It’s been a long wait, but Phil Taylor is celebrating again !
After a barren spell stretching seven months, Taylor has won another ‘Major’ – clinching the title at the Players Championship Finals in Doncaster…..and what a dramatic final it was, as he won an incredible last leg decider
The Unicorn star beat Gary Anderson 13-12 to win the event for a second time in the three years of the tournament….and the little matter of a cheque for £60,000
It will be the perfect preparation for Taylor ahead of the start of the Premier League at the O2 in London on Thursday.
“I am so happy I can’t tell you,” he said.
“I honestly thought I was going to lose, because Gary put so much pressure on me and towards the end of the match, I thought my chance had gone.”
“I am going to be around for long time yet trying to win big titles, but this is extra special because I hadn’t won one for a long time,” he said.
What a final…..full of tension and drama.
Taylor was 4-3 up at the first break despite a succession of 180s from the Scot and Taylor’s finishing kept him in front.
Anderson though kept piling the pressure on and terrific finishes of 141 and a two-dart 90 got him to within one leg of Taylor.
He then reeled off three legs on the spin to move ahead of Taylor for the first time in the match….all of a sudden it was 10-8 to Anderson.
In the next leg, we reached one of those pivotal moments…..Anderson missed one dart at D10 to break Taylor and go 11-8 in front and Taylor held on.
The tension was unbelievable now!
The Scot also missed one dart at D7 to move 12-10 in front and it was Taylor’s turn to win three on the spin to take him to the verge of victory.
12-11 to Taylor and he then missed one dart at D16 for the match, as Anderson nailed d19 to force a dramatic deciding leg.
And Taylor won it in some style, with a brilliant 12 darter and a fantastic 128 finish to take the title.
It really was too close to call but this tournament win will mean so much for Taylor after that barren spell stretching all the way back to last August.
It was a great finale to a great tournament!
And Taylor had to produce some extra special to survive the semi-finals, because he was 0-5 and 1-6 down to Mervyn King.
King was struggling with a migraine but he came close to causing a shock…..Taylor kept his composure to win a classic…..it looked like going to a deciding leg, with King sat on D18, but Taylor won it in style with a 135 finish on the bull.
“I can now look forward to the Premier League!” said Taylor…..and he will, as he plays Adrian Lewis on Thursday at the O2.
This win though, as important to Taylor as many in his career, if not more so, because of the trials and tribulations he has been through in the last few months.
Results – Semi-Finals:
Gary Anderson 10-7 Steve Farmer
Mervyn King 8-10 Phil Taylor
Losers - £15,000
Final:
Gary Anderson 12-13 Phil Taylor
Winner - £60,000
Runner-up - £24,000
By STUART PYKE at the Doncaster Dome
Photo courtesy Lawrence Lustig / PDC