the first set against the Artist before reeling three legs on the spin to take a 1-0 lead in sets, as he went on to whitewash the former World Finalist in front of his home fans.
Thornton has played on numerous occasions in the MODUS Super Series, with the 55 year old and Runner Up Richie Howson reaching the Grand Finale on separate weeks of the Round Robin competition in Portsmouth.
The former UK Open Champion will have his eyes now set on the Champion of Champions and the World Senior Darts Masters at the WSDT visits Westlands Enteraintment venue.
By Harry Masterson
2023 World Senior Darts Championship Results:
Quarter Finals:
Robert Thornton (1) 3-1 Neil Duff (8)
Kevin Painter (12) 3-1 Mark Dudbridge
Richie Howson 3-1 Phil Taylor (2)
Leonard Gates 3-1 Darryl Fitton
Semi Finals:
Robert Thornton (1) 3-0 Kevin Painter
Richie Howson 3-1 Leonard Gates
Final:
Robert Thornton (1) 5-2 Richie Howson