SAM HEWSON and George Killington claimed their maiden victories on the PDC Unicorn Youth Tour at the Robin Park Tennis Centre in Wigan on Saturday.
The two English youngsters claimed the £1,000 winners prizes on offer in Saturday’s double-header, becoming the fifth and sixth different winners in this year’s PDC Unicorn Youth Tour.
Hewson won his first PDC Unicorn Youth Tour title in Wigan on Saturday, which started with defeats of Killington and Martin Walker before narrow victories over Lewis Venes and Josh Payne secured a semi-final spot.
The 20-year-old from Lincolnshire defeated Matthew Dicken 4-1 to reach the final, where he comfortably defeated Holland’s John De Kruijf to claim the £1,000 winner’s prize.
De Kruijf reached his first final on the PDC Unicorn Youth Tour since August 2012 in a run which included wins over Nick Kenny and Kevin Voornhout.
In the semi-finals, the Dutchman recorded an excellent 4-1 victory over former World Youth Champion James Hubbard before crumbling in the decider to Hewson, ending his hopes of a maiden title.
West Bromwich’s Matthew Dicken enjoyed his best-ever run in a Youth Tour event with a run to the semi-finals, while Hubbard continued his strong form with a run to the last four, following his semi-final appearance a fortnight ago in a PDC ProTour event.
Leicestershire’s James Thompson enjoyed his best performance in a PDC Unicorn Youth Tour event for 12 months by making the quarter-finals, while Payne, Reece Robinson and Dirk van Duijvenbode reached the same stage following strong displays in Wigan.
In the second tournament of the day, Killington produced an excellent display to claim his first PDC Unicorn Youth tour title.
The 17-year-old from North London whitewashed Scott Johnson in his first round game before coming through the next two rounds with tight 4-3 wins over Tom Anderson and Hull’s Reece Robinson.
Killington, who turns 18 next month, continued his progress with a 4-2 win over Tommy Wilson before breezing through his next two matches for the loss of just one leg to the Dutch duo of Mike Zuydwijk and Kevin Voornhout.
That put Killington through to his first Youth Tour Final since September 2012, and this time he went one better and he defeated another 17-year-old, in the shape of German Max Hopp 4-2 to round-off an excellent display.
Hopp, who has shown his talent on the big stage after qualifying for the World Championship for the past two years, won his first two matches against Jake Patchett and Liam Gallagher by 4-1 margins before edging tight contests against Dean Finn and Lewis Venes.
Hopp defeated Steve Lennon 4-2 in his quarter-final to reach the last four of a Youth Tour event for the first time, where he overcame Hubbard by the same margin.
However, the 17-year-old’s hopes of claiming his maiden title in a PDC competition were ended by Killington following a 4-2 defeat, having to settle for the £500 runners-up prize.
Holland’s Voornhout – who holds a PDC Tour Card – produced his best performance in a Youth Tour event with an excellent run to the last four.
2012 PDC Unicorn World Youth Champion Hubbard reached the semi-finals for the second time in the day, but fell to a 4-2 loss to Hopp, ending his hopes of winning a third Youth Tour title.
Zuydwijk, already a winner on this year's Youth Tour, reached the last eight in Wigan, while Doncaster’s Brandon Walsh matched his best result by reaching the quarter-finals at Youth Tour level for the third time.
Ireland’s Lennon and 19-year-old Jack Tweddell enjoyed their best runs in a Youth Tour event to date by reaching the quarter-finals of Event Six on Saturday.
The PDC Challenge Tour takes centre stage on Sunday at the Robin Park Tennis Centre in Wigan, where a double-header of events will take place with £10,000 in prize money on offer for both tournaments.
