Take a bow Colin Osborne!
He has finally ended a long wait for a tournament win, as he clinched the second German Darts Classic on Sunday in Gladbeck, making it a Unicorn double after James Wade’s success on Saturday.
Osborne has had to wait two years for that sweet taste of victory….it has been a barren spell, but this win will hopefully spur ‘Ozzy’ on to bigger and better things for the rest of the year.
Back in October 2009, he won Championship League Darts (beating Phil Taylor in the final) and soon after, he won a Players Championship tournament in Scotland.
So this success will mean a lot to Osborne, who has seen himself drop out of the world’s top 20 in recent months.
He overcame youngster James Richardson 6-2 in the final, having lost only 13 legs in seven matches on the day in Gladbeck!
This was Osborne back to something like his best.
He lost the first leg of the final but levelled with a superb 160 finish and then experience told….Richardson was appearing in his first professional final and missed some crucial doubles, as Osborne put the pressure on.
The Unicorn man hit two 14 dart legs, including the one where he clinched that illusive tournament victory on D18.
Earlier, Osborne took out Meszaros Zsolt, Peter Martin, Kevin Munch, Terry Temple and Chris Aubrey, before he came from 0-2 down to beat Mark Walsh 6-2 in the semi-finals.
It was a good professional performance from Osborne.
The other highlight of the day was provided by Wes Newton, who hit a spectacular 9-darter, but he lost the match.
The Fleetwood star hit his perfect leg in his 2nd Round match against William O’Connor, but he was beaten 6-4 by the Irishman.
Incredibly, he is the 17th player to hit a 9 darter this year and Newton pockets a £1,200 bonus for his achievement.
Paul Nicholson though, will be hugely disappointed at a semi-final exit at the hands of young Richardson, because he looked in good touch all day.
He won three all Unicorn clashes and looked on course for the final, until that 6-3 defeat to Richardson.
Nicholson beat Arron Monk 6-1 in the 2nd Round, Terry Jenkins 6-4 in the last 16 and Jamie Caven was beaten 6-4 in the quarter-finals.
James Wade couldn’t repeat Saturday’s German Darts Classic triumph, as he bowed out in the last 32 after a 6-4 defeat to Peter Wright, but he will still be delighted with his weekend’s work….a much needed return to winning ways and big confidence boost for the world No.3
Kevin Painter also lost in round three, as he went down in a last leg decider to Wayne Jones.
In the 2nd Round, Andy Hamilton was well beaten 6-1 by Michael Smith and Joe Cullen disappointing weekend was completed with a 6-3 loss to Wright.
Three Team Unicorn players fell at the first hurdle….Devon Petersen (3-6 Andy Jenkins), Michael Rosenauer (3-6 Mareno Michels) and Steffi Luck (0-6 Steve Farmer)
Results – Q/Finals:
Colin Osborne 6-2 Chris Aubrey
Mark Walsh 6-5 Michael van Gerwen
Paul Nicholson 6-4 Jamie Caven
James Richardson 6-4 Steve Farmer
Losers - £1,000
Semi-Finals:
Colin Osborne 6-2 Mark Walsh
James Richardson 6-3 Paul Nicholson
Losers - £2,000
Final:
Colin Osborne 6-2 James Richardson
Winner - £6,000
Runner-up - £3,000
By STUART PYKE
Photo courtesy Henk Westerdaal/prodarts-europe.com