On the eve of the WDF World Masters finals, players in Budapest were treated to a little hors d’oeuvre – the World Open.
Think of it as the warm-up act before the main gig, with four trophies up for grabs: Men’s (Open), Ladies, Boys and Girls. So, let’s see who was grinning behind their flights in Hungary.
The Men’s crown went England’s way thanks to a man perfectly named for someone from the coast – Cliff Prior. He’s from Bognor Regis in West Sussex which, ironically, doesn’t have any cliffs.
At 54th in the WDF rankings, Prior wasn’t exactly the bookies’ darling – but he didn’t seem to care. In the immortal words of his walk-on tune, I Won’t Back Down (thank you, Tom Petty), he absolutely didn’t.
Cliff leaves Budapest €1600 richer after carving his way through a 500-strong field that was as tough as it was thirsty. (You can bet the bars were doing overtime afterwards.) Matches were short and brutal – first to four legs – and on three of his seven wins to reach the curtain call, he needed a last-leg decider.
Clearly, he enjoys a bit of drama.In the final, Prior once again took the scenic route, coming back from 4–2 down against Japan’s Haruki Muramatsu, who actually out-averaged him.
But this wasn’t a beauty contest – it was about getting five legs first, and Bognor’s finest got them. No idea if he’s got a nickname, but for now, “The Cliff Edge” would work nicely.
Over in the Ladies event, the winner was far less of a shock. Lerena Rietbergen, the number two seed, always looked like one to beat – and duly delivered. She cruised through the early rounds before being given a real test by the ever-dangerous Rhian O’Sullivan, edging that one 4–3 to book a spot in the final.Once there, Rietbergen was again pushed all the way by Norway’s Rachna David, but the 23-year-old Dutch thrower held her nerve to sneak it 5–4. Calm, classy, and clinical – the perfect recipe for a champion.
In the Boys’ event, there was no surprise at all – Mitchell Lawrie took the lot. “Wee Sox” (the nickname alone deserves a trophy) didn’t have it all his own way though, surviving a couple of nervy deciders against Lenny Schluter and fellow Scot Luke Rossi.But once he hit the final, it was one-way traffic.
Lawrie handed out a bagel to German Dopher Benjamin, winning 5–0 with an average just shy of 90. Ruthless stuff from a lad who looks destined for big things.
The Girls’ title looked nailed on for Paige Pauling – until Rebecca Allen decided otherwise. The Irish youngster produced a superb display, matching Pauling dart for dart in a cracking contest that proved why the future of women’s darts looks so bright.
Allen, just 16 years old, held her nerve and took the title in a thriller between the tournament’s two standout talents. A genuine coming-of-age performance.
And Now… the Main Course. So that was the warm-up. Some shocks, some class, and a healthy serving of drama to whet the appetite. Now, all eyes turn to the main course – the WDF World Masters. Grab your forks and your flights – it’s going to be tasty.
