Amazing Taylor Reclaims Dublin Title

PHIL TAYLOR won an amazing 11th partypoker.com World Grand Prix title with a ruthless 6-0 demolition of Dave Chisnall at the Citywest Hotel in Dublin on Sunday.

Taylor proved himself once again as the master of the double-start format with an incredible performance, winning the games first FIVE sets without reply, in a run which saw Chisnall only have one dart at a finishing double.

Chisnall, appearing in his first major PDC final, won the opening leg of the sixth set to finally get off the mark, but was denied any further chance of mounting a comeback as Taylor took out a 164 checkout in claiming the £100,000 title.

"It's a great night for me but I feel for Dave," said Taylor. "It's his first major PDC final but it won't be his last major final.

"After I went 5-0 up my concentration started to go, and I felt a bit sorry for Dave - which is not me.

"He started coming back and the crowd were singing that he was going to win 6-5 - and that started going through my mind a little bit, so the 164 was important, it was the best shot I hit all night.

"In my mind tonight, it was going to be a close game and I was preparing for it to go all the way. Sometimes in sport that doesn't happen."

Taylor set his stall out early on, finishing 86 on double seven to win the final's opening leg, hitting a 180 and double 16 to break in leg two with a 14-darter and tops to take the first set.

Finishes of double four, double 16 and double 12 gave clinical Taylor the second set with legs of 14, 14 and 15 darts, and he also romped through the third without Chisnall having a dart at a finishing double, hitting a 13-darter and two double 16 finishes.

Chisnall missed the bull to take out 126 in the fourth set's opening leg, as Taylor hit tops to continue his charge with a 14-darter, then finished 78 to move 2-0 up and double 16 for a 13-darter in the next to take a fourth set.

He posted a third 180 of the game in the fifth set's opener, which he took on double 12 before checking out 86 for a 14-darter in the second - with Chisnall waiting on 24 - and added another maximum and tops with a 13-dart finish to win the third leg in moving a set away from the title.

Chisnall finally got off the mark in the sixth set's opening leg, which proved bizarre as Taylor missed 12 starting doubles, with the world number seven getting away with his first dart and taking out double 16 for a 13-darter.

Taylor took out 44 to level, hitting his fifth maximum of the game in the process, before Chisnall landed a 180 of his own in leg three, only to miss tops as the World Champion took out a deadly 164 finish of two treble 19s and the bullseye.

Chisnall took out 76 for a 14-darter as he levelled the set in the fourth leg, but was unable to continue his fightback as Taylor stepped up to hit double eight to regain his World Grand Prix crown.

"It's the best night and the worst night of my career," admitted Chisnall. "I wasn't nervous, but the darts just weren't going in and I was trying too hard.

"I'm proud of what I've done this week but I'll sleep on this and probably wake up in the morning really gutted. It's been a hard week because every player I've played has been really good, but tonight there was nothing there.

"It wasn't my night and nothing went for me. He didn't give me any chance and didn't seem to miss - I'd leave a double and he checks out, like the 164.

"I probably gave him too much respect in the practice room, and I wish I could play the game again. I'll learn from it but Phil was just too good, he played brilliantly."

Taylor added: "Dave's got great ability but he had a bad night at the office, and maybe the double-start format doesn't quite suit his game.

"He seemed to struggle to get off and the World Championship suits him better, like Adrian Lewis and Gary Anderson [because of] the scoring power in their game.

"He didn't quite click tonight, and I think it would have been a cracking game if he had clicked. He'll be back and he's got plenty more tournaments in him - he'll be winning tournaments when I'm gone."

Get Involved
Follow the partypoker.com World Grand Prix and join the conversation with the PDC's social media channels:
www.twitter.com/OfficialPDC - using the tournament hashtag #partypokerWGP
www.facebook.com/OfficialPDC
www.youtube.com/OfficialPDC

partypoker.com World Grand Prix
Final
Phil Taylor 6-0 Dave Chisnall

Tom Kirby Memorial Irish Matchplay
Final (6pm)
Connie Finnan 4-6 Colin McGarry

Match Information
Tom Kirby Memorial Irish Matchplay Final
Connie Finnan v Colin McGarry
0-1 - McGarry hits tops to win the opening leg.
1-1 - The pair both hit 180s before Finnan levels by taking out 40.
2-1 - McGarry adds another maximum, but is punished for missing his chance to take the leg as Finnan checks out 127 on the bull.
2-2 - Double five sees the Northern Irish ace level.
2-3 - McGarry moves ahead by hitting a 180 and tops.
3-3 - McGarry adds another maximum, but Finnan wins the leg on double eight.
3-4 - McGarry posts his fifth 180 and lands double ten to move ahead.
4-4 - Finnan finishes double two to level.
4-5 - McGarry lands a sixth 180 in a 13-darter to move a leg away from the title.
4-6 - Finnan misses his chance to take the game into a decider, and McGarry seals victory on double ten.

partypoker.com World Grand Prix Final
Phil Taylor v Dave Chisnall
First Set - 3-0 Taylor
Taylor wins the opening leg by finishing 86 on double seven, before hitting a 180 and a 44 finish to break in leg two and tops to win the third leg and stage the set.
Second Set - 3-0 Taylor
Taylor takes the opener on double four, finishes double 16 in the second leg and lands a 180 and double 12 to take the set, with Chisnall yet to have a dart at a finishing double.
Third Set - 3-0 Taylor
Chisnall misses nine opening doubles as Taylor wins his seventh successive leg by hitting double top for a 13-darter, before opening the second with a 160 score as he lands double 16 to move two legs up, and he posts the same double to win leg three and take a third set without Chisnall having a chance to get off the mark
Fourth Set - 3-0 Taylor
Chisnall finally reaches a finishing double, but misses the bull for a 126 finish as Taylor hits tops to take the opening leg, finishes 78 in the second and double 16 to win the third as he continues a relentless performance.
Fifth Set - 3-0 Taylor
Taylor hits a 180 and double 12 to win the opening leg, and produces another killer blow in the second, with Chisnall leaving himself 24 only to see Taylor take out 86 for a 14-darter to deny him a chance to win a first leg, before he wins the third leg to take yet another set without reply.
Sixth Set - 3-2 Taylor
Chisnall wins his first leg of the game in the opener, amazingly whitewashing Taylor, who misses 12 opening doubles as the St Helens man finishes a 13-darter to finally get off the mark. Taylor hit a 180 and double two to take the second leg, and defied Chisnall's first 180 of the game in the third by taking out a stunning 164 finish, after his opponent missed double top for a 135 checkout. Chisnall finished 76 in two darts to take the fourth leg and send the set into a decider, but missed his chance to take the set as Taylor hit a 174 and posted double eight to claim the £100,000 title.

Match Stats