Simon Whitlock beat Gary Anderson to win UK Open qualifier
Sunday 5 February 2017 10:28, UK
Simon Whitlock took victory in the year's second UK Open qualifier with a 6-4 defeat of Gary Anderson in Saturday's final in Wigan.
Australian Whitlock backed up his two Players Championship victories in the latter stages of 2016 with a promising start to 2017 as he scooped the £10,000 first prize in the second of six UK Open Qualifiers.
Whitlock dropped only three legs as he defeated Latvian newcomer Madars Razma and Alan Tabern Jnr in his opening two games before then seeing off Dutchman Jermaine Wattimena 6-4.
He then knocked out Friday's Qualifier One winner Peter Wright 6-3 in the last 16, before overcoming two other rivals in the world's top 16 - Ian White and Dave Chisnall - to reach the final.
After sharing the opening six legs of the final with Anderson, Whitlock broke with the aid of a 180 in leg seven before powering home a 154 finish - with the Scot waiting on 20 - to lead 5-3.
Anderson responded on tops, but was unable to force a decider as Whitlock closed out victory with a 94 finish.
Premier League Darts returns on Thursday, live on Sky Sports.
