The seventeenth Players Championship tournament of the season has gone to Josh Rock. The Northern Irishman defeated Joe Cullen in the final to win his third PDC ranking title.
Rock began the tournament with an easy 6-1 victory over Aden Kirk. He then defeated Owen Roelofs (6-4), Scott Williams (6-2) and Niels Zonneveld (6-4) to force a clash with Gary Anderson. The Scot was defeated 6-5, followed by Ross Smith's 7-6 win. Rock turned a 1-3 deficit into a 6-3 lead against 'Smudger'. Smith came back to 6-6, but then Rock decided the game with an 11-darter.
So in the final, Cullen was the opponent. With resounding victories over Madars Razma (6-1), Paul Krohne (6-3), Gary Anderson (6-1) and Chris Landman (6-2), Cullen advanced to the final. In the quarterfinals, 'The Rockstar' was tested a bit more. Although he managed to lead 5-2 against James Hurrell, his compatriot came back to 5-4. Cullen then finished it off with a 17-darter. He then beat Florian Hempel 7-2 in the semifinals.
Cullen won two of the first three legs in the final, but then had to watch as four legs in a row went to Rock. After that, Cullen managed to come back to 6-6, but then Rock decided the match with a 12-darter and a 16-darter.
A total of 125,000 pounds in prize money is distributed at each Players Championship tournament. The winner of the event will receive a check for 15,000 pounds.
Last 32
Dave Chisnall 6 | 1 Rhys Griffin
Florian Hempel 6 | 4 Connor Scutt
Stephen Bunting 6 | 4 Luke Woodhouse
Ryan Searle 6 | 5 Mike De Decker
Joe Cullen 6 | 1 Gary Anderson
Chris Landman 6 | 1 Gian van Veen
James Hurrell 6 | 3 Martin Lukeman
Jim Williams 6 | 1 John Henderson
Ross Smith 6 | 3 Justin Hood
Ryan Joyce 6 | 1 Daryl Gurney
Graham Hall 6 | 3 Alan Soutar
Keane Barry 6 | 2 Cam Crabtree
Cameron Menzies 6 | 2 Gerwyn Price
Nick Kenny 6 | 5 Stephen Burton
Josh Rock 6 | 2 Scott Williams
Niels Zonneveld 6 | 0 Arron Monk
Last 16
Florian Hempel 6 | 4 Dave Chisnall
Ryan Searle 6 | 3 Stephen Bunting
Joe Cullen 6 | 2 Chris Landman
James Hurrell 6 | 5 Jim Williams
Ross Smith 6 | 2 Ryan Joyce
Keane Barry 6 | 0 Graham Hall
Cameron Menzies 6 | 4 Nick Kenny
Josh Rock 6 | 4 Niels Zonneveld
Quarterfinals
Florian Hempel 6 | 5 Ryan Searle
Joe Cullen 6 | 4 James Hurrell
Ross Smith 6 | 4 Keane Barry
Josh Rock 6 | 5 Cameron Menzies
Semi-final
Joe Cullen 7 | 2 Florian Hempel
Josh Rock 7 | 6 Ross Smith
Final
Josh Rock 8 | 6 Joe Cullen