Super Newton Wins European Darts Trophy

SUPERB NEWTON EDGES TO EUROPEAN DARTS TROPHY GLORY

WES NEWTON claimed the biggest title of his career with a dramatic 6-5 victory over Paul Nicholson in the final of the European Darts Trophy in Sindelfingen on Monday night.

The Fleetwood ace kicked off the most important week of his career by taking the £20,000 first prize in the European Tour event at the Glaspalast, only three days before he fights for his McCoy's Premier League Darts survival in Brighton.

He followed up his wins over Tomas Seyler and Arron Monk in the early rounds by kicking off Monday's final stages with a 6-4 defeat of Peter Wright.

He then repeated that scoreline in victories over Justin Pipe in the quarter-finals and Austria's Mensur Suljovic in the semi-finals as he set up a tasty final with Nicholson.

Newton kicked off the final with finishes of 100 and 116 before Nicholson defied 180s from the Premier League star in the next two legs as he hit back to level.

Newton then finished 104 to move 3-2 up before missing double 12 to repeat the finish in leg six, with Nicholson taking out 71 to square the game and following a 180 with double 16 for a 14-darter to lead for the first time.

However, the game took another twist in the eighth leg when Nicholson opened with scores of 140 and 180, only to miss nine darts at doubles in four visits as Newton hit back to square the game at four-all.

Newton then moved 5-4 up with the aid of an 80 finish, but missed double 14 for a 121 checkout in the next as Nicholson forced a decider with double ten.

Both players landed 180s in the game's final leg as they both left 161 after nine darts, with Newton initially missing double 16 but then seeing Nicholson miss double 12 and double six for victory - allowing him back to post double four to claim the title.

"It's the best win of my career," admitted Newton. "I'm over the moon and it means the world to me to win this title.

"I thought I'd thrown it away at the end and maybe Paul should have been lifting the trophy. I missed one dart in the tenth leg to take the win and then another in the last leg and thought my chance had gone, but the luck was shining down on me.

"To come here and win this tournament means everything and it's a huge boost for me ahead of Thursday and the Judgement Night in the Premier League."

"It's a very big week for me and there's a few scenarios which could happen in the Premier League on Thursday, but I've got to go up there and win my game against Andy Hamilton and that's what I'll focus on this Thursday."

Newton added: "Paul's had a tough couple of months but he's back where he should be now and he'll probably be disappointed because he had three darts to win it and probably should have won it. It's great to see him playing well again."

Nicholson revealed that he had considered withdrawing from the event last week after being struck down by a bout of gastroenteritis, but after claiming the £10,00 runner-up prize with wins over Dean Winstanley, Mark Webster and Michael van Gerwen on Sunday he said: "I'm so glad that I came to Germany.

"It's been a bit of a rollercoaster ride this weekend but I set myself a goal when I came here and I put myself within touching distance of that.

"I'm very proud of myself but I'm feeling gutted right now because I had a shot to win the tournament, but I feel that this can kick-start my year."

Van Gerwen's run to the semi-finals earned him £5,000 in prize money and moves him above Adrian Lewis to a career-high second in the PDC Order of Merit - continuing his remarkable rise from 36th just 16 months ago.

He had dropped just three legs in his first four games as he won through to the semi-finals - storming past UK Masters champion John Part in the quarter-finals - only to be knocked out by a superb display of finishing from Nicholson.

Austrian ace Suljovic enjoyed his best-ever result on the PDC circuit by reaching the last four, as he overcame Andy Smith 6-0 in the third round on Sunday afternoon and then defeated Kim Huybrechts in the quarter-finals before losing out to Newton.

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European Darts Trophy - European Tour Event Two
Monday April 1
Evening Session
Quarter-Finals
Mensur Suljovic 6-4 Kim Huybrechts
Wes Newton 6-4 Justin Pipe
Michael van Gerwen 6-1 John Part
Mark Webster 4-6 Paul Nicholson

Semi-Finals
Mensur Suljovic 4-6 Wes Newton
Michael van Gerwen 2-6 Paul Nicholson

Final
Wes Newton 6-5 Paul Nicholson

All games on Monday played in draw bracket order, and the best of 11 legs.

Match Stats
Quarter-Finals

Semi-Finals

Final

Match Information
Quarter-Finals
Mensur Suljovic won through to his first European Tour semi-final with a crowd-pleasing 6-4 comeback win over Kim Huybrechts. The Austrian took the opening leg on double ten after two misses at tops from Huybrechts, who took the next three with the aid of two 13-darters and a break of throw. Huybrechts hit a second 177 of the game in the fifth leg, but paid for two missed doubles as Suljovic took out double six to pull back to 3-2. Huybrechts landed a 180 and double 16 in a 13-darter as he regained a two-leg lead, but Suljovic hit back with double eight before punishing a missed bullseye from the Belgian with double 14 to level. A 74 finish for a 14-darter put Suljovic ahead at 5-4, and when Huybrechts missed his chance to send the game into a decider - scoring 121, 180 and 180 but missing doubles in two visits to the oche - the Austrian hit double ten to seal the win.

