Klaasen Claims John McEvoy Gold Dart Classic Title
J
ELLE
KLAASEN came from two sets down to defeat Vincent van der
Voort 3-2 in the final of the John McEvoy Gold Dart Classic
at Ireland's National Exhibition Centre in Killarney.
The 23-year-old won his first PDC title with a scintillating
display to see off his Master Darts stablemate and close
friend van der Voort.
Van der Voort won the first two sets of the final 2-1 in a
blistering start, hitting three 180s along the way.
However, the former Lakeside champion lifted his game to win
the third set without reply, thanks in part to two maximums
of his own.
He edged the fourth 2-1 to level matters, taking the
deciding leg with a neat 76 finish after scores of 180 and
140 pulled him clear.
Van der Voort led 1-0 in the final set, only for Klaasen to
level and then secure the win on double four - as his
opponent waited on 40 for the game.
"I'm delighted," said Klaasen afterwards. "This means so
much to me because I've worked so hard this year.
"I've had a very bad year-and-a-half but I'm back playing
well again now, which is thanks to joining the PDC in
January.
"It's been very hard for me. People in Holland said I
couldn't play darts any more and that I couldn't get back to
the top, but I've proven to myself - and hopefully to them
- that I'm back again.
"It was hard playing someone I knew so well in the final,
and when he went 2-0 up it made it even tougher for me. I
didn't start too well and missed a few doubles but I didn't
let him get any match darts so I'm very happy."
The win will ensure that Klaasen competes in the
Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship this December, with
his £5,000 first prize lifting him up the Players
Championship Order of Merit.
"That is the best part about this win," he admitted. "I was
eighth and now I'm probably first so I'm delighted that I
have earned a place at Alexandra Palace."
Klaasen overcame Wayne Atwood, Kevin Painter, Matt Clark and
Peter Manley on his way to the last eight, and whitewashed
Ronnie Baxter 3-0 in the quarter-finals.
Klaasen found himself 1-0 down in his semi-final against
Colin Lloyd, but produced finishes of 121, 112 and 110 in
taking the next three sets for victory.
Van der Voort also came from a set down in the semis,
producing a sensational display against Bob Anderson to win
3-1.
He hit eight 180s in winning the next three sets 2-0, 2-1
and 2-1 - including six perfect darts in one leg, which he
took in 11, and two maximums in another which he finished in
12.
Anderson, who turns 60 on Wednesday, was in superb form on
his way to his first semi-final for two years.
He swept past world number seven Andy Hamilton and failed to
drop a leg in his quarter-final whitewash of Dave Askew.
Ronnie Baxter's run to the last eight saw him take another
step towards sealing his place in the PartyBets.com Grand
Slam of Darts, with the top two non-qualified players in the
PDC Order of Merit following next weekend's Players
Championships in Holland earning spots.
Alan Tabern closed the gap on Kevin Painter a little by
reaching the last 16, with Painter defeated by Klaasen in
the last 64.
Lloyd's run to the semis included a walkover win over Dennis
Priestley, who withdrew through illness whilst leading
during their last 16 game.
Kerry's Sean Marshall reached the fourth round, a feat
matched by Ali Powell, who knocked out Roland Scholten.
The John McEvoy Bronze Youth Dart knockout was won by Sean
McArdle, who came from 2-0 down to defeat Shane Nolan 3-2.
Sara Rose defeated Maureen Kelly 4-3 in the final of the
John McEvoy Silver Dart womens event.
John McEvoy Gold Dart Classic
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Final Jelle Klaasen 3-2 Vincent van der Voort (1-2, 1-2, 2-0, 2-1, 2-1) Winner £5,000 Runner-Up £2,500 |
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Semi-Finals Jelle Klaasen 3-1 Colin Lloyd (1-2, 2-0, 2-1, 2-1) Vincent van der Voort 3-1 Bob Anderson (1-2, 2-0, 2-1, 2-1) Losers £1,250 |
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Quarter-Finals Colin Lloyd 3-0 Colin Monk Jelle Klaasen 3-0 Ronnie Baxter Vincent van der Voort 3-1 Colin Osborne Bob Anderson 3-0 Dave Askew Losers £600 |
