It was another awesome display from Raymond Van Barneveld to take yet another PDC ‘Major’ – and he remains on course for darts Grand Slam.
The five knock-out tournaments included in the history-making Grand Slam are the World Championship, UK Open, Las Vegas Desert Classic, World Matchplay and World Grand Prix…..and Barney has now followed up his amazing World Championship win with victories at Bolton and now Vegas.
It has been an amazing 18 months for Barneveld, since he switched to the PDC and his win over Terry Jenkins at the Mandalay Bay, adds to his roll of honour. For Jenkins – it was more disappointment after losing his third major final in nine months. The World No.5 was beaten by Phil Taylor in both the World Grand Prix and Premier League Finals.
Barneveld averaged over 100 all tournament and he lost only 19 legs in five matches. It was a super-charged sizzling display in the Vegas heat.
He dominated the final and it was just one step too far for Jenkins. Barney set the tone with a 161 check-out in the third leg and a 112 in the fifth leg and he soon took control – racing into a 10-3 lead. He banged in another 112 finish, there were two 11-darters, two 12-darters and 180s in four consecutive legs.
Jenkins won three more legs but it only delayed the end and the Barneveld celebrations. The Dutch darting ace so nearly won it in style with a 160 checkout but double top finally earned him the title and £20,000.
A certain Philip Taylor will have been watching on with interest and ‘The Power’ knows exactly what he has to do! He is sure to be firing come that World Matchplay.
John Part gave it his best shot in a sensational semi-final but it was Barneveld who got revenge for his defeat at the hands of the Canadian in the Vegas final 12 months ago.
Both players were in brilliant tungsten touch and in the end, the difference was Barney’s finishing. He didn’t miss a dart at a double until the 11th leg of the match and despite a brave display from Part, the Dutchman just had the edge.
Part averaged nearly 101 and Barney 101.43….it was that good. John Part started the match with his first 180 but Barney won it with a 12 darter. Part broke straight back and led 2-1. Then 102 and 72 finishes saw the World Champion edge ahead.
That set the pattern for a classic! After 10 legs, Part had brilliantly checked out 130, only to see Barneveld do exactly the same with a 130 bull finish. He won the next two and an 8-4 lead was always going to be too much for Part to claw back. He did break back to trail 7-9 but Barneveld really was lethal on the finishing…..he hit 91 and 76 to wrap up victory.
But this was just another example of Part getting back to something like his very best and he will surely be a big player at the World Matchplay in Blackpool at the end of July. He really is one of the best in the business and has proved it again during Vegas week.
In the other semi-final, Unicorn star Peter Manley left himself too much to do against Terry Jenkins. ‘One Dart’ couldn’t match Jenkins scoring and was always playing catch-up and with it went his hopes of winning the Desert Classic for a second time.
Manley was a full nine points behind on the averages…..89 to Jenkins 98….and those figures didn’t lie.
The opening four legs all went with throw, including a 104 finish from Manley but that’s when Jenkins took control. ‘The Bull’ reeled off five consecutive legs and he wasn’t going to lose from there.
Manley did threaten a comeback by winning three consecutive legs, so he trailed 5-7 and he also got it back to just 8-9 down but Jenkins finished the match in style. With Manley throwing first in the 20th leg, Jenkins found his 4th and 5th 180s and he then closed out an 11-8 victory on his own throw.
It’s the second time in nine months that Manley has been denied a place in a ‘Major’ final by Jenkins. He lost to the man from Herefordshire in the semi-finals of the World Grand Prix in Dublin last October……but a cheque for £7,000 will be some consolation!
Semi-final results:
Peter Manley 8-11 Terry Jenkins
John Part 7-11 Raymond Van Barneveld
Losers - £7,000
Final:
Terry Jenkins 6-13 Raymond Van Barneveld
Winner - £20,000
Runner-up - £10,000
BY STUART PYKE