Wade Hits Top Gear

JAMES WADE came from 2-0 down to defeat Brendan Dolan 6-2 and win Sunday's Players Championship in Nuland.

Dolan hit a 180 and double four to win the opening leg, and doubled his lead with Wade waiting on 40 in the second.

But a missed double top allowed Wade to reply in the third, and double top levelled.

Wade took out 106 to hit the front, and punished three misses to move 4-2 up.

A pair of double top finishes from Wade then saw him take the next two and complete the win, his second Players Championship victory of 2009 and his third on the PDC Pro Tour this year.

The world number three defeated Hampshire rival Colin Monk 6-3 in the semi-finals, and also overcame Peter Wright, Steve Beaton, Jelle Klaasen, Dennis Smith and Ken Dobson with some battling displays on the day.

Dolan's run to the final was his best of the year and should earn him a place in the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship.

He began the day with a 6-3 win over Adrian Lewis, and also defeated Andy Hamilton and Gary Anderson in a deciding leg before whitewashing Mervyn King in a fine semi-final display.

Colin Monk enjoyed a run to the semi-finals which boosts his World Championship hopes.

Hamilton came from 5-2 down to defeat Andree Welge in the third round, denying the German a place in the European Championship.

Roland Scholten instead qualifies in the eighth place from the European Championship Order of Merit.

Following Sunday's Players Championship, the 32-player field for the European Championship was confirmed - click here for the European Championship Draw

Players Championship (Sunday)
Preliminary Round

Peter Wright 6-1 Erwin Extercatte
Chris Thompson 6-0 Steve Evans
Louis Blundell 6-5 Erwin Valkes
Dennis Klamer 6-2 Andreas Stock
Remco van Eijden 6-4 Nick Fullwell
Leon de Geus 6-0 Neil Dickson

First Round
Mark Walsh (1) 6-1 Jordy Terburg
Andy Fordham 6-3 Markus Schonbein
Kirk Shepherd (32) 6-3 Dave Ladley
Peter Wright 6-1 Hannes Schnier
Vincent van der Voort (16) 6-1 Jan van der Rassel
Wim Mink 6-2 Chris Loudon
Mark Dudbridge (17) 6-3 Robin Ferdinandus
Roland Scholten 6-5 Pim van Veenendal
Steve Beaton (8) 6-3 James Barton
Kevin Munch 6-3 Rico Dera
Alex Roy 6-4 Tony Eccles (25)
Mario Masurka 6-3 Christoph Stehmann
James Wade (9) 6-2 Ken Dobson
Dennis Smith 6-4 Willem Kralt
Jelle Klaasen (24) 6-0 Frank Liebeton
Richie Burnett 6-2 Richard van Zijtveld
Terry Jenkins (5) 6-2 Jyhan Artut
Danny Lanooij 6-5 Ingo Vogt
Steve Hine (28) 6-5 Tony Ayres
Chris Thompson 6-4 Karsten Koch
Wes Newton (12) 6-4 Marko Puls
Mark Webster 6-4 Martyn Turner
Steve Brown 6-2 Kevin Painter (21)
Colin Monk 6-1 Tony Blundell
Colin Lloyd (4) 6-0 Erwin Renkema
Raymond van Barneveld 6-3 John Part
Matt Clark (29) 6-1 Gabriela Gobel
Louis Blundell 6-1 Jurgen Lechtken
Wayne Jones (13) 6-5 Adrian Gray
Colin Rice 6-0 Harold Wieleman
Andy Smith (20) 6-1 Rick Lowther
Rocco Maes 6-3 Bob Valies
Brendan Dolan 6-3 Adrian Lewis (2)
Johnny Okken 6-3 Par Riihonen
Barrie Bates (31) 6-1 Wilchard Vissers
Dennis Klamer 6-3 Bryan de Hoog
Andy Hamilton (15) 6-3 Dick van Dijk
Braulio Roncero 6-2 Barry Zander
Michael Barnard 6-4 Michael van Gerwen (18)
Andree Welge 6-3 Justin Pipe
Gary Anderson (7) 6-1 Daniel de Boer
Didier de Vuyst 6-3 Mark Stephenson
Peter Manley (26) 6-2 Andy Relf
Arron Monk 6-5 Joe Cullen
Jamie Caven (10) 6-1 Darren Johnson
Steve Grubb 6-3 Simon Craven
Andy Jenkins (23) 6-1 Mark Frost
Christian van Overdijk 6-3 Bas Smits
Robert Thornton (6) 6-3 Michael Rosenauer
Wayne Mardle 6-0 Dylan Duo
Co Stompe (27) 6-0 Gerard Klijn
Mensur Suljovic 6-0 Remco van Eijden
Alan Tabern (11) 6-2 John Quantock
Patrick Bulen 6-0 Michael Kinzelbach
Carlos Rodriguez 6-4 Denis Ovens (22)
Steve Maish 6-3 Gino Vos
Colin Osborne (3) 6-4 Nandor Bezzeg
Stephen Hardy 6-5 Rolf Kaiser
Bobby Biemans 6-5 Kevin McDine (30)
Toon Greebe 6-5 Leon de Geus
Mervyn King (14) 6-3 Mark Carter
Andreas Krockel 6-1 Ted Ebbers
Paul Nicholson (19) 6-1 Maik Langendorf
Andreas Sterk 6-3 Mick McGowan