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Round Five Colin Monk 3-2 Alan Tabern Colin Lloyd v Dennis Priestley - Lloyd wins, Priestley forfeited through illness Ronnie Baxter 3-1 Mark Walsh Jelle Klaasen 3-1 Peter Manley Colin Osborne 3-1 Steve Maish Vincent van der Voort 3-0 Wayne Mardle Bob Anderson 3-2 Barrie Bates Dave Askew 3-1 Andy Jenkins Losers £300 |
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Round Four Colin Monk 3-1 Sean Marshall Alan Tabern 3-2 Toon Greebe Colin Lloyd 3-1 Tony Eccles Dennis Priestley 3-0 Dennis McCarthy Mark Walsh 3-0 Adrian Lewis Ronnie Baxter 3-2 Gary Welding Peter Manley 3-2 Adrian Gray Jelle Klaasen 3-1 Matt Clark Steve Maish 3-1 Michael van Gerwen Colin Osborne 3-2 Mark Dudbridge Vincent van der Voort 3-0 Ali Powell Wayne Mardle 3-0 Steve Smith Bob Anderson 3-1 Andy Hamilton Barrie Bates 3-1 Robert Watson-Lang Dave Askew 3-2 Dave Ladley Andy Jenkins 3-2 Denis Ovens Losers £150 |
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Round Three Sean Marshall 3-1 Tommy O'Reilly Colin Monk 3-1 Pakie O'Donovan Alan Tabern 3-1 Mark Howard Toon Greebe 3-2 Chris Mason Colin Lloyd 3-0 Arthur O'Brien Tony Eccles 3-2 Steve Beaton Dennis Priestley 3-0 Roy Baillie Dennis McCarthy 3-1 Sean McGowan Adrian Lewis 3-1 Mark Stephenson Mark Walsh 3-0 Michael Byrne Ronnie Baxter 3-1 Jim McKevitt Gary Welding 3-2 Wayne Jones Peter Manley 3-1 Alan Caves Adrian Gray 3-0 Jason Barry Jelle Klaasen 3-1 Kevin Painter Matt Clark 3-2 Michael O'Sullivan Michael van Gerwen 3-0 John Ferrell Steve Maish 3-0 Ian Branks Mark Dudbridge 3-0 Gary Coyne Colin Osborne 3-0 Peter Waters Ali Powell 3-2 Roland Scholten Vincent van der Voort 3-2 Steve Brown Wayne Mardle 3-0 Robbie Parker Steve Smith 3-2 Mick McGowan Andy Hamilton 3-0 Jimmy Murray Bob Anderson 3-0 Pete Allen Barrie Bates 3-1 Joe Byrne Robert Watson-Lang 3-2 Jason Cullen Dave Ladley 3-0 Alan O'Reilly Dave Askew 3-1 Mick Barry Andy Jenkins 3-2 Lionel Sams Denis Ovens 3-0 Gerry Healy Losers £75 |
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Round Two Tommy O'Reilly Bye (Raymond van Barneveld) Sean Marshall 3-0 Trevor Cullen Colin Monk 3-2 Dennis Smith Pakie O'Donovan 3-2 Peter Quinn Alan Tabern 3-0 Kieran Murray Mark Howard 3-1 Patrick Murphy Chris Mason 3-0 Derek White Toon Greebe 3-0 Paul Radford Colin Lloyd 3-0 Martin Murphy Arthur O'Brien 3-1 David French Steve Beaton 3-1 Ben Burton Tony Eccles 3-0 Jason McGann Dennis Priestley 3-0 Daniel Wiles Roy Baillie 3-0 Andy Price Dennis McCarthy 3-1 Alan Warriner-Little Sean McGowan 3-0 Robert Kelly Adrian Lewis 3-0 Shane O'Connor Mark Stephenson 3-2 Dermot Kellehir Mark Walsh 3-0 Paul Madden Michael Byrne 3-1 Anthony Wade Ronnie Baxter 3-2 Kevin McDine Jim McKevitt 3-1 Martin Murphy Wayne Jones 3-0 Ken Moran Gary Welding 3-0 Chris Sargeant Peter Manley 3-0 Liam Miley Alan Caves 3-0 John Dunne Adrian Gray 3-0 John MaGowan Jason Barry 3-1 Damie Foley Kevin Painter 3-0 Ray Farrell Jelle Klaasen 3-2 Wayne Atwood Michael O'Sullivan Bye (Andy Smith) Matt Clark 3-0 Tony Geraghty John Ferrell Bye (James Wade) Michael van Gerwen 3-1 Kieran Lennon Steve Maish 3-0 Eamonn Carey Ian Branks 3-1 Simon Wykes Mark Dudbridge 3-0 Joe Collins Gary Coyne 3-2 Noel McCarthy Colin Osborne 3-1 Connie Finnan Peter Evison 3-0 Peter Waters Roland Scholten 3-0 Barney Reddy Ali Powell 3-1 Gary Bradley Vincent van der Voort 3-2 Brian Cullen Steve Brown 3-0 Mick Clampett Wayne Mardle 3-0 Raymie Williamson Robbie Parker 3-0 Paul Leahy Mick McGowan 3-0 Andrew Spillane Steve Smith 3-0 Vidal Pugales Andy Hamilton 3-0 Sean Palfrey Jimmy Murray 3-1 Kevin Hill Bob Anderson 3-1 Dave Honey Barrie Bates 3-1 Jason Clark Joe Byrne 3-0 Jamie Kellehir Jason Cullen 3-2 Wes Newton Robert Watson-Lang 3-1 Jimmy Leahy Alan O'Reilly Bye (Terry Jenkins) Dave Ladley 3-2 Benny Grace Dave Askew 3-0 Lyndon Inchoco Mick Barry 3-0 John McEvoy Andy Jenkins 3-0 Andrew Coulter Lionel Sams 3-1 Patrick Moylan Denis Ovens 3-1 Stephen McDonnell Gerry Healy 3-2 Gareth Walsh |
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