New Pacific Masters Champions

The 33rd running of the prestigious Pacific Darts Masters saw over 200+ players competing for World Darts Federation, British Darts Organisation and Darts Federation of Australian ranking points and the $5000.00 prize money on offer. It was also the final event on the 2009/10 Australian Darts Grand Prix with a number of players still in contention to win the trip to the Winmau World Masters in the UK.. Australia's premier dart players found the standard of competition extremely high at the Central Coast Leagues Club in Gosford, just out of Sydney today. Hundreds of spectators watched and many local players enjoyed great darting contests throughout the day, some locals even participating.

Mandurah in Western Australia has a new darts Champion in Beau Anderson (right). He put in a powerful display of darts to out point New South Welshman Bill Stanley in the final of the Pacific Masters. It was a final that Beau Anderson dominated early winning the first leg in 19 darts. Bill Stanley held his throw to take leg two in 17 darts with a nice 79 finish. Leg three and Anderson with an 18 darter took the lead again. Stanley blew a shot with three darts at tops to even up the match with Anderson. Anderson only needed one dart at double 8 to claim the leg and the first break of the lead throw. Anderson consolidated the break with another great leg which included a 180 to take the leg in 14 darts. Leg six saw both players hitting some big scores but Anderson with 142 left pegged out cleanly with his fifteenth dart to inflict a second break and be just one leg away from the title. At this point it looked all over for Stanley, but he fought back valiantly. He claimed the next three legs in 20, 17, and 18 darts as Anderson was missing a few opportunities when lining up the doubles. With the score at 5 - 4 to Anderson, Stanley was away first in the tenth leg. Both players were matching each other score wise, so Stanley had first shot at a double. He missed finishing from 20 with three darts letting Anderson in to finish from 60 with three darts to claim his first Pacific Masters title.

Pacific Masters Final Averages: Beau Anderson 27.966 Bill Stanley 25.207

The first semi final saw Stanley up against Victorian Jason Murdoch. This was a cliff hanger of a match that nearly went the whole distance. Murdoch started strongly winning the first leg against the throw finishing on 80. He held his throw in the next leg with a 20 darter. The third leg saw Stanley hold his throw after five darts at the double. The fourth leg saw Murdoch take a 3 - 1 lead in this semi final this time with a 32 peg in 17 darts. Murdoch looked in full control but Stanley came back strongly to take the next four legs 24, 16, 24 and the final leg in 17 darts which include a 180 to move into the final.

Semi Final Averages: Bill Stanley 24.366 Jason Murdoch 24.307

The second semi was contested by the Anderson brother's from Western Australia. This was a pretty hot semi final as both players were playing brilliant darts. The first four legs went with the darts with Kyle leading off. He won the first and third legs in 15 darts. Beau won the second and fourth in 14 darts. The fifth leg was the leg that set up this semi final. Beau Anderson pegged 122 to claim the leg in 15 darts with Kyle sitting on 20. That break unsettled Kyle a little, as Beau backed up that leg to win the sixth in 19 darts. Kyle still was struggling a little in the seventh leg. Beau saw his opportunity and grabbed his chance with another good leg giving him victory 5 - 2 and his place in the final.

Semi Final Averages: Beau Anderson 29.905 Kyle Anderson 27.870

Johnston takes first Masters

Helen Johnston, the 64 year old mum from Tasmania (pictured left) had a huge day winning her first Pacific Masters title from a field of 83 of Australia's best players. She has been in great form and became only the second Tasmanian lady to win this prestigious international tournament. She tells us that she has not travelled the darts circuit as much as she has in past years in 2010 but today was one of greatest victories. She now has her name on the trophy that includes a number of world champions. In the final she had to defeat fellow Tasmanian and teammate Christine Woolley.

The Pacific Masters Final was a fairly even contest with both players in pretty good form after some powerful wins in their semi finals. They had a fair wait though from those semi finals to the final which was played on stage in front of a large crowd. They had to wait for the men to finish their semi finals before they could get on stage. Both were a little in consistent with their scoring early. Woolley was away first but Johnston missed the first shot at a double. Woolley grabbed the first leg with a 20 pegout. Johnston was starting to fire taking leg two in 21 darts with a neat 40 finish. Leg three and both players were under pressure as both missed opportunities at the double to claim the leg. Eventually Woolley hit double 3 to hold her throw. The same thing happened in leg four. Johnston busted with her first dart at the double for two walks in a row but on her third shot at double 8 hit the winner to square up the final at 2 - 2. The fifth leg again saw Johnston wasting darts at the double, but she did manage to finish from 3 to inflict the first break. This break set Johnston up for the title. Away first in the sixth leg and requiring just on more leg for the title she was scoring strongly. She was easily down to the double first, but again was struggling to finish. On her second walk with darts aimed at double 20 she hit the winning double and the title was hers. A good day for Helen Johnston winning $1100.00 in prize money and some more very valuable World and BDO ranking points and an invitation to the Winmau World Masters in the UK.

