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BDO/WDF WORLD MASTERS 2006 – a review by Andy Fairclough The BBC were back in Bridlington and with a new location, stage set up and genereal razzamatazz, the 2006 World Masters was every bit as slick and professional as the PDC tournaments which have taken the limelight in recent years.
LAST 16 Highlights of the last 16 stage were first to be broadcast with Martin Adams convincingly beating Andy Boulton by 3 sets to 0. Adams won the second set with a 101 checkout and the match with a 116 finish. Impressive stuff indeed with the best still to come. Darryl Fitton had a very tough game against Martin Phillips from Wales and the match went all the way with Fitton winning 3 sets to 2 by taking the deciding leg. Dutch teenage sensation Michael van Gerwen lost a 2 sets to 0 lead over Robert Wagner from Norway as 'The Magician' pulled back 2 sets out of the hat. Some magic though came from the Dutch wonder as he checked out 127 to win the match in the final leg.
QUARTER FINALS Dutchman Co Stompe seemed to have found his very best form again after a couple of years out in the darting wilderness. He gave Martin Adams a stern test, with Wolfie at his best with an 11 dart leg to take the first set. Stompe took the second set, before Adams took a 2-1 lead courtesy of a break of throw where both players missed key doubles. Both players averaged around the 100 mark in this high quality contest but it was over all to quickly as Adams took the match to win 3 sets to 1. England's Steve Farmer took the first set gainst John Walton, before John-Boy took the second. All 3 legs in set 3 went against throw giving it to Farmer. He then took the fourth set 2-0 to book his place in the semi-finals. Brian Woods took the first set against the young Welshman Mark Webster although Webster seemed to be scoring better. Webster took the next set and the averages told the story with the Welshman averaging 104 to Woods' 89. A 124 checkout and the first break of the game put Webster 2 sets to 1 ahead and despite a 102 checkout from Woods in the fourth set, Webster held his throw to win by 3 sets to 1. Michael van Gerwen against Darryl Fitton was tipped to be tie of the round, but the Englishman didn't seem to be in quite his best form during the contest. Van Gerwen took the first set before Fitton showed some of his style checking out a 109 then a 120 to take the second set. Van Gerwen broke straight back and took the third set and then went on to win the match in style with a 106 checkout.
SEMI FINALS Martin Adams put in a truly world class performance in his semi-final against Steve Farmer. Adams took the first leg with a 116 finish after Farmer had kicked off with a maximum. Adams broke throw in the next leg to take the first set.. Adams kept up the pressure taking the second set with a 100 finish. A 121 from Adams took the next leg before Farmer took his first of the match. At that point Adams was averaging 105 to Farmer's 97. Adams made it 3 sets to 0 and had hit 6 doubles in 6 attempts. He also won the next leg again on the first double before that impressive run came to an end. Adams won the fourth and then the fifth set with a 140 checkout to make it 5-0. The next leg Adams checked out 144 and one leg later the match was his by 6 sets to 0. Steve Farmer did little wrong but with Adams averaging 103.6 and with a checkout average of 61% he was near impossible to live with. Michael van Gerwen hadn't been at his majestic best in the quarter-finals and he seemed to be struggling in the semis as Mark Webster checked out a 160 to give him a break of throw in the fifth set with the match at 2 sets all. He took the set and the first leg of the sixth set before Van Gerwen took the required 2 legs to tie the match 3-3. Van Gerwen took the 7th set in the deciding leg and broke throw to win the next set as well and lead 5-3. Webster fought back with a 141 to go a leg apiece in the ninth set, but Van Gerwen held his throw to book his place in the final 6 sets to 3 winner. So the dream final was on and the third time this year that Van Gerwen and Adams were to meet in televised competition. It was one apiece so far but never before with so much at stake...
THE FINAL Adams had never won a major tournament and surely this was his best chance yet against the 17 year old Michael van Gerwen. Adams had looked majestic in the quarters and semi-finals with Van Gerwen not quite showing the brilliance he did at the IDL. However what quality van Gerwen had shown both here and in theDutch tournaments was that he never gives up a match. Martin Adams rattled off the first two sets before a break of throw led towards Van Gerwen winning his first set. Adams broke throw in the next set and took the fifth set to lead 4-1. Van Gerwen made it 2-4 at the interval but it was clear that Wolfie was in charge with the young Dutchman still not showing his best form. Adams took the next set to lead 5-2 only needing 2 more to win. He just had to keep his nerve. Van Gerwen took the next set with a 104 checkout to make it 3-5. Adams began the 9th set with a 116 finish but Van Gerwen took the next two legs to make it 4-5. The match was then levelled as Van Gerwen pegged out an 87 finish in style with a bullseye. The momentum was now definitely with Van Gerwen as he checked out 121 in the next leg to break throw. Adams broke back in the next leg but again Van Gerwen pipped off the set to lead for the first time 6-5. Adams checked out 161 to lead in the 12th set (averages Adams 95, Van Gerwen 94) with a break of throw but again Van Gerwen came straight back to take the next leg. Van Gerwen then set himself up with a tricky 99 checkout in the next leg which he took out with style to win the match and the World Masters title at 17. Choking back the tears as he lifted the trophy, fans and players alike now wonder what this remarkable young man will achieve from here.
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