Champions League of Darts: Gary Anderson defeats Peter Wright 11-4 to win the title for the first time
Gary Anderson won the Champions League of Darts for the first time after defeating Peter Wright 11-4 in the final.
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The Flying Scotsman claims his third big TV major of 2018 having also won the UK Open and World Matchplay for the first time in his incredible career, which also includes two world titles and two Premier League crowns.
Anderson had earlier avenged his 2017 Champions League final defeat to Mensur Suljovic with an 11-4 triumph in the semi-final before seeing off his fellow Scot by the same scoreline in the final.
But most of the drama involving the Flying Scotsman came in his final group game during the afternoon session, when he survived two missed match darts from Michael van Gerwen in a deciding leg which would have knocked him out.
He then returned to the oche to land a showstopping 140 checkout to send the Brighton crowd wild - and more importantly send him into the knockout stages as Group A runner-up behind MVG.
Anderson was far too good for a tired Wright, who came from 8-5 down to defeat MVG 11-9 in a gruelling semi-final, and landed three 10-dart finishes during a clinical display.
He said: "I'm over the moon to win, it was a hard weekend and I struggled at times but came good in the end," said Anderson, who has also won the UK Open, World Matchplay and US Darts Masters in 2018.
"I just turn up and play my game but it's going alright so far this year. It's been a good weekend."
Anderson also landed seven perfect darts in his bid for a nine-darter which would have earned the Brighton crowd a share of a £50,000 prize offered by sponsors Paddy Power.
"I had a good go at the nine-darter, I really tried for the fans all weekend," he added. "Now I'm looking forward to having a few days at home - my little man [son Tai] will love this trophy!"
Anderson flew out of the blocks in the final, breaking the Wright throw three times as he raced into a commanding 6-1 lead.
Wright fought hard to stay in the game but a 4-7 deficit was as close as he came to halting his World Cup of Darts teammate's march to glory.
Anderson reeled off the next four legs in typically quick fashion, ending the game with three ten-dart legs and a 65% checkout rate to land his maiden Champions League title.
Despite falling at the final hurdle, it was a positive weekend for Wright, who had previously failed to make it out of the group stage in the previous two years of the event.
"I think I just ran out of steam," Wright admitted. "I played really well but I had nothing left in the final.
"Gary is the man to beat at the moment and I believe I lost to the best player of the weekend.
"It was a pleasure to play in front of such an amazing crowd."
Sunday afternoon's final group matches had seen Wright join Suljovic in progressing from Group B with a 10-3 win over World Champion Rob Cross.
A disappointed Cross said: "I didn't play anywhere near my best. I was so determined to play well but it didn't happen for me.
"It wasn't good enough this weekend and I've got to take it on the chin. We've got lots of big events coming up and I know what I've got to work on to put it right."
Northern Ireland's Daryl Gurney, meanwhile, agonisingly missed out in Group A, with his 10-7 win over Dave Chisnall coming in vain when Anderson edged past Van Gerwen by taking out 140 in the deciding leg of their contest.
Gurney conceded: "I couldn't have done much more. I gave it my all and to win two games out of three in a group like that is a good achievement."
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Champions League of Darts tables
- The four eight players were be split into two groups of four players, with the top two progressing to the semi-finals.
- Scroll down for daily match schedule & results
GROUP A
- Michael van Gerwen P 3 W 2 L 1 LegDiff +10 Pts 4
- Gary Anderson P 3 W 2 L 1 LegDiff +6 Pts 4
- Daryl Gurney P 3 W 2 L 1 LegDiff +2 Pts 4
- Dave Chisnall P 3 W 0 L 3 LegDiff -18 Pts 0
GROUP B
- Mensur Suljovic P 3 W 3 L 0 LegDiff +14 Pts 6
- Peter Wright P 3 W 2 L 1 LegDiff +7 Pts 4
- Rob Cross P 3 W 1 L 2 LegDiff -7 Pts 2
- Simon Whitlock P 3 W 0 L 3 LegDiff -14 Pts 0
Champions League of Darts: Daily Results
Saturday September 22
Afternoon Session
Group Stage Matches (Best of 19 legs)
Live on BBC 1 from 1315-1630 BST
- Rob Cross 8-10 Mensur Suljovic (B)
- Peter Wright 10-7 Simon Whitlock (B)
- Gary Anderson 8-10 Daryl Gurney (A)
- Michael van Gerwen 10-2 Dave Chisnall (A)
Evening Session
Group Stage (Best of 19 legs)
Live on BBC 2 from 1845-2215 BST
- Rob Cross 10-8 Simon Whitlock (B)
- Peter Wright 7-10 Mensur Suljovic (B)
- Gary Anderson 10-3 Dave Chisnall (A)
- Michael van Gerwen 10-7 Daryl Gurney (A)
CLICK HERE FOR DAY ONE REVIEW, VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS, INTERVIEWS & STATS
Sunday September 25
Afternoon Session
Group Stage (Best of 19 legs)
Live on BBC 2 from 1315-1630 BST
- Mensur Suljovic 10-1 Simon Whitlock (B)
- Peter Wright 10-3 Rob Cross (B)
- Daryl Gurney 10-7 Dave Chisnall (A)
- Michael van Gerwen 9-10 Gary Anderson (A)
Evening Session
Knockout Stages (Best of 21 legs)
Live on BBC 2 from 1830-2200 BST
Semi-Finals
- Mensur Suljovic 4-11 Gary Anderson (SF 1)
- Michael van Gerwen 9-11 Peter Wright (SF 2)
Final (best of 21 legs)
- Peter Wright 4-11 Gary Anderson
CLICK HERE FOR DAY TWO REVIEW, VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS, INTERVIEWS & STATS