World Youth Glory For Hopp

MAX HOPP was crowned as the 2015 PDC Unicorn World Youth Champion after defeating Nathan Aspinall 6-5 in a thrilling final at the Butlins Minehead Resort on Sunday night.

German teenager Hopp picked up the £10,000 first prize to succeed Keegan Brown as champion and secured his spot in the 2016 World Championship and Grand Slam of Darts - although he did it the hard way in a tight contest.

Hopp never led until he landed the winning double, after the game's opening ten legs all went with the throw.

The 19-year-old had missed a chance to break throw in the game's opening leg, being unable to land tops for a 125 finish, as Aspinall followed a 180 with double eight to lead.

Aspinall then missed a chance to break in leg two as Hopp levelled, and after the 24-year-old moved 2-1 up, a 66 checkout from the German was cancelled out by a 62 finish from his rival.

Aspinall added another 180 in the sixth leg, but Hopp left 40 with a 138 score before finishing tops for a 14-darter to square the contest again.

Aspinall's double top was cancelled out by double 12 from Hopp to leave the scores tied at four-all, with the German ace then hitting a 150 score to lave 32 only to see his opponent finish a brilliant 90 on the bullseye to move 5-4 up.

Double 12 saw Hopp level to send the final into a deciding leg, and the 19-year-old landed his first 180 of the game to be the first player to a finish.

He initially missed three match darts at double top, ten and five, but when Aspinall missed double 16 to finish 101 for the title, Hopp returned on double five to seal the title.

"I'm so happy," said Hopp. "It was close, like I expected, and I'm really glad I hit that double five and won the title.

"This title was so important for me. I've played for three years now and I wanted a title, I've got it now and I hope it will give me confidence to show what I am capable of."

The pair had won through October's early rounds from the Last 64 down to the semi-finals in Wigan, with Hopp overcoming Stephen Rosney, Berry van Peer, Kenny Neyens, Jeffrey De Zwaan and Dean Reynolds.

The PDC Unicorn Development Tour, open to players aged 16-23, will return in 2016 with five weekends of action, each of which will feature four tournaments each worth £10,000 in prize money.

The PDC Unicorn World Youth Championship will then follow at the end of the season, based on the top 48 players from the final Development Tour Order of Merit and a series of International Qualifiers.

PDC Unicorn World Youth Championship Final
Max Hopp v Nathan Aspinall
0-1 - Hopp misses tops for a 125 finish, and Aspinall follows a nerve-settling 180 with double eight.
1-1 - Aspinall misses his chance to move two legs up, and Hopp steps in on double ten to level.
1-2 - Aspinall takes out 43 to edge back ahead.
2-2 - Hopp finishes 66 on double 18 to hit back again.
2-3 - A 62 finish sees Aspinall regain the lead.
3-3 - Aspinall hits a 180, but Hopp scores 138 to leave tops before completing a 14-darter to square the game once more.
3-4 - Stockport's Aspinall finishes 60 on tops to regain the edge.
4-4 - Hopp lands double 12 to hold throw and level.
4-5 - Hopp scores 150 to leave 32, but can only watch on as Aspinall finishes 90 on the bull to brilliantly move a leg away from the title.
5-5 - Hopp misses double 12 to finish 144, but returns to hit the bed at the second time of asking to send the game into a deciding leg.
6-5 - Hopp hits his first 180 of the game before landing a 140 to leave tops - but misses double top ten and five, only to see Aspinall miss double 16 to finish 101 for the title as the German returns to land double five for the victory.

Match Stats