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Peter Wright bounces back to beat Michael Smith at Coral UK Open Qualifiers

By Sky Sports Darts

Monday 6 February 2017 09:29, UK

LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 17: Peter Wright reacts to winning during his first round match against Keegan Brown on day one of the 2016 William Hill PDC Wo
Image: Peter Wright enjoyed a successful weekend in Wigan

Peter Wright completed a superb weekend at the Coral UK Open Qualifiers in Wigan with his second victory in three days as he edged out Michael Smith 6-5 in Sunday's final.

The world No 3 had been victorious on Friday in the first of six UK Open Qualifiers as players bid to win spots in next month's Coral UK Open TV Finals in Minehead.

After losing out to eventual champion Simon Whitlock at the last-16 stage in Qualifier Two on Saturday, Wright bounced back to go all the way to take the £10,000 title once more as the weekend concluded.

Once a day which featured the first nine-dart finish of 2017 - from youngster Ted Evetts - Wright overcame Stuart Dutton, Lee Bryant and Paul Harvey with 6-2 scorelines before dropping just one leg against Stephen Bunting.

Michael van Gerwen of the Netherlands plays a shot in his match against Phil Taylor
Image: Wright defeated Michael van Gerwen for the first time since 2015

He then secured a superb 6-4 victory over world champion Michael van Gerwen in the quarter-finals - his first defeat of the world No 1 since June 2015 in Japan as he suffered 16 successive losses - before defeating Mick Todd 6-2 in the semi-finals.

In the final, Smith broke for a 5-3 cushion before Wright posted two maximums in an 11-darter to break back in leg nine and another pair of 180s as an 81 bull finish forced a decider, and when Smith missed two darts at tops for victory it was the Scotsman who pounced on double eight.

Qualifier Three also featured the first nine-dart finish of 2017 as Southam's Evetts, the youngest PDC Tour Card Holder at 19, achieved a perfect leg in his memorable third round win over Whitlock.

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The final three Coral UK Open Qualifiers, each worth £60,000 in prize money, will be held next weekend at the Robin Park Tennis Centre, featuring PDC Tour Card Holders and PDPA Associate Members.

Following the completion of the six UK Open Qualifiers, the top 96 players from the UK Open Order of Merit progress to compete alongside 32 Rileys Amateur Qualifiers in the Coral UK Open TV Finals from March 3-5 at the Butlins Minehead Resort.

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