Second Round
Mark Walsh 6-3 Andy Fordham
Peter Wright 6-2 Kirk Shepherd
Vincent van der Voort 6-5 Wim Mink
Roland Scholten 6-5 Mark Dudbridge
Steve Beaton 6-2 Kevin Munch
Alex Roy 6-2 Mario Masurka
James Wade 6-5 Dennis Smith
Jelle Klaasen 6-5 Richie Burnett
Terry Jenkins 6-2 Danny Lanooij
Steve Hine 6-1 Chris Thompson
Mark Webster 6-3 Wes Newton
Colin Monk 6-3 Steve Brown
Raymond van Barneveld 6-4 Colin Lloyd
Louis Blundell 6-3 Matt Clark
Wayne Jones 6-1 Colin Rice
Andy Smith 6-0 Rocco Maes
Brendan Dolan 6-2 Johnny Okken
Barrie Bates 6-1 Dennis Klamer
Andy Hamilton 6-2 Braulio Roncero
Andree Welge 6-3 Michael Barnard
Gary Anderson 6-1 Dider de Vuyst
Peter Manley 6-5 Arron Monk
Jamie Caven 6-3 Steve Grubb
Andy Jenkins 6-3 Christian van Overidjk
Robert Thornton 6-3 Wayne Mardle
Mensur Suljovic 6-3 Co Stompe
Patrick Bulen 6-3 Alan Tabern
Steve Maish 6-4 Carlos Rodriguez
Colin Osborne 6-0 Stephen Hardy
Toon Greebe 6-3 Bobby Biemans
Mervyn King 6-0 Andreas Krockel
Paul Nicholson 6-1 Andreas Sterk 
Losers £200

Third Round
Peter Wright 6-3 Mark Walsh
Vincent van der Voort 6-2 Roland Scholten
Steve Beaton 6-2 Alex Roy
James Wade 6-3 Jelle Klaasen
Terry Jenkins 6-4 Steve Hine
Colin Monk 6-3 Mark Webster
Raymond van Barneveld 6-1 Louis Blundell
Andy Smith 6-4 Wayne Jones
Brendan Dolan 6-4 Barrie Bates
Andy Hamilton 6-5 Andree Welge
Gary Anderson 6-3 Peter Manley
Jamie Caven 6-3 Andy Jenkins
Robert Thornton 6-4 Mensur Suljovic
Steve Maish 6-5 Patrick Bulen
Colin Osborne 6-5 Toon Greebe
Mervyn King 6-1 Paul Nicholson
Losers £300

Fourth Round
Peter Wright 6-5 Vincent van der Voort
James Wade 6-4 Steve Beaton
Colin Monk 6-5 Terry Jenkins
Andy Smith 6-4 Raymond van Barneveld
Brendan Dolan 6-5 Andy Hamilton
Gary Anderson 6-4 Jamie Caven
Robert Thornton 6-4 Steve Maish
Mervyn King 6-2 Colin Osborne
Losers £400

Quarter-Finals
James Wade 6-3 Peter Wright
Colin Monk 6-5 Andy Smith
Brendan Dolan 6-5 Gary Anderson
Mervyn King 6-3 Robert Thornton
Losers £800

Semi-Finals
James Wade 6-3 Colin Monk
Brendan Dolan 6-0 Mervyn King
Losers £1,500

Final
James Wade 6-2 Brendan Dolan
Winner £6,000
Runner-Up £3,000


Semi-Finals
James Wade won through to the final with a 6-2 defeat of Colin Monk. Wade took the opening leg with a 96 finish and doubled his lead before missing a host of chances to take the third as Monk got off the mark. Wade hit a 180 and took out 80 on double ten for the fourth leg, and after the next two legs he repeated the finish to lead 5-2. Double top gave Monk a third leg, but Wade took out the bull to seal victory.
Brendan Dolan whitewashed Mervyn King to reach the final. Dolan opened the game with a 180 and took out double top for the opning leg, before moving 2-0 up on double four after a missed double 16 from King. He took out 50 for the third leg and punished missed doubles to win the fourth. Double top put Dolan 5-0 up, and double seven sealed the win.

Final
James Wade came from 2-0 down to defeat Brendan Dolan 6-2 and win Sunday's Players Championship in Nuland. Dolan hit a 180 and double four to win the opening leg, and doubled his lead with Wade waiting on 40 in the second. But a missed double top allowed Wade to reply in the third, and double top levelled. Wade took out 106 to hit the front, and punished three misses to move 4-2 up. A pair of double top finishes from Wade then saw him take the next two and complete the win.