Brilliant Barney Leads Grey Brigade to More Success

Raymond Van Barneveld was victorious on Monday in winning Players Championship Five, after demolishing Stephen Bunting 8-1 in the decider, as the PDC Pro Tour double-header commenced at Halle 39, Hildesheim.

5x World Champion, Van Barneveld, last tasted success back in February 2021 having just made a return to the professional circuit, but the 56 year old has been in decent shape ‘on the floor’ so far in 2024 having reached a pair of quarter finals already.

The iconic Dutchman reached the final firstly by recording victories against Oskar Lukasiak, Jermaine Wattimena, Graham Hall, Michael Smith, James Hurrell and Gary Anderson, to set up a clash with the reigning Masters Champion, Stephen Bunting.

The final began with Barney racing into a 4-0 lead, with winning legs coming in 18,17,15 and 17 darts respectively, before Bunting ended the Dutchman’s run in Leg Five with a 15 dart hold of throw. This turned out to be ‘The Bullet’s’ only leg won in the finale, as Van Barneveld again rattled off four successive legs and sealed the victory in Leg Nine with a 14-dart break of throw.

RVB picked up the £15,000 top prize and a first PDC title for more than three years, he also become the second player over 50 to claim a Pro Tour title in 2024 , after Gary Anderson picked up the second PC event of the year back in February.

Bunting, the recent Master champion and a player who straddles two major generations of elite players, stormed to the final by recording victories against Ritchie Edhouse, Connor Scutt, Kevin Doets, Ian White, Danny Noppert and Ross Smith, before saw the Former Lakeside Champion was denied by Van Barneveld.

Elsewhere, there were Quarter Final runs for Scottish duo in Peter Wright and Cameron Menzies, a second such run for, former WDF England Captain, James Hurrell bodes well for his debut Tour card season. Meanwhile, the likes of Former UK Open Champion Andrew Gilding and Former Grand Slam of Darts winner Jose De Sousa were amongst the high profile first round casualties.

There was a nine-dart leg hit on the day by Michael Smith during his Last 16 defeat to the eventual winner, Van Barneveld.

Of the five Players Championships held so far this year, one has been claimed by a teenager, two by those dubbed ‘midults’ who are in and around there 30s including Ryan Searle and Damon Heta and two by icons of the senior generation.

The PDC Pro Tour double-header concludes on Tuesday with Players Championship Six taking place in Hildesheim, with the 128 players returning to compete for a further £125,000 in prize money, with play beginning at 13:00 CET.

Play will be broadcasted across four streaming boards on PDC.TV and various bookmaker websites worldwide, with all live scores and results on tv.dartconnect.com.