DAVE Walker took a stunning victory in the Portland Xmas Darts Competition – while on a fishing holiday to Dorset.
Walker, a Northamptonshire County A player, embarked on a festive break to fish on Chesil Beach with his wife.
After seeing the darts event advertised on Facebook he entered and duly won, beating Henry Cooper 5-3 in the final to win £1,000 at the Conservative Club in Easton.
Walker had reached the final after picking up the scalp of PDC player Rob Modra, ranked 14th in the world – Modra is also Australian PDC star Simon Whitlock’s playing partner.
Cooper, a local player, was in the form of his life to defeat 2015 BDO world champion Scott Mitchell of Bransgore in round two, winning 3-1 – Mitchell later making the 2020 BDO semi-finals at the O2 in London.
Elsewhere in the men’s singles, 16-year-old Liam Blakley caused a stir by reaching the semi-finals, eventually losing to Cooper.
The men’s blind pairs is proving a popular start to the event, where partners are re-drawn in each round.
Australian ace Modra and Somerset’s Mike Harper took the spoils, defeating Dorset manager John Clark and Super League player Owen Bowden from Shaftesbury in the final.
In the ladies’ singles, Dorset star Sam Kirton beat fellow county ace Peri Yarrow 3-2 in the final.
Wyke Super League player Verity Lee Wood won the ladies' plate event.
Yarrow was paired up in the ladies’ blind pairs final with local Super League player Cindy Ellery to secure victory.
Prize money this year totalled £1,750 plus an additional £1,000 for the men’s singles winner sponsored by Real World Services.
Organiser Andy Masters, who has overseen the fourth annual running of the event, wished to thank main sponsors South Portland Conservative Club, the Isle of Portland Darts League and Real World Services plus Hull Gregson & Hull, GP Metals & GP Locomotive, Paul Paice Blinds & Beds, Perryfield Bodyworks, Pebble Beach Florists, Steve Jones Plan Design, Nickys Taxis and The Carpetman.
Masters helped present prizes to the winners alongside club steward Brian Simpson and Jennie Pile from GP Metals & GP Locomotive.
Masters thanked all sponsors who supported the event and Portland’s Ladies Super League captain Jose Macleod for running the ladies’ competition.
CONTACT ME:
t: 01305 830990
e: neil.walton
@dorsetecho.co.uk
twitter: @EchoSportNeil
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