Darts results: Gary Anderson hits nine-darter en route to Players Championship 25 glory

Anderson, a winner at Players Championship 24 last month, landed a nine-dart finish on his way to victory at the Barnsley Metrodome, before dispatching Rock to clinch his third ranking title of the year.

The two-time World Champion boasted a tournament average of 101.45 to seal the £12,000 top prize, which moves him top of the 2023 Players Championship Order of Merit with five events remaining.

After overcoming Damian Mol in his opener, Anderson achieved perfection in his second round clash against Keane Barry, averaging 105 in his 6-2 rout of the young Irishman. The 52-year-old then recorded a monstrous 113 average to topple European Champion Ross Smith, before averaging 108 and 107 in wins over Gerwyn Price and Danny Noppert respectively.

Anderson later recovered from 4-3 down to defy a spirited Jim Williams in the semi-finals, which set up a mouth-watering showdown against World Youth Champion Rock for the title. The Northern Irishman struck the first blow with an immediate break of throw, but Anderson responded with a 121 leveller on the bull, sparking a run of four straight legs for the Scot.

He converted a clinical 110 kill on tops to stretch his lead to 4-1, and while Rock stopped the rot in leg six, the veteran star restored his three-leg buffer with a 12-dart hold. Rock hit back with 67 and 72 combination finishes as he threatened to launch a late fightback, although Anderson had other ideas, producing an effortless 127 finish in leg ten to regain control at 6-4.

The Northern Irishman then paid the price for spurning two darts at double as Anderson moved to the cusp of victory at 7-4, before pinning double four moments later to cap off another terrific campaign.

“I’ve got nothing to lose. I just come up and throw darts and they’re going alright,” quipped Anderson, who also claimed the spoils at Players Championship Eight in March. “I last played in Leicester two weeks ago. Today is only the second time I’ve thrown since Andrew [Gilding] battered me on that stage!

“I was struggling at the end there. The young boys that do this every day of the week – hats off to them.

“I’m playing well, but I’m not looking too far ahead. I have my odd practice with Ryan [Searle], play in the Players Championships, and if I qualify for anything else in between it’s a bonus.”

Rock continued his remarkable consistency to reach a fourth Players Championship final of 2023, only to be denied in his bid for a first ranking title since last October.

The 22-year-old battled past Shaun Wilkinson in his opener, and after rallying from 5-3 down to edge out Simon Whitlock, he brushed aside Steve Lennon to secure his place in the last 16.

There, Rock reeled off six straight legs from 2-0 adrift to demolish Germany’s Daniel Klose, converting 170 and 136 checkouts to triumph with a 107 average.

The World Youth Champion then dumped out Rob Cross in the last eight, before denying his fellow countryman Brendan Dolan in an all-Northern Irish semi-final.

Like Anderson, Dolan also achieved perfection on a memorable day in Barnsley, producing his second perfect leg of 2023 in his quarter-final win against Martijn Kleermaker.

Former World Grand Prix runner-up Dolan also defeated Owen Bates, Dylan Slevin, Rusty-Jake Rodriguez and Danny Jansen in reaching the last four, which saw him pocket £4,000 in prize money.

Dolan was joined in the semi-finals by Welsh arrowsmith Williams, who saw off Mervyn King and Cam Crabtree in the latter stages of the campaign to record his best showing of the 2023 season.

Challenge Tour star Crabtree impressed in progressing to his maiden Players Championship quarter-final, with Cross, Noppert and Kleermaker also enjoying runs to the last eight.

Players Championship 25 results

Last 16 onwards

Last 16

• Martijn Kleermaker 6-4 Callan Rydz
• Brendan Dolan 6-4 Danny Jansen
• Josh Rock 6-2 Daniel Klose
• Rob Cross 6-5 Joe Cullen
• Gary Anderson 6-2 Gerwyn Price
• Danny Noppert 6-1 Martin Lukeman
• Cam Crabtree 6-4 Stephen Burton
• Jim Williams 6-3 Mervyn King

Quarter-Finals

• Brendan Dolan 6-3 Martijn Kleermaker
• Josh Rock 6-3 Rob Cross
• Gary Anderson 6-4 Danny Noppert
• Jim Williams 6-3 Cam Crabtree

Semi-Finals

• Josh Rock 7-5 Brendan Dolan
• Gary Anderson 7-5 Jim Williams

Final

• Gary Anderson 8-4 Josh Rock

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