Ross Smith denied a resurgent Gary Anderson to claim Players Championship 5 glory and celebrate his second ProTour title in Barnsley on Saturday.
Smith came through a topsy-turvy encounter against Anderson to scoop the £12,000 top prize and clinch his third PDC title on an entertaining day of action at the Barnsley Metrodome.
The European champion claimed a host of major scalps en route to victory, before defying a spirited fightback from Anderson to deny the Scot a first ranking title since February 2020.
Smith seized the early initiative in Saturday’s showpiece, reeling off three consecutive legs to establish a 4-1 cushion, only for Anderson to respond with a classy 124 checkout in leg six.
Smith restored his three-leg buffer before the Scot replied with three straight legs of his own to level at five apiece, and a clinical 120 checkout in leg 11 catapulted Anderson into a 6-5 advantage.
However, Smith regained control with back-to-back 15-dart legs to move to the brink of victory at 7-6, before sealing the deal on tops after Anderson was unable to produce a 116 skin-saver.
“I think I thoroughly deserved the win if you look at the calibre of players I’ve beaten,” reflected Smith, who now moves into the world’s top 16 for the first time in his career.
“I felt a bit edgy against Gary, but I told myself to just concentrate and stop thinking, and thankfully I got away with it, because we all know what Gary can do.
“I just play the player in front of me. I try to keep my feet on the ground. Nothing has been going right for me on the floor, but that changed today.
“I wasn’t quite expecting it. My confidence hasn’t been the greatest of late, so I am really happy to win this title.”
2023 Players Championship 5 results
Last 16
- Ross Smith 6-3 Dimitri Van den Bergh
- Nathan Aspinall 6-2 Madars Razma
- Martin Schindler 6-2 Danny van Trijp
- Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-2 Jeffrey De Zwaan
- Gary Anderson 6-4 Keegan Brown
- Chris Landman 6-5 Radek Szaganski
- Gerwyn Price 6-4 Nathan Rafferty
- Raymond van Barneveld 6-1 Kevin Doets
Quarter-finals
- Ross Smith 6-3 Nathan Aspinall
- Martin Schindler 6-4 Dirk van Duijvenbode
- Gary Anderson 6-4 Chris Landman
- Gerwyn Price 6-1 Raymond van Barneveld
Semi-finals
- Ross Smith 7-6 Martin Schindler
- Gary Anderson 7-5 Gerwyn Price
Final
- Ross Smith 8-6 Gary Anderson
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