Joe Cullen claimed victory in Wednesday’s Players Championship 27 in Hildesheim, defeating Gerwyn Price in a dramatic last-leg shoot-out to move closer to qualification for next month’s BOYLE Sports World Grand Prix. Cullen, who averaged 99.78 and hit nine 180s, said: “I’m so happy to win this title. Performances like that today just reassure me that I can play this game! I’m sort of an enigma to myself at the minute. I can produce darts like today, but then you’ll watch me in a few weeks and I’ll have an 81 average.”
The Bradford-born star overcame Brendan Dolan in round one before recording four consecutive 6-4 victories over Adam Hunt, Cameron Menzies, Robert Grundy, and James Hurrell to reach the semi-finals. A 7-1 semi-final win over Scott Williams set up a tense final against Price. Cullen seized a two-leg lead, only for Price to fight back with 11-darter legs and a 104 finish to level at 6-6. Successive holds of throw led to a decisive 8-7 triumph for Cullen, who roared after pinning double four.
Price extended his lead atop the Players Championship rankings despite finishing runner-up, remarking on his performance: he averaged 104.98 in the semi-final win over Danny Noppert. Notable moments included Noppert’s nine-darter in his opening round and Scott Williams’ two 120 checkouts. Earlier exits saw top names Luke Humphries, Van Veen, Gary Anderson, and Nathan Aspinall fall in round one.
Cullen admitted: “I had not been working anywhere near as hard as I should have been. I got lazy. I wasn’t practising. This is a brutal sport and you get what you deserve in this game. I have been struggling for the last couple of months, but I’ve been putting the work in during the last few weeks and today I felt more comfortable.” The PDC ProTour continues with a treble-header of Players Championships 28-30 from September 30–October 2 in Leicester, following European Tour events in Budapest and Basel.
Source: PDC.TV
