Phil 'The Power' Taylor produced one of the greatest darting displays in recent times to defeat World Champion John Part and retain his Paddy Power World Grand Prix title with a 7-2 triumph. After a tight opening, the two contenders traded sets and the score stood at 2-2 after four and it promised to be a real corker to light up the City West hotel in Dublin.
However, The Power lit up the crowd with an amazing show of darts and had the World Champion standing in wonderment as he rattled in the next 12 legs without reply to move into an unassailable 6-2 lead. The Canadian scrapped manfully for his life in the ninth leg but could not find a way back into the match and Taylor wrapped up the title with a 7-2 victory.
Taylor and Part exchanged opening legs before The Power produced his first great leg of the match by clinching an 11-darter to go 2-1 up. Part levelled by Taylor edged the set to take and early lead in an enthralling opener that suggested that another classic between these two giants of the oche was on the cards.
Darth Maple drew level limiting Taylor to just a single leg in the set but the reigning Grand Prix champion went 2-1 in front reversing the score on Part, including a 13-dart leg and a break of throw to clinch the set. Taylor's form dipped slightly for the one and only time in the match in the fourth set and Part was able to draw the match level again at 2-2 winning by the odd leg in five, including a rare leg containing six missed darts at an opening double by Taylor.
That was the sign for ten times World Champion to step it up a notch, but no-one could have expected what happened next as the current World Champion himself was taken apart. A quick whitewash for 3-2 by Taylor was followed by probably the best set of darts of the tournament in which Taylor moved 4-2 ahead using just 39 darts with finishes of 13, 14 and 12 doing the damage.
Another 14-dart leg followed for Taylor as he clinched his seventh, eighth and ninth leg on the bounce to move further ahead at 5-2. The crowd was bouncing at the quality of Taylor arrows, but were waiting for Part's second wind and for the challenge that usually comes in matches between these two old adversaries. Almost unbelievably, Taylor continued his incredible winning streak by taking his tally to 12 legs on the spin to move to 6-2 in front and just one set away from a stunning victory.
Part finally mustered a response to Taylor's assault in the ninth set as he took the opening leg and then made it a serious threat by doubling his advantage and go 2-0 up. Taylor was in no mood to let Part back into the match and levelled, mainly due to Part missing two shots at Double 16 to save the match. Part's head sank and the inevitable soon followed as Taylor wrapped up the contest by sealing a remarkable 7-2 victory and reclaim his Paddy Power World Grand Prix title.
Part had to hold his hands up after being outplayed by some stunning Taylor arrows, but will be looking to renew rivalries at the upcoming World Championships. “I was more focused tonight than I have been for a long time. I had no nerves whatsoever and that let me play the game I wanted to. “I wanted to beat him and now I can concentrate on the World Champs. I’m going to put everything I have into it – I want it back.”
Filed by Johnny Proby
