Ruthless Rock races to Winmau World Youth Championship title
Shooting star Josh Rock was crowned as the PDC Winmau World Youth Champion following a 6-1 win over Nathan Girvan in Sunday’s final at Butlin’s Minehead Resort.
Rock has made a stunning start to life on the PDC circuit in 2022, winning a Tour Card at Qualifying School in January before claiming a Players Championship success and five Winmau Development Tour titles.
His brilliant form continued with an outstanding display to see off Scotland’s Girvan 6-1 as he picked up the £10,000 World Youth Championship title, succeeding Ted Evetts as champion.
The Northern Irish star landed tops twice in the first three legs to take command of the match, before three misses at double 18 allowed Girvan – a 20-year-old talent from Forfar – in to open his account in leg four on double 16.
Rock, though, restored his advantage with a brilliant ten-dart leg, hitting back-to-back 180s in seven perfect darts before double ten continued his charge.
Double 16 moved the 21-year-old to the brink of the title, and he landed double five to seal a memorable triumph.
Rock ended the final with an average of 104.13 – a record for the World Youth Championship final – and admitted: “I’m speechless.
“To be World Youth Champion, I can’t believe it. I’m very comfortable on this stage – I love playing on stage and prefer playing on stages to the floor tournaments.
“It’s fantastic, I couldn’t have written a better year. To have my name on the World Youth trophy and proving what I know I can do, I’m happy.”
Rock will now set his sights on a Cazoo World Darts Championship debut at Alexandra Palace next month, as he bids to continue his remarkable emergence with further success.
“That’s the one I want,” he added. “You take one game at a time and that’s what I do.”
Both Rock and Girvan have secured places in the 2023 Grand Slam of Darts by virtue of their run to the final of the event, with the early rounds having been played in Wigan in October.
2022 PDC Winmau World Youth Championship
Final
Josh Rock 6-1 Nathan Girvan
Winner £10,000 + place in 2023 Grand Slam of Darts
Runner-Up £5,000 + place in 2023 Grand Slam of Darts
—-ENDS—-
Inages: Kieran Cleeves/PDC
