Darts results: Peter Wright makes history with 123.5 average but Brendan Dolan wins Players Championship 29
Brendan Dolan continued his resurgence by winning Players Championship 29 in Barnsley on Monday, while Peter Wright set a new record for the highest ever recorded average in a live broadcast match.
Having ended his five-year wait for a PDC title at Players Championship 22 in August, Dolan made it two in just over months with a hard-fought 8-6 win over Ian White in the final.
The Northern Irishman fired in averages of 104.9 and 104.8 in victories over Mark Webster and Gerwyn Price respectively on his way to the semi-finals, before overcoming record-breaker Wright in a last-leg decider to reach the final.
"I can still do it, I played quality darts today at the right times and I think I deserved any luck I got," said Dolan, who now has six PDC titles to his name.
"The one in Hildesheim was more of a relief, whereas today I came into it with more belief that I could win having done it recently.
"When you've not been winning for five years your confidence is not so high and winning in Hildesheim has drastically changed that.
"In my head today I was determined to add money to my ranking to give me shot of qualifying for the 2020 World Matchplay and World Grand Prix.
"I've missed those two events for the last three years and it's killed me not being there, so hopefully next year I will be."
Former World Grand Prix runner-up Dolan produced checkouts of 136 and 161 to hold throw in two of the opening four legs of the final, before finding his way through to double three for the first break of the match in leg seven to take a 4-3 lead.
Another ton-plus finish, this time a 108, opened up a two-leg cushion for Dolan, an advantage which he soon doubled by taking the next two legs.
White then began a spirited comeback and, after Dolan squandered three match darts in leg 12, found himself within a leg at 6-7.
However, Dolan held firm and a strong leg on throw ended with him finally hitting the match-winning double at the fifth attempt.
Earlier in the day, Wright averaged 123.5 in his 6-0 quarter-final win against Krzysztof Ratajski, the highest ever recorded in a live broadcast darts match.
The previous record broadcast average was 123.4, set by Michael van Gerwen in a 7-1 defeat of Michael Smith in the 2016 Premier League and Wright edged past it in a match streamed online.
Elsewhere, the day was also a significant one for Ron Meulenkamp who reached his sixth ProTour semi-final, but the Dutchman was unable to break his duck having never yet made a final.
Players Championship 29 results
For full tournament results and match-by-match stats head to tv.dartconnect.com
Last 16
- Ian White 6-5 Jose De Sousa
- Joe Cullen 6-4 Joe Murnan
- Ron Meulenkamp 6-5 Daryl Gurney
- Dave Chisnall 6-5 Stephen Bunting
- Gerwyn Price 6-4 Devon Petersen
- Brendan Dolan 6-2 Callan Rydz
- Peter Wright 6-2 Jonny Clayton
- Krzysztof Ratajski 6-5 Michael Smith
Quarter-finals
- Ian White 6-1 Joe Cullen
- Ron Meulenkamp 6-3 Dave Chisnall
- Brendan Dolan 6-2 Gerwyn Price
- Peter Wright 6-0 Krzysztof Ratajski
Semi-finals
- Ian White 7-5 Ron Meulenkamp
- Brendan Dolan 7-6 Peter Wright
Final
- Brendan Dolan 8-6 Ian White