PDC Unicorn Youth Tour Event Five
Robin Park Tennis Centre, Wigan - Saturday April 26
First Round
Adam Smith Neale 4-2 James Smith
Dimitri Van Den Bergh 4-0 Jack Petcher
Ryan Newton 4-1 Craig Simpson
Josh McCarthy 4-0 Bradley Coltman
Paul Mitchell 4-2 Liam Gallagher
Scott Johnson 4-1 Rainer Hofweber
Rees Hall 4-2 Jordan Patterson
Josh Payne 4-3 Tommy Wilson
Dean Finn 4-2 Dan Green
Brandon Walsh 4-2 Dan Read
Martin Walker Bye
Sam Hewson 4-2 George Killington
Jamie Britten Bye
Lewis Venes 4-1 Luke Allen
Tony Field Bye
Adam Hunt 4-0 Connor Roach
Rhys Hayden 4-3 Tommy Lishman
Robyn Byrne 4-3 Jordan Matthews
Jake Jones 4-0 Callum Loose
Aden Kirk 4-2 Dean Reynolds
Kurtis Atkins 4-1 Jake Patchett
John Bryan 4-1 Sean Jowers
Kieran Bridgewater 4-3 Lewis Ireland
Reece Robinson 4-3 Jeffrey De Zwaan
Samuel Fuller 4-2 Ryan Maher
Liam Johnson 4-2 Matthew Dargue
Ted Evetts Bye
Rowby-John Rodriguez 4-1 Joshua Tunnicliffe
Aaron Holdstock Bye
Krit Middleton 4-1 Ryan De Vreede
James Young Bye
Matthew Dicken 4-2 Sean Ryan
John de Kruijf 4-0 Carl Draper
Nick Kenny 4-0 Sean McArdle
Kevin Voornhout 4-1 Matt Smith
Keegan Brown 4-0 Kacey Jones
Lee Whitworth 4-0 Leighton Jones
Cameron Hinchcliffe 4-1 Arron Fairweather
Andrew Clark 4-0 Adam Crawford
Joe Twinn 4-2 Ryan Jones
Harry Ward 4-3 James Wilkinson
Conor Mayes 4-2 Callum Carr
Brandonn Monk Bye
John Esam 4-1 Connor Scutt
Tom Smith Bye
Charlie Burns 4-0 Bradley Halls
Joshua Richardson Bye
James Thompson 4-1 Sean Johnson
Shaun Michael Lovett 4-1 Lewis Pride
Cain Unwin 4-1 Charlie Symons
Nicholas Day 4-0 Kurt Parry
Mike Zuydwijk 4-1 Thomas Flint
Dirk van Duijvenbode 4-0 Stephen Mallams
Shane Friedlander 4-1 Ryan Hoggarth
Dan Dean 4-0 Ben Songhurst
Max Hopp 4-0 William Longshaw
Steve Lennon Bye
Jack Tweddell 4-0 Harry West
Joe Singleton Bye
Sam Hill 4-0 Terry Webb
Kieran Watson Bye
James Hubbard 4-0 Tom Anderson
Danny Roberts Bye
Ben Oldroyd 4-0 Bradley Elsden
Second Round
Dimitri Van Den Bergh 4-2 Adam Smith Neale
Josh McCarthy 4-1 Ryan Newton
Scott Johnson 4-1 Paul Mitchell
Josh Payne 4-0 Rees Hall
Dean Finn 4-1 Brandon Walsh
Sam Hewson 4-1 Martin Walker
Lewis Venes 4-2 Jamie Britten
Adam Hunt 4-1 Tony Field
Rhys Hayden 4-0 Robyn Byrne
Aden Kirk 4-2 Jake Jones
Kurtis Atkins 4-1 John Bryan
Reece Robinson 4-3 Kieran Bridgwater
Samuel Fuller 4-2 Liam Johnson
Rowby-John Rodriguez 4-2 Ted Evetts
Krit Middleton 4-1 Aaron Holdstock
Matthew Dicken 4-0 James Young
John de Kruijf 4-3 Nick Kenny
Kevin Voornhout 4-3 Keegan Brown
Lee Whitworth 4-2 Cameron Hinchcliffe
Joe Twinn 4-0 Andrew Clark
Conor Mayes 4-2 Harry Ward
John Esam 4-3 Brandonn Monk
Charlie Burns 4-3 Tom Smith
James Thompson 4-2 Joshua Richardson
Shaun Michael Lovett 4-2 Cain Unwin
