Gary Stone went unbeaten on Day 2 of the opening weekend of the 2024 ADC Winmau Championship Tour, beating James Welding and Andy Boulton in the respective Finals to claim £2000.
The 42-year-old beat Welding 5-3 in the opening Event of Easter Sunday, before clinching a last leg decider against recent Challenge Tour Double winner Andy Boulton in the Event 4 Final.
“The bullseye was the winner; it was the clincher to go 4 each. If it doesn’t go in, I’m beat and if it does, I’ve got a chance. To win in that field is massive but to win it twice is ridiculous” reflected Stone on the Event 4 Final to Darts World.
The Women’s events seemed more determined to share the wealth as Angela Kirkwood claimed her first win of this year’s WADC Championship Tour after beating, event 2 winner, Vicky Pruim in a last leg decider, including some fantastic finishing with checkouts of 112 and 100 in recovering from a 4-2 deficit and winning 5-4.
Angela sits second in the overall rankings after the first four events with 208 points, with Swedish international Pruim leading the way with 212.
Last year’s Women’s Championship Tour Finals Day winner Deta Hedman concluded proceedings at Eston Sports Academy, with a 5-3 win over Samantha Kirton in the Final of Event 4 in a repeat of last year’s Grand Finale.
“When they have the first one and you get there and win it, you want to go back. You want to get there again to have a chance to defend it” said “Caribbean Queen” as she reacted to being the fourth different WADC winner of the weekend.
Overall the Winmau Championship Tour got off to a flying start this weekend with 7 different winners, from 8 events.
Summary ADC:
Winners: Andy Boulton. Bradley Brook, Gary Stone x 2
Notable: Jack Tweddle averaged 107 in his first round match of event 3. Former World champion Neil Duff sits 4th despite failing to win an event after reaching multiple later stages.
Order of Merit:
1 Gary Stone 88.62 40 +63 648
2 Andy Boulton 84.91 26 +44 387
3 Bradley Brooks 86.30 26 +24 290
4 Neil Duff 87.06 36 +51 210
5 James Welding 82.06 33 +33 196
6 Liam Goyne 86.02 34 +38 96
7 Dave Prins 80.22 28 +23 85
8 Kevin Lane 79.57 23 +18 84
Summary WADC:
Winners: Fammon Sherrock, Vicky Pruim, Angela Kirkwood and Deta Hedman
Notable: Lorraine Hyde was the player who gathered the most points despite not adding a title. She is fifth in the top 8 seeking to reach finals day.
Order of Merit:
1 Vicky Pruim 74.14 36 +47 212
2 Angela Kirkwood 69.91 31 +38 208
3 Fallon Sherrock 82.27 39 +50 192
4 Deta Hedman 73.25 22 +23 154
5 Lorraine Hyde 66.39 26 +18 120
6 Samantha Kirton 69.69 26 +25 90
7 Kim Holden 66.07 26 +22 76
8 Eleanor Cairns 65.69 15 +7 73
Upcoming Events:Winmau Championship Tours 5-8 and WADC Events 5-8 will return on the 25th and 26thof May at the Eston Sports Academy, with more ranking points and prize money
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