Danny Jansen claimed his first PDC ranking title at Players Championship Nine in Barnsley on Friday, less than three months since securing professional status.
Many, including in his home nation were surprised by the youngster gaining his tour card this year. His victory yesterday forms a double surprise!
Jansen defeated Andrew Gilding 8-6 in the final, having taken the scalps of Peter Wright, Dave Chisnall and Krzysztof Ratajski.
The 19-year-old Dutchman, who only took up the sport in 2016, scoops the £10,000 star prize in just his ninth Players Championship event since winning a PDC Tour Card for the first time in January.
“I’m feeling so good, this is unbelievable,” said Jansen.
“It’s crazy, I thought I would be able to win games on the tour but to win a title so early is more than I expected.
“I love to play here in the PDC with the big names in darts, and now I feel I belong among them.
“My target this year is to qualify for the World Championship.”
Jansen’s day began with victories over Radek Szaganski and William O’Connor, before a 6-5 defeat of world number one Wright to reach the last 16.
There, he won another deciding leg against Ratajski, before defeating Chris Dobey and Chisnall in the quarter-finals and semi-finals respectively.
Meanwhile, Gilding’s continuation of his strong form in 2022 saw him reach his first ProTour final since 2014, claiming victories over Rob Cross, Jose de Sousa and UK Open champion Danny Noppert in the semi-finals.
Simon Whitlock hit the 14th nine-darter in PDC events so far in 2022 in his first round defeat to Mike De Decker.
Elsewhere, former Premier League champion Glen Durrant enjoyed his first wins in PDC competition since July 2021, defeating Tony Martinez and Dimitri Van den Bergh before going down 6-4 to Dave Chisnall.
The ProTour action this weekend continues with Players Championships Ten on Saturday.
Live action will be broadcast across two streams on PDCTV.
View all results from Players Championship Nine in the Match Centre.
View stats from all matches in DartConnect.
2022 Players Championship 9
Friday April 1
Last 16
Mario Vandenbogaerde 6-4 Madars Razma
Dave Chisnall 6-5 Kim Huybrechts
Danny Jansen 6-5 Krzysztof Ratajski
Chris Dobey 6-2 Callan Rydz
Michael van Gerwen 6-3 Jonny Clayton
Danny Noppert 6-4 Gary Anderson
Jose de Sousa 6-4 Raymond van Barneveld
Andrew Gilding 6-4 Rob Cross
Quarter-Finals
Dave Chisnall 6-4 Mario Vandenbogaerde
Danny Jansen 6-4 Chris Dobey
Danny Noppert 6-2 Michael van Gerwen
Andrew Gilding 6-3 Jose de Sousa
Semi-Finals
Danny Jansen 7-6 Dave Chisnall
Andrew Gilding 7-4 Danny Noppert
Final
Danny Jansen 8-6 Andrew Gilding
—ENDS—
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