Dennis Priestley capped a superb week by winning the PDC US Open in Atlanta with a 6-3 victory over Andy Hamilton in Sunday's final.
North American double for veteran Yorkshireman
Dennis Priestley capped a superb week by winning the PDC US Open in Atlanta with a 6-3 victory over Andy Hamilton in Sunday's final.
Priestley walked away with the Canadian Players Championship title last Sunday, and maintained his North American form by winning the US Open seven days later.
Veteran thrower Priestley never lost more than three legs in any of his matches, and beat experienced PDC stars Andy Jenkins and Peter Manley 6-1 after early wins over Stephen Panuncialman and Kevin McDine.
'The Menace' then produced his best form to knock-out left-hander Alan Tabern 6-2 in the semi-finals to set-up a match with Hamilton for the title.
59-year-old Priestley moved 2-0 in front early on in the final, but Stoke thrower Hamilton pulled it back to 4-3 with a break of throw.
Victory
A 38 checkout put Priestley a leg away from the title, and he sealed the victory in the next after Hamilton twice missed his chances to keep the game alive to take the $12,000 winner's cheque and add yet another title to his roll of honour.
Hamilton's run did book him a third final of the year, although he remains without a title in 2009, after beating Saturday's Atlanta Players Championship winner Colin Lloyd, who took him to a deciding leg.
'The Hammer' also saw-off the in-form Wes Newton and Robert Thornton, with Newton's run to the semis following a final appearance in Canada last week continuing his bid to return to the world's top 32.
Former World Championship runner-up Kirk Shepherd's run to the quarter-finals was his best performance of 2009, as he included Jelle Klaasen amongst his victims.
World number two James Wade was a second round loser to Colin Monk, while recent Australian Open Players Championship winner Paul Nicholson went out at the first round stage to Mark Webster.