Wes Newton overcame Justin Pipe 6-4 to win through to the European Darts Trophy semi-finals, where he will meet Mensur Suljovic. Pipe took the game's first two legs before Newton got off the mark in the third, but double eight gave Pipe a 3-1 cushion. Newton hit a 177 as he set up a 13-darter in the fifth leg and then levelled on double ten, before missed doubles allowed Pipe in on double four to edge 4-3 up. Newton, though, levelled on double 14, before punishing a miss at the same bed from Pipe to move 5-4 up and then land tops to seal victory.

Michael van Gerwen ended John Part's bid to win a second successive European Tour event with a significant 6-1 victory over the Canadian, putting the Dutchman into the European Darts Trophy semi-finals and into a career-high second place in the PDC Order of Merit. The in-form World Grand Prix champion took out 65 to win the opening leg and punished missed doubles from the Canadian to double his lead on double 13. Double ten gave van Gerwen a 3-0 lead before Part, with the aid of a 180 and double four, took the fourth leg. Van Gerwen, though, took out a brace of 56 finishes to move 5-1 up, and checked out 88 to seal the win - meaning he has dropped only three legs in four games this weekend.

Paul Nicholson booked his spot in the European Darts Trophy semi-finals with a 6-4 win over Mark Webster - ending the Welshman's hopes not only in the European Tour event but also of possibly jumping above Nicholson back into the world's top 16. Nicholson started well, hitting a 180 in a 13-darter to open the game before taking out double ten and 60 for a 3-0 lead before Webster, aided by double nine, got off the mark. Webster also hit a 177 in taking the fifth leg, but missed the bullseye for a 170 in the next as Nicholson finished 80 for a 4-2 cushion. The left-hander finished 65 in the seventh, but missed his chance to punish Nicholson and level in the next with three off-target doubles, and Nicholson hit double ten to move 5-3 up. Webster landed a 180 and tops to stay in the hunt, but after hitting another maximum in the tenth he was unable to force a deciding leg and Nicholson posted double eight to take the win.

Semi-Finals
Wes Newton won through to the European Darts Trophy with a 6-4 win over Austrian ace Mensur Suljovic. Suljovic made the early running, finishing 80 on the bull in the opening leg and double 14 to move two legs up. Newton, though, opened the third leg with a maximum and took out 121 to get off the mark before levelling on tops. Newton also hit a 180 in the fifth leg, but Suljovic edged back ahead before Newton squared the game on tops, after two misses from his opponent, and then followed a 180 with an 81 finish for a 12-darter. A miss at tops was
punished by a 75 finish from Suljovic as he pulled back to four legs apiece, but Newton hit double 16 to move 5-4 up and double eight to seal the win.

Paul Nicholson brilliantly defeated Michael van Gerwen 6-2 to win through to the European Darts Trophy final as the new world number two's bid for a first European Tour triumph ended in the semis. Nicholson's opening-leg 83 finish was cancelled out by a 71 checkout frmo van Gerwen as he levelled, but Nicholson punished missed doubles from the Dutchman to take the next two legs and move 3-1 up. The Australian World Cup star then hit 180s in successive legs as he hit a brace of 12-darters to move to the brink of victory at 5-1, with van Gerwen punishing six missed match darts by taking out double eight to win a second leg before Nicholson sealed his triumph with a 76 finish on double 18.

Final
Leg-By-Leg
0-0 - Wes Newton wins the bull and throws first.
1-0 - Newton takes out 100 to win the opening leg.
2-0 - Nicholson opens with a 180 but misses double 18 to finish 76, and Newton this time checks out 116 on tops to break throw.
2-1 - Despite a 180 to open the leg from Newton, Nicholson breaks back by taking out 32 for a 13-darter.
2-2 - Newton kicks off with another maximum and adds a second 180, but misses three darts at doubles to win the leg as Nicholson levels on double eight.
3-2 - Newton takes out 104 to edge back ahead.
3-3 - Newton this time misses double 12 to finish 104 and Nicholson squares the contest by taking out 71 in two darts.
3-4 - Nicholson breaks with a 14-dart leg, landing double 16.
4-4 - Nicholson opens with scores of 140 and 180, but misses nine darts at doubles across four visits as Newton pins double eight to hit back.
5-4 - Newton hits two 140s to be first to a finish, and takes out 80 on double ten to move to the brink of victory.
5-5 - Newton misses double 14 for a 121 finish for the match, and Nicholson posts double ten to force a decider.
6-5 - Wes Newton wins the European Darts Trophy title following a dramatic deciding leg, with both players hitting 180s and leaving 161 after nine darts, with Newton initially missing his chance to take the title before Nicholson - needing 24 - hit a single 12 and then burst his score when throwing at double six, hitting single 13, to allow the Fleetwood ace back in as he hit double four to claim the £20,000 first prize.