Nicholas Day 4-2 Mike Zuydwijk
Dirk van Duijvenbode 4-0 Shane Friedlander
Max Hopp 4-1 Dan Dean
Steve Lennon 4-3 Jack Tweddell
Sam Hill 4-2 Joe Singleton
James Hubbard 4-0 Kieran Watson
Ben Oldroyd 4-0 Danny Roberts
Losers £25
Third Round
Dimitri Van Den Bergh 4-2 Josh McCarthy
Josh Payne 4-1 Scott Johnson
Sam Hewson 4-3 Dean Finn
Lewis Venes 4-1 Adam Hunt
Rhys Hayden 4-2 Aden Kirk
Reece Robinson 4-0 Kurtis Atkins
Rowby-John Rodriguez 4-0 Samuel Fuller
Matthew Dicken 4-1 Krit Middleton
John de Kruijf 4-1 Kevin Voornhout
Lee Whitworth 4-3 Joe Twinn
John Esam 4-1 Conor Mayes
James Thompson 4-2 Charlie Burns
Nicholas Day 4-3 Shaun Michael Lovett
Dirk van Duijvenbode 4-2 Max Hopp
Steve Lennon 4-1 Sam Hill
James Hubbard 4-3 Ben Oldroyd
Losers £50
Fourth Round
Josh Payne 4-2 Dimitri Van Den Bergh
Sam Hewson 4-2 Lewis Venes
Reece Robinson 4-2 Rhys Hayden
Matthew Dicken 4-1 Rowby-John Rodriguez
John de Kruijf 4-2 Lee Whitworth
James Thompson 4-3 John Esam
Dirk van Duijvenbode 4-0 Nicholas Day
James Hubbard 4-2 Steve Lennon
Losers £100
Quarter-Finals
Sam Hewson 4-3 Josh Payne
Matthew Dicken 4-3 Reece Robinson
John de Kruijf 4-1 James Thompson
James Hubbard 4-1 Dirk van Duijvenbode
Losers £150
Semi-Finals
Sam Hewson 4-1 Matthew Dicken
John de Kruijf 4-1 James Hubbard
Losers £250
Final
Sam Hewson 4-0 John de Kruijf
Winner £1,000
Runner-Up £500
PDC Unicorn Youth Tour Event Six
Robin Park Tennis Centre, Wigan - Saturday April 26
First Round
Adam Hunt 4-0 Jordan Patterson
Cameron Hinchcliffe 4-1 Ryan De Vreede
Sean Johnson 4-1 Bradley Coltman
Sam Hill 4-2 James Smith
Ryan Maher 4-1 Sean McArdle
Brandon Walsh 4-2 Dan Read
Martin Walker 4-1 Lewis Pride
John de Kruijf 4-1 Cain Unwin
Sean Ryan 4-0 Terry Webb
Callum Loose 4-3 Dan Dean
James Hubbard 4-1 Liam Johnson
Rees Hall 4-3 Connor Roach
Joshua Richardson Bye
Samuel Fuller 4-0 Matthew Dargue
Andrew Clark Bye
Ryan Newton 4-1 Harry West
Matthew Dicken 4-3 James Young
Nicholas Day 4-2 William Longshaw
Lewis Venes 4-1 Callum Carr
Jake Jones 4-0 Lewis Ireland
Liam Gallagher 4-2 Sean Jowers
Max Hopp 4-1 Jake Patchett
Dean Finn 4-3 Shaun Michael Lovett
Kurt Parry 4-2 Josh McCarthy
Steve Lennon 4-2 Ted Evetts
Carl Draper 4-2 Bradley Halls
Charlie Burns Bye
Brandonn Monk 4-3 James Wilkinson
Stephen Mallams Bye
Tommy Lishman 4-2 Adam Smith-Neale
Luke Allen Bye
James Thompson 4-3 Joshua Tunnicliffe
Mike Zuydwijk 4-2 Dan Green
Kacey Jones 4-0 Charlie Symons
Krit Middleton 4-3 Dean Reynolds
Aaron Holdstock 4-2 Shane Friedlander
Nick Kenny 4-3 Jeffrey De Zwaan
Ben Oldroyd 4-1 Rowby-John Rodriguez
Conor Mayes 4-2 Keegan Brown
Jordan Matthews 4-3 Dimitri Van Den Bergh
Tony Field 4-0 Connor Scutt
Reece Robinson 4-0 Paul Mitchell
