Phil Taylor clinched his fifth Grand Slam of Darts crown
as he comprehensively beat Robert Thornton 16-6 in Sunday's final at
Wolverhampton's Civic Hall.
Taylor did not hit the heights reached in his epic
semi-final victory over Adrian Lewis earlier in the day, but did not have to as
he built an early lead over Thornton which the Scot never looked like
retrieving.
Indeed, having hit 14 maximums against Lewis, Taylor
managed just two in the final as he finished with a three-dart average of 98,
but he still had far too much for Thornton.
The Scot had the chance to get himself in front early
but, having narrowly failed to take out 121 in the first leg, he then went on
to miss a further eight darts at double and had to watch as Taylor eventually
hit double-four to move ahead.
It would prove costly as the 16-time world champion
reeled off the next four legs to reach the first interval 5-0 up, the third
coming courtesy of a 121 checkout.
Thornton stopped the rot as he won the sixth leg to get
on the board following the game's first maximum, but Taylor quickly regained
control and took three of the next four legs to hold a commanding 8-2 lead by
the second interval.
Hammer blow
Thornton produced a 121 finish of his own to reduce the
arrears slightly, but Taylor claimed the next two after hitting double-eight
and then tops to pull away again.
The Scot looked set to pinch the 14th leg after a 140
left him on 36, but Taylor dealt a hammer blow to his hopes with a superb
checkout of 164 to move 11-3 in front.
Thornton did then manage to win back-to-back legs for the
first and only time in the contest to close the yawning gap to six legs, but
Taylor found double-16 in the next to end his mini-revival.
Playing his best darts of the match, Thornton made it
12-6 as he took out 90 courtesy of two outer rings and then tops, but that
would be as good as things got for the Ayrshire thrower as Taylor stepped up a
gear to close out the duel.
In the end he found double-four to confirm victory and
add yet another title to his stunning record and admitted afterwards he already
had one eye on another world title.
"It wasn't easy. It's been very tough today,
obviously the final wasn't as good a match as both semis were, but we both
tried," a delighted Taylor told Sky Sports.
"I think everyone's getting ready for that, so it's
going to be a tough World Championship this year."
Culled from Skysports
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