The latest Vault 14.0 campaign saw us sail from the shores of September into the choppier and slightly chillier waters of October – which is just a pretentious way of saying we changed months halfway through the week.
Rather than focusing on the latest hat-trick heroes this time, I’m tipping my cap to those whose averages were higher than JoJo Siwa’s hairline. Sure, winning three Vault titles in a week is impressive, but sometimes those are a few tap-ins. This week, it’s about the 40-yard screamers.
Topping the chart (and surprising absolutely no one) was Graham Hall, who fired in a monstrous tournament average of 92.35 last Friday. The G-Man has PDC Pro Tour pedigree, so it’s hardly shocking to see him rocking up at The Bengeworth in Evesham and putting on an exhibition.
The 36-year-old didn’t drop a leg in his opening two matches, but it was the final that had the crowd’s eyes glued to the oche. Best of five legs, two players averaging over a ton – you just don’t see that often in a Vault event. In the end, Hall edged out Shaun Vernall in a last-leg thriller that was over far too quickly for anyone’s liking.
Less than 24 hours earlier, Hall was just warming up, clocking another 90-plus average en route to victory in Redditch. Of all the tournament averages across the week that broke the 90 mark, two belonged to him. Not bad going, that.
Next up on the leaderboard was James Richardson, who rolled back the years in Rushden. The man known as “Ruthless” was precisely that at the Windmill Club last Thursday, dropping only one leg all night – and that was to a man named Lord Jamie Elliot. I’m assuming the “Lord” bit was self-appointed rather than hereditary, because he looked more pub league than polo club.
Richardson also bagged the highest first nine-dart average of the week – an eye-watering 108.59. For anyone wondering, that basically means he gave himself more chances to kill off legs. Doesn’t mean you are necessarily going to do it – just means you should do.
Fresh-ish off a MODUS Super Series weekly win, David Pallett was another to break the 90 barrier, claiming victory at the aptly named Bullseye Bar in Lichfield. Joining him in that elite club was Oliver Mitchell, who hit the same milestone up north in Whitby.
To cap it all off, Graham Hall wasn’t just top of the averages – he was the only player to pick up four wins during the week. Not a bad few days at the office.
So that’s another week wrapped up. Over 300 events across the country – that’s edging close to 50 a day. The Vault is getting busier than a Wetherspoons on benefit cheque day and it’s showing no signs of slowing down.
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Images: PDC (Main) ADC (Graphic)
