11/03/2023

Ross Smith seals third PDC ranking title, denies Gary Anderson first title in three years at Players Championship Five

Five Players Championship tournaments so far, five different winners as Ross Smith adds a second career ProTour and third ranking title with victory over Gary Anderson in the final of Players Championship Five in Barnsley.

It is a first title of 2023 for the European Champion who started today outside of the top 16 seeding but will return in a boost for ‘Smudger’.

While for Anderson, it is another exhibit of the resurgence of ‘The Flying Scotsman’ who has seen off Gerwyn Price for the first time in two years and hit a 112 average earlier today but does not add a first title in three years despite coming from 5-2 down.

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168 staved off a break threat from Smith as Anderson hit double 20 drew level at 1-1 in the early going. But Smith held and with Anderson way back set up 40 from 174 for a 3-1 lead.

Anderson missed 170 and Smith hit 72 on double 16 for 4-1. A superb 124 checkout for Anderson kept him at 4-2 down. Smith missed 66 to hold and Anderson took aim at 67 drifting into single three but readjusted for bull only to miss and Smith hit double 20 for 5-2 to edge closer.

Smith was waiting to break again and Anderson was clinical with a 48 checkout to make it 5-3. A 60 checkout saw Anderson break to make it 5-4 and he was throwing for parity.

Smith missed 84 on the bull to break back and Anderson sealed parity. Smith missed two darts to hold and Anderson took aim at 120 breaking on double 20 for 6-5.

A 180 saw Smith take control on the Anderson throw and he hit a 68 checkout for 6-6. He was throwing to go one away and he did so with a 70 checkout. A third maximum from Smith was pinned by 'Smudger' but he missed a match dart only to return for double 20 to claim it.

Players Championship 5 Results

Last 16

Ross Smith (99.45) 6 | 3 (102.97) Dimitri Van den Bergh

Nathan Aspinall (97.95) 6 | 2 (82.33) Madars Razma

Martin Schindler (78.14) 6 | 2 (75.71) Danny van Trijp

Dirk van Duijvenbode (93.54) 6 | 2 (91.35) Jeffrey De Zwaan

Gary Anderson (111.92) 6 | 4 (104.77) Keegan Brown

Chris Landman (91.91) 6 | 5 (89.95) Radek Szaganski

Gerwyn Price (102.77) 6 | 4 (99.06) Nathan Rafferty

Raymond van Barneveld (84.79) 6 | 1 (80.92) Kevin Doets

Quarter-Finals

Ross Smith (98.26) 6 | 3 (96.38) Nathan Aspinall