ALEX Spellman continued his notable progress with a moment of perfect and a dramtic event victory last weekend. The Jackal will make his Madison Square Garden return later this year, after denying David Cameron in a last-leg decider to win the CDC Cross-Border Challenge in Michigan City on Saturday.
Former CDC Continental Cup champion Spellman landed a stunning nine-darter on Friday’s opening night at Uptown Social, before overcoming Keith Way, Jake Macmillan and Cameron to triumph on Finals Day.
The 16-player event pitted eight American representatives against their Canadian counterparts across two days of competition, and it was Spellman who claimed the spoils on a memorable weekend.
Spellman was the star performer on Day One, achieving perfection in the penultimate leg of his 5-2 success against Canada’s Sylvain Bourdeau.
The 35-year-old then saw off Keith Way by the same scoreline to seal his spot in the semi-finals, before winning through a gruelling encounter against Jake Macmillan, in a contest which saw all 11 legs go with throw.
This set up a showdown against Cameron for the coveted title, and Spellman fended off a late fightback from the Canadian veteran to secure his spot in the bet365 US Darts Masters and North American Championship.
Cameron – who opened his account with a stunning ten-dart leg – survived multiple match darts as he recovered from 6-3 down to force a decider, only for Spellman to prevail with a 16-dart hold in the 13th and final leg.
Cameron had averaged 97 to edge out Danny Lauby in a high-quality quarter-final tie, before winning through a hard-fought tussle against Grand Slam quarter-finalist Stowe Buntz in the last four.
Buntz was already assured of his place in this year’s World Series of Darts event, alongside Tour Card Holders Matt Campbell, Lauby and Jules van Dongen, who crashed out in Friday’s first round.
Spellman will now also feature in both the US Darts Masters and North American Championship, which will take place in The Theater at Madison Square Garden on May 31 & June 1.
2024 CDC Cross-Border Challenge
(Uptown Social, Michigan City)
Friday April 12
First Round
Alex Spellman 5-2 Sylvain Bourdeau
Keith Way 5-2 Jules van Dongen
Jacob Taylor 5-2 Larry Butler
Jake Macmillan 5-3 Leonard Gates
David Cameron 5-1 Doug Boehm
Danny Lauby 5-2 Steve Warnock
Stowe Buntz 5-1 John Part
Jim Long 5-3 Jason Brandon
Saturday April 13
Quarter-Finals
Alex Spellman 5-2 Keith Way
Jake Macmillan 5-2 Jacob Taylor
David Cameron 5-4 Danny Lauby
Stowe Buntz 5-1 Jim Long
Semi-Finals
Alex Spellman 6-5 Jake Macmillan
David Cameron 6-4 Stowe Buntz
Final
Alex Spellman 7-6 David Cameron
—–ENDS—–
Images: PDC
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