Two-time world champion showed his class over three days and took home the top prize of £12,000; We’re back for the double in, double out World Grand Prix Darts at the Morningside Arena in Leicester from October 2 to 8 – live on Sky Sports
Last updated: 09/29/23 8:13 PM
Gary Anderson defeated Ryan Joyce 8-4 to capture the Players Championship 24 title
Gary Anderson won his second ranking title of 2023 on Friday, continuing his excellent form in Barnsley by beating Ryan Joyce 8-4 in the Players Championship 24 final.
The two-time world champion has shown his class with three great days on the PDC ProTour this week, culminating in him taking home the £12,000 top prize on Friday.
On a day when Luke Woodhouse and Michael van Gerwen completed a nine-dart finish, it was Anderson’s continued brilliance that lifted the Scot to victory.
After opening his challenge with a win over Frenchman Jacques Labre, Anderson averaged over 107 to beat Daniel Klose and then averaged over 100 in wins over Stephen Burton, Kim Huybrechts – in a whitewash of the Belgian – and Martin Lukeman.
He then defeated Stephen Bunting 7-5 in the semi-final, before capturing the title with an average of 103.68 against Joyce.
Anderson won the first three legs of the final without reply and also led 6–2 before Joyce took back-to-back legs to halve the deficit.
However, the Scot ruthlessly stopped the battle with an 11-darter before firing a 12-darter to seal the title – a welcome boost ahead of next week’s BoyleSports World Grand Prix.
“I’m happy with that,” said Anderson, who had lost in the quarterfinals on Wednesday and the semifinals on Thursday.
“My training during the (summer) holidays was not great, but I came here with a good feeling. Yesterday and the day before yesterday I played well; I have new darts, they are going well.
“If you bring me to a dartboard these days, I like to play darts. I just show up and play darts, and I giggle when I win.”
Joyce had been attempting to claim his second Players Championship title after winning the second ProTour final of 2023, with Damon Heta denying Newcastle’s ace earlier in July.
He defeated four Dutchmen in six wins on Friday, with an average of 105.76 in his 6-3 victory over Michael van Gerwen in the quarter-final, as he stormed from two legs down to the last four.
He also defeated Wednesday’s beaten finalist Christian Kist and emerging talents Danny van Trijp and Jurjen van der Velde, as well as enjoying a second round victory over Ritchie Edhouse and a 7-3 semi-final success against Jonny Clayton .
Wales’ Clayton enjoyed his best run since reaching July’s World Matchplay final. He beat Heta 6–1 in the quarter-finals and got past Joe Cullen in a tight draw in the last 16.
Bunting followed up his run at the German Darts Open final in Jena earlier in September by reaching a second Players Championship semi-final of the year, posting averages of over three tons in five wins.
Van Gerwen hit a sensational nine-dart finish during his stunning win over Chris Dobey in the last 16, with the Dutchman averaging 111.42 – which followed an average of 112.32 in a third-round win over Pascal Rupprecht.
Woodhouse also achieved perfection in his first round victory over Richie Burnett on Friday, as the Bewdley ace prepares for his World Grand Prix debut next week.
Friday’s Players Championship event was the final ranking tournament before the World Grand Prix, which will be held at the Morningside Arena in Leicester from October 2 to 8.
We’re back for the double in, double out World Grand Prix Darts at the Morningside Arena in Leicester from October 2 to 8 – live on Sky Sports