Pacific Masters Final Averages: Helen Johnston 18.540 Christine Woolley 15.218

Woolley displayed great darts in her victory over Queensland's Ann Lacey in this semi final. Some early nerves in the first leg by Lacey saw Woolley easily take the early lead. In leg two Lacey got her game together and was back in this match when she finished from 40. Leg three and both players were hitting the big scores early in the leg, but a poor shot from Lacey opened up the leg for Woolley to take the leg in 23 darts. The fourth leg and Lacey was struggling. She could not find the triple while Woolley was. She powered through the leg to claim it easily and her place in the final winning 3 - 1.

Semi Final Averages: Christine Woolley 20.579 Ann Lacey 17.260

Johnston had a strong victory over Victorian Janine Cassar in a great contest. This was a contest that saw no breaks as the lead player in every leg took the honours. The first two legs both players were matching each other. The third leg saw Johnston hit some big scores and finished the leg with a 105 pegout for an 18 darter. Not to be out done Cassar fought back strongly in the fourth leg hitting three 100+ scores to win the leg in 16 darts. The tiebreaking leg to find the finalist saw Johnston away first. A missed finish from 40 was costly for Cassar as Johnston cleaned up from 36 needing just the one dart to take the match 3 - 2.

Semi Final Averages: Helen Johnston 21.307 Janine Cassar 19.426

With both the Ladies and Men's events holding World and BDO Ranking Points, both winners have gained an invitation into the Winmau World Masters being played in the U.K. early in September by winning this event. Today's competition highlighted how strong and even the darts competition is at this level. Some of the big names that you would expect to come through to the finals were early casualties.

Ladies Results

Board Final Results
Carol Forwood VIC defeated Chrissy Sheerin QLD
Helen Johnston TAS defeated Kerry Crowdey QLD
Janine Cassar VIC defeated Karen Roberts VIC
Stephanie Moriarty WA defeated Vanessa Bridge SA
Dot McLeod WA defeated Sheryl Beasy VIC
Ann Lacey QLD defeated Kyle Henningsen QLD
Margie Tonkin SA defeated Sue Tuhi VIC
Christine Woolley TAS defeated Sandra Smith TAS

Quarter Final results
Helen Johnston TAS 19.913 defeated Carol Forwood VIC 20.061 3 - 2
Janine Cassar VIC 21.566 defeated Stephanie Moriarty WA 19.134 3 - 2
Ann Lacey QLD 19.189 defeated Dot McLeod WA 18.707 3 - 2
Christine Woolley TAS 16.098 defeated Margie Tonkin SA 14.271 3 - 2

Semi Final Results
Helen Johnston TAS 21.037 defeated Janine Cassar VIC 19.426 3 - 2
Christine Woolley TAS 20.578 defeated Ann Lacey QLD 17.261 3 - 1

Final
Helen Johnston 18.540 defeated Christine Woolley 15.218 4 - 2

Men's Results

Board Final Results
Kerry Whear WA defeated Anthony Fleet ACT
Jason Murdoch VIC defeated Craig Atze SA
Bill Stanley NSW defeated Mark Doritich WA
Kim Lewis WA defeated Chippy Miller NT
Mitchell Clegg NSW defeated Guy Holland NSW
Beau Anderson WA defeated Neil Hembrow WA
Kyle Anderson WA defeated Fred Cadby TAS
Mick Mullaney ACT defeated Mike Merz NSW

Quarter Final Results
Jason Murdoch VIC 24.759 defeated Kerry Whear WA 25.361 4 - 2
Bill Stanley NSW 26.781 defeated Kim Lewis WA 26.791 4 - 3
Beau Anderson WA 25.705 defeated Mitchell Clegg NSW 26.367 4 - 3
Kyle Anderson WA 25.448 defeated Mick Mullaney ACT 25.097 4 - 0

Semi Final Results
Bill Stanley NSW 24.366 defeated Jason Murdoch VIC 24.307 5 - 3
Beau Anderson WA 29.905 defeated Kyle Anderson WA 27.870 5 - 2

Final
Beau Anderson WA 27.966 defeated Bill Stanley NSW 25.207 6 - 4