Manila – the vibrant capital of the Philippines – played host to the penultimate Asian Tour weekend of the season, and, in news that will shock absolutely nobody, the local heroes were front and centre across all four events.
It was only fitting that one of the country’s darting icons, Lourence Ilagan, got things started with a bang. The Gunner defeated fellow Filipino Christian Perez 5-2 in the ninth event, taking his annual tally to three following his Dubai double. A familiar face at Alexandra Palace over the years, Ilagan sent a clear signal that he fully intends to return to the big stage this December.
Japan’s Ryusei Azemoto – a name that might not yet be household unless you’ve memorised the Japanese darts rankings – took the honours in the following event. The 29-year-old nicknamed Perseus toppled top seed Alexis Toylo 5-2. For trivia lovers: yes, Perseus is the Greek mythological hero who slayed Medusa. And while it’s a stretch to compare Ryusei to an ancient demigod, it’s no more ridiculous than calling Jonny Clayton a ferret.
Feeling perhaps slightly territorial, Ilagan returned to reclaim centre stage. He breezed past Takayuki Masatsu 5-0 in a brutal reminder of who rules the oche in these parts. It was a Filipino whitewash right up to the final, with only one Malaysian and the eternally youthful Paul Lim cracking the last sixteen.
The final event saw the Order of Merit leader ahead of the arriving, Alexis Toylo, regain his groove. He edged past compatriot Sonny Balagat in a tense final to claim his fourth title of the campaign. A superb 126 checkout from Balagat forced a decider, but Toylo – holding the darts – kept his cool to sprint home in the last-leg shootout.
A thriller in Manila? Oh yes, and I’m not even sorry for the famous Boxing reference.
All eyes now turn to Qingdao, China, for the final quartet of events next month. With rankings, pride, and Ally Pally spots all on the line, it’s shaping up to be a dramatic finale on the Asian Tour.
—–ENDS—–
Images: PDC
