Phil Taylor confirmed his return to form by winning the inaugural RTL7 International Masters in sensational fashion beating Raymond van Barneveld in the all Unicorn final.
Taylor silenced the home crowd in Holland to take the trophy and the 20,000 euro winner’s cheque on Monday night, with a dazzling display.
In the end, an 8-3 win with an end average of 113.60 told its own story. It was another phenomenal Taylor display.
There was only one winning leg over 14 darts as Barney felt ‘The Power’ at full voltage….and that average of just under 114 is the highest ever in a televised final.
Barney will be hugely disappointed, because he has been waiting for three years to beat Taylor again and after his performances throughout the event, he would have gone into the final with high hopes.
His consolation is prize money of 12,000 euro, but it was the win that he coveted more than the money.
It started well enough for the Dutchman, as he took the opening leg of the final with an 80 finish. But Taylor hit back to win three consecutive legs, including two 11 darters. He was clearly in the mood.
Barneveld got a leg back but the big moment in the final came in the 6th leg, when he missed two darts at D19 to break back and level the match at three apiece….Taylor nailed a 68 finish and the momentum swung his way.
‘The Power’ was running hot….two 13 dart legs followed, and although Barneveld managed to win a third leg, a sixth 180 and another 11 darter took Taylor to the verge of victory and D18 in the next leg gave him the title.
Taylor seems to be happy and contented again on and off the oche and it is certainly showing in his performances at the moment…..and if maintains this golden spell of form, it will take a special display from someone to stop him winning yet another Premier League crown.
Barney will be frustrated and he knows that he isn’t far away but he will also know that he needs a win over Taylor in a TV tournament this year, which would surely make a big difference.
In the semi-finals, Barneveld raced into a 4-0 lead against Vincent van der Voort and wasn’t going to lose from there. He hit six perfect darts in one leg and a succession of 12, 13 and 14 darters, for an 8-2 victory, an average of 102 and seven 180s.
Taylor saw off the challenge of Gary Anderson 8-4, but again it was closer than the scoreline suggests, with the Scot missing key doubles…..but Taylor didn’t, and at 3-3, he made the crucial break in the 7th leg – hitting seven T20s along the way! He missed the T19 but won the leg and went on to clinch an 8-4 win.
But this was another night to remember for Unicorn’s 15 times World Champion.
Results – Semi-Finals:
Vincent van der Voort 2-8 Raymond van Barneveld
Phil Taylor 8- 4 Gary Anderson
Final:
Raymond van Barneveld 3-8 Phil Taylor
• Meanwhile, some good news surrounding Unicorn’s former Ladies World Champion Anastasia Dobromyslova…..she has won her first tournament since returning to the ranks of the BDO. Ana beat Lorraine Farlam in the final of the Mariflex Open at the weekend.
By STUART PYKE (Twitter @stuartpykesport)
Main photo courtesy Henk Westerdaal / BMAP
Other photos courtesy Chris Sargeant