HARUKI Muramatsu was crowned 2023 PDC Asian Champion on Sunday, after overcoming Sandro Eric Sosing in a last-leg shoot-out to triumph on home soil.
Muramatsu – a former World Cup of Darts semi-finalist – outlasted Sosing in a gruelling battle to scoop the $15,000 top prize, as the second staging of the PDC Asian Championship concluded in Shimonoseki City.
Despite a significant disparity in the averages, Sosing fought back from 4-2 down to force a deciding leg, but Muramatsu held his nerve to seal his spot in next month’s Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton.
Muramatsu also qualifies for the 2023/24 Paddy Power World Darts Championship alongside Sosing and Man Lok Leung, who benefited from Muramatsu’s run to the final to secure the final qualification spot.
Sosing drew first blood in Sunday’s showpiece, following up a maximum in his opening visit with a 14-dart break, only for Muramatsu to respond with legs of 15 and 13 darts to hit the front in a high-quality start to the contest.
The superb standard continued as Sosing landed a 116 checkout to restore parity at two apiece, but Muramatsu continued to outscore his opponent, winning back-to-back legs to establish some daylight.
Muramatsu paid the price for squandering four darts at double for a 5-2 lead as Sosing levelled once more, and while the Japanese star regained the lead in leg nine, Sosing followed up a brilliant 177 with a clinical 68 kill to make it 5-5.
After Muramatsu moved to the cusp of victory with a 16-dart hold, Sosing sank a 78 skin-saver to send the match to a decider, but it was the home favourite who prevailed, pinning double seven after Sosing inexplicably bust his score on 133.
Muramatsu – who will make his fifth World Championship appearance in December – recorded 6-1 wins over Raymond Copano and Motomu Sakai earlier in the day, having averaged 101 to defeat Alex Tagarao in Saturday’s last 16.
The 46-year-old produced 82, 121 and 89 checkouts to dispatch Copano in the last eight, before reeling off six straight legs in his semi-final success against Sakai, winning the last four legs in 14, 14, 15 and 15 darts respectively.
Sosing, meanwhile, demolished his compatriot Sonny Millo Balagat in the quarter-finals, winning the last four legs in 13, 16, 14 and 12 darts to cap off a dominant display.
The Filipino thrower then confirmed his World Championship debut with a 6-3 victory against Ryusei Azemoto, winning the last three legs without reply to prevent an all-Japanese final.
Azemoto had dumped out reigning champion Christian Perez in the quarter-finals, while Sakai kicked off Finals Day with a whitewash win against Singapore icon Paul Lim.
Muramatsu’s exploits in Shimonoseki City ensured that the third and final qualification spot for Alexandra Palace would pass to the best-placed non-qualified player on the PDC Asian Tour Order of Merit.
As a result, Hong Kong’s World Cup star Leung will also make his debut in the sport’s flagship event, after claiming a hat-trick of titles on the PDC Asian Tour during an impressive 2023 campaign.
2023 PDC Asian Championship
Sunday October 8
Quarter-Finals
Motomu Sakai 6-0 Paul Lim
Haruki Muramatsu 6-1 Raymond Copano
Sandro Eric Sosing 6-1 Sonny Millo Balagat
Ryusei Azemoto 6-4 Christian Perez
Semi-Finals
Haruki Muramatsu 6-1 Motomu Sakai
Sandro Eric Sosing 6-3 Ryusei Azemoto
Final
Haruki Muramatsu 7-6 Sandro Eric Sosing
—–ENDS—–
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