Tom Anderson Bye
George Killington 4-0 Scott Johnson
Stuart McCann Bye
Rhys Hayden 4-1 Ryan Jones
Sam Hewson Bye
Tommy Wilson 4-3 John Esam
Kevin Voornhout 4-0 John Bryan
Leighton Jones 4-2 Jack Petcher
Thomas Flint 4-0 Bradley Elsden
Jamie Britten 4-0 Dominic Buckley
Harry Ward 4-1 Joe Singleton
Dirk van Duijvenbode 4-1 Kieran Watson
Aden Kirk 4-0 Danny Roberts
Lee Whitworth 4-1 Craig Simpson
Josh Payne 4-1 Ryan Hoggarth
Matt Smith 4-3 Rainer Hofweber
Tom Smith Bye
Ben Songhurst 4-0 Kurtis Atkins
Joe Twinn Bye
Kieran Bridgewater 4-3 Robyn Byrne
Adam Crawford Bye
Jack Tweddell 4-1 Arron Fairweather
Second Round
Adam Hunt 4-0 Cameron Hinchcliffe
Sam Hill 4-3 Sean Johnson
Brandon Walsh 4-3 Ryan Maher
John de Kruijf 4-0 Martin Walker
Callum Loose 4-2 Sean Ryan
James Hubbard 4-3 Rees Hall
Joshua Richardson 4-1 Samuel Fuller
Ryan Newton 4-0 Andrew Clark
Nicholas Day 4-1 Matthew Dicken
Lewis Venes 4-3 Jake Jones
Max Hopp 4-1 Liam Gallagher
Dean Finn 4-2 Kurt Parry
Steve Lennon 4-2 Carl Draper
Charlie Burns 4-2 Brandonn Monk
Tommy Lishman 4-0 Stephen Mallams
James Thompson 4-2 Luke Allen
Mike Zuydwijk 4-3 Kacey Jones
Aaron Holdstock 4-3 Krit Middleton
Nick Kenny 4-0 Ben Oldroyd
Jordan Matthews 4-2 Conor Mayes
Reece Robinson 4-3 Tony Field
George Killington 4-3 Tom Anderson
Rhys Hayden 4-2 Stuart McCann
Tommy Wilson 4-3 Sam Hewson
Kevin Voornhout 4-0 Leighton Jones
Jamie Britten 4-0 Thomas Flint
Harry Ward 4-2 Dirk van Duijvenbode
Aden Kirk 4-3 Lee Whitworth
Josh Payne 4-1 Matt Smith
Ben Songhurst 4-1 Tom Smith
Joe Twinn 4-3 Kieran Bridgewater
Jack Tweddell 4-1 Adam Crawford
Losers £25
Third Round
Adam Hunt 4-0 Sam Hill
Brandon Walsh 4-1 John de Kruijf
James Hubbard 4-0 Callum Loose
Ryan Newton 4-2 Joshua Richardson
Lewis Venes 4-2 Nicholas Day
Max Hopp 4-3 Dean Finn
Steve Lennon 4-1 Charlie Burns
James Thompson 4-2 Tommy Lishman
Mike Zuydwijk 4-0 Aaron Holdstock
Nick Kenny 4-2 Jordan Matthews
George Killington 4-3 Reece Robinson
Tommy Wilson 4-1 Rhys Hayden
Kevin Voornhout 4-1 Jamie Britten
Harry Ward 4-2 Aden Kirk
Ben Songhurst 4-1 Josh Payne
Jack Tweddell 4-2 Joe Twinn
Losers £50
Fourth Round
Brandon Walsh 4-2 Adam Hunt
James Hubbard 4-0 Ryan Newton
Max Hopp 4-3 Lewis Venes
Steve Lennon 4-2 James Thompson
Mike Zuydwijk 4-1 Nick Kenny
George Killington 4-2 Tommy Wilson
Kevin Voornhout 4-1 Harry Ward
Jack Tweddell 4-3 Ben Songhurst
Losers £100
Quarter-Finals
James Hubbard 4-1 Brandon Walsh
Max Hopp 4-2 Steve Lennon
George Killington 4-0 Mike Zuydwijk
Kevin Voornhout 4-3 Jack Tweddell
Losers £150
Semi-Finals
Max Hopp 4-2 James Hubbard
George Killington 4-1 Kevin Voornhout
Losers £250
Final
George Killington 4-2 Max Hopp
Winner £1,000
Runner-Up £500