Gary Anderson wins Players Championship title in Barnsley
Monday 27 February 2017 14:23, UK
Two-time world champion Gary Anderson won his first title of 2017 by defeating Peter Wright 6-1 in the final of Players Championship Two.
'The Flying Scotsmman' has enjoyed a strong start to the year, reaching the finals of the World Darts Championship, Unibet Masters and two Coral UK Open Qualifiers.
But he ended his wait for a title in emphatic fashion as he scooped the £10,000 first prize in Sunday's 128-player event at the Barnsley Metrodome.
Top seed Wright was aiming to follow up his three victories in UK Open Qualifiers with a fourth tournament victory of the month, but had to settle for the £6,000 runners-up cheque.
Anderson dropped just five legs in his opening three matches as he overcame Brendan Dolan, Berry van Peer and Steve West, before a 6-4 win over Benito van de Pas put the world No 2 into the quarter-finals.
There, he defeated former World Youth Champion Michael Smith 6-1 before then losing only two legs in a superb semi-final win over Jelle Klaasen.
Anderson saved another impressive display for world No 3 Wright in the final, racing into an early 4-0 lead as he punished his rival's miss in the opener on double ten before taking out 90 on the bull and back-to-back 12-darters.
Wright hit back with a 76 finish - after Anderson missed double 14 for a 121 finish - but the Somerset-based ace would not be denied as he landed a third 180 in an 11-darter before adding another maximum as double six secured a 6-1 victory.
Saturday's Players Championship One winner Alan Norris was a third round victim in his bid to complete a ProTour double, losing out to Temple 6-3 in the last 32.
Two-time World Champion Adrian Lewis landed a perfect nine-dart leg during his first round tie with John Henderson - the eighth on the PDC circuit this month - but lost out 6-3 as the Scot progressed.
Watch Premier League Darts on Thursday, from Westpoint Arena in Exeter, live on Sky Sports 1 HD from 7pm with Gary Anderson up against Phil Taylor.
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