Kim Huybrechts (Picture: Kais Bodensieck/PDC Europe)

Darts results: Kim Huybrechts wins Players Championship 3

By Sporting Life

Darts

Sat February 18, 2023 · 2y ago

Kim Huybrechts stormed to Players Championship 3 victory in Barnsley on Saturday, courtesy of a comprehensive 8-1 win against Germany’s number one Gabriel Clemens.

Huybrechts produced a series of dominant displays to scoop the £12,000 top prize at the Barnsley Metrodome, before dispatching Clemens in Saturday's showpiece to clinch his first PDC title since 2015.

Clemens suffered an 8-0 whitewash defeat at the hands of Dirk van Duijvenbode in a ProTour final 12 months ago, and he looked poised to suffer the same fate at one stage.

Huybrechts drew first blood with a clinical two-dart 78 checkout, before punishing Clemens’ profligacy to race into a 5-0 lead, despite the German having darts at double to win four of those legs.

The Antwerp ace then converted 70 and 117 finishes in consecutive legs to move to the brink of victory at 7-0, only for Clemens to open his account in leg eight with a 103 outshot.

However, that only provided Clemens with a temporary reprieve, as Huybrechts sealed the deal with a 16-dart hold via double eight to return to the winner’s circle in style.

'I believe in my own ability'

"This means the world to me. I’m so happy," reflected Huybrechts, celebrating his fifth PDC title.

"I've been working really hard since the World Championship. I lost two games last weekend with a 103 and 98 average and I was thinking this can't happen all the time, but the level is so high these days.

"When I won my last title, I was on the up. My name was always there and now I wasn’t even in the conversation, so this win means everything.

"I want to be back in that top 16. I want to be qualified for everything. I want to be up there again in the top 10 of the world.

"That is my goal and some people will say I won’t reach it, but you have to set goals in your life, and I believe in my own ability.”

Huybrechts underlined his credentials with a stunning opening-round win over Devon Petersen, averaging 112 to sweep aside the South African.

Huybrechts then saw off Players Championship 1 semi-finalist Dylan Slevin and posted a 102 average to overcome Premier League star Nathan Aspinall, before easing past Ricardo Pietreczko to book his last quarter-final spot.

The 37-year-old then defied a valiant fightback from Josh Rock to secure his spot in the semi-finals, producing a 13-dart hold in a last-leg decider after Rock came roaring back from 5-1 down to level.

This set up a semi-final showdown against Gerwyn Price and the Belgian ran out a convincing 7-3 winner, despite a brief rally from Price midway through the contest.

Clemens – appearing in his seventh PDC final – was unable to land his elusive first ranking title, but he continued his strong start to 2023 to secure the £8,000 runner-up prize.

The World Championship semi-finalist cruised past Jules van Dongen in his opener, which he followed up with wins over Jose Justicia, Kevin Doets and European champion Ross Smith.

Clemens continued his progress with a quarter-final victory over Latvia’s Madars Razma, before reeling off four consecutive legs from 4-3 adrift to defeat Canada’s Matt Campbell in the last four.