Team Unicorn ace Jamie Caven swept to victory in the first of the Players Championship tournaments in Canada.
Caven edged out Holland’s Michael van Gerwen 6-4 in the final…..it’s his third PDC Pro Tour victory, although he had to respond to a comeback from the Dutchman to claim the title.
He beat the likes of Steve Evans and Justin Pipe, before winning an all Unicorn quarter-final against Andy Hamilton and then he knocked out Dennis Priestley in the semi-finals…..Priestley was defending the Canadian title and of course, is in good form after his recent triumph in Australia.
It looked like being a simply job in the final for Caven…..he started with a 130 check-out and raced into a 4-0 lead before Van Gerwen finally got a leg on the board. The man they call ‘Jabba’ made it 5-1 and then missed four darts to win the final 6-1…..cue the Van Gerwen comeback, as he got it back to 5-4 but Caven held his nerve to clinch the win and a cheque for £5,000.
It was a good day for the Unicorn stable, with Wes Newton reaching the semi-finals and Colin Osborne, Andy Hamilton and Kevin Painter all getting through to the quarter-finals in Canada.
Newton has been one of the most consistent players on the Pro Tour during 2010 but he lost out 6-2 to Van Gerwen in those semi-finals. The Dutchman also accounted for Painter in the last eight by 6 legs to 4.
Osborne lost to Newton and Hamilton was beaten by Caven in the other quarter-finals at the Hilton, London Ontario.
John Part’s bid to win his home tournament ended in the 3rd Round, as Unicorn’s three-times World Champion was edged out 6-4 by Osborne.
At the same stage, Gary Mawson lost 6-1 to Colin Lloyd, while Barrie Bates went down by the same score to Justin Pipe.
In the 2nd Round, youngster Arron Monk was a 6-4 loser against Mark Walsh….he had beaten legendary American Larry Butler 6-3 in the first round.
The biggest disappointment from London, Ontario in the Saturday Players Championship event was the 6-3 1st Round defeat that Paul Nicholson suffered at the hands of Andy Jenkins.
Results: Quarter-Finals:
Jamie Caven 6-4 Andy Hamilton
Dennis Priestley 6-5 Mark Dudbridge
Michael van Gerwen 6-4 Kevin Painter
Wes Newton 6-2 Colin Osborne
Losers - £700
Semi-Finals:
Jamie Caven 6-2 Dennis Priestley
Michael van Gerwen 6-2 Wes Newton
Losers - £1,250
Final:
Jamie Caven 6-4 Michael van Gerwen
Winner - £5,000
Runner-up - £2,500
By STUART PYKE
Photo courtesy Laerence Lustig / PDC