Kevin Painter brushes past top opposition on his way to lifting the 2019 Porters Plymouth Open darts

FORMER PDC World Championship finalist Kevin Painter was the surprise name of the list of the entries for the 2019 Porters Plymouth Open, but showed his pedigree from the start, before brushing aside top opposition to lift the £800 winner’s cheque.

In one of his earlier matches “The Artist” hit six perfect darts before taking the leg in 11, two of 10 maximum scores which he achieved on the day.

Painter defeated Luke Johnson and Kieran Burns 4-0 and 4-1 respectively to move into the quarterfinals while in the other half of the draw, 23-year-old Somerset marksman, Tom Lonsdale, was also making good strides.

CHAMPION: Former PDC World Champion finalist Kevin Painter defeated a talented field to win the 2019 Porters Plymouth Open and carry off the winner's cheque of £800.

He ended the hopes of the current Plymouth Champion of Champions title holder Neil White when defeating him 4-1, before winning his last 16 match by the narrowest of margins after having been taken the full distance by Mark Shears.

Local marksman Andy Bates was another to give a good account of himself and achieved some excellent results on the day including a 4-0 victory over Plymouth’s Lee Doncaster, which he won in 14, 14, 11 and 20 for a single dart average of 33.97.

Before bowing out 5-4 in the last eight to Lonsdale, in what was one of the best encounters of the tournament, Bates hit 15 tons and a best leg of 13 darts while Lonsdale waded in with a 20-ton haul and at 4-4, hit the winning leg to progress to the last four.

Cornwall’s Simon McClary defeated Dan Scott 4-0 in the last 16 with a 25.38 average but could not replicate that form in the quarter’s and went down 5-2 to the former Plymouth Open winner John Mann.

Mann had come through a tough last 32 match against one of the pre-tournament favourites Antony Hayman but won 4-1 aided by a 14-darter before ending the hopes of Paul Barclay.

Barclay had caught the eye with solid victories early on but despite hitting an 11-darter in the last 16, Mann won 4-1 in 15, 15, 18, 19.

The third quarter final brought together two local marksmen in Glenn Halford and Lewis Dare.

Halford had earlier defeated George Gardner who was a finalist in Development Tour 10 in 2018 and Dare, who had won an earlier match with a 26.03 average had the distinction of achieving the highest checkout on the day of 164.

Both players gave their all. Halford hit 19 tons against Dare’s haul of 100x18 but at 4-4, Dare hit the winning double.

Also making good progress in Painter’s half of the draw was Devon Youth player Harry Bull and the two clashed in the last quarterfinal.

In the last 64, Bull hit 12 tons and a leg in 15 and carried that form into the last 32 where he hit 10 tons with his best game being achieved in 14.

Painter (31.31) progressed with a 5-0 victory, but Harry won himself a lot of new admirers with his performance on the day.

Tom Lonsdale was the first player to make the final when he defeated John Mann 5-0. He had been consistent throughout having converted four ton plus checkouts in getting to the last two.

Painter (27.83) was equally impressive in his semi and defeated Lewis Dare 5-0.

In a well contested final, the two players were evenly matched, and both hit two maximums as the first eight legs went with throw.

Painter (27.98) broke in leg nine and took the title when winning the next for a 6-4 victory.

The 51-year-old won the winner’s cheque of £800 with £300 going to Lonsdale and the record prizemoney of £1600 was shared down to the last 16.

RESULTS

Last 32: Andy Bates 4, Lee Doncaster 0; Shaun Vernall 4, Scott Thompson 2; Mark Shears 4, Steve Rice 1; Tom Lonsdale 4, Neil White 1; Simon McClary 4, Mike Nancholas 2; Dan Scott 4, Danny Bull 1; Paul Barclay 4, Tony Coomber 0; John Mann 4, Antony Hayman 1; George Gardner 4, Mark Turner 1; Glenn Halford 4, Jay James 1; Tony Tasker 4, Tom Clarke 0; Lewis Dare 4, Kevin Thompson 2; Harry Bull 4, Ashley Wilkes 2; Mark Bell 4, Dan Bunney 3; Kieran Burns 4, Paul Wallace 2; Kevin Painter 4, Luke Johnson 0.

Last 16: Bates 4, Vernall 1; Lonsdale 4, Shears 3; McClary 4, Scott 0; Mann 4, Barclay 1; Halford 4, Gardner 2; Dare 4, Tasker 2; Harry Bull 4, Bell 2; Painter 4, Burns 1.

Quarter Finals: Lonsdale 5, Bates 4; Mann 5, McClary 2; Dare 5, Halford 4; Painter 5, Harry Bull 0.

Semi-Finals: Lonsdale 5, Mann 0; Painter 5, Dare 0.

Final: Kevin Painter (27.98) beat Tom Lonsdale (25.97) 6-4.