After a weekend in Aylesbury for the South section of the ADC Winmau Championship, it was the North’s turn to take centre stage, and David Sumner and Daniel Ayres were the winners of the first two events of 2026 at Middlesbrough Sports Village.
Sumner came through no less than five last-leg deciders at Event One, which culminated in him taking the £1,000 first prize with a 5-4 win against Gary Hayes in the final.
An 88.41 average began Sumner’s day with a whitewash win against Jon-Sebastian Wright, and he would average over 92 in edging past 2025 Red Dragon Doubles Champion Carl Batchelor 4-3 in the last 64.
After seeing off Callum Cockburn, Sumner went the distance in 5-4 wins against Trevor Burkhill and Ben Townley to make the last four.
There, he rode his luck, as Graham Usher failed with multiple match darts to put Sumner away, and a sublime 105 finish completed a remarkable comeback from 4-2 behind.
Hayes averaged over a ton in whitewashing Jasper Scarrott early on, and further wins against Adam Hunt, Richard Rowlands and Ash Coleman moved him into the quarter finals, where he defeated the talented 16-year old Lewis Cook 5-3. Hayes would race into the final with a 5-1 success against Billy Leonard.
The final itself was a close affair, with no breaks of throw, and with the contest going to the final leg, Sumner held his nerve, a 15-darter sealing the title and first prize.
Daniel Ayres took the Event Two title in equally dramatic style, coming from 3-0 down to sink former PDC Tour Card holder Steve Lennon in a nail-biter.
Ayres started with two wins without reply, and then had to go all the way to take a 4-3 last 64 win against Andy Courtney, who had earlier averaged 108.75 in a sparkling last 128 victory.
A 93.94 average was too good for Kenzie Cann as Ayres won 4-0 to reach the last 16, beating Geoff Murray 5-3, and a place in the final was booked in solid fashion, a 93.66 average sealing a 5-1 last four win against Kevin Lane.
Lennon took out Winmau Championship South Event winner Alan Slater in his EVent Two opener, and after thrashing Dan Brown, he had to come from 3-1 down to take out 16-year-old Lewis Cook.
Further wins against Carl Batchelor and Ciaran Forde, with a 97.46 average, moved the Irishman into the semis, and he squeezed past Ryan Hogarth in a final leg, averaging 96 in another impressive display.
Lennon controlled the final early on, an 87 finish moving him 3-0 up, but a 103 finish got Ayres on the board, and he swiftly levelled.
The match went to the very end, where Lennon missed three darts for victory, and Ayres took full advantage, pinning tops for a famous win and the top prize.
Events Three and Four round off the weekend on Sunday.
Picture: Tip Top Pics
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