Young Unicorn star James Wade produced a brilliant darting display to win the UK Open North West Regional in Manchester. Wade thrashed Phil Taylor in the quarter-finals…..beat another Team Unicorn stablemate Colin Osborne in the semi-finals…..then dropped only one leg in the final against Terry Jenkins.
It was an incredible display and the £5,000 winners cheque will also guarantee his spot in the top 12 in the PDC Order of Merit, which will clinch his place in the International Darts League tournament in Holland in May.
Wade was in stunning form. Taylor was a big favourite to follow up his UK Open London victory with more success in Manchester but Wade had other ideas.
He went 3-0 up against ‘The Power’ winning those legs in 12, 14 and 12 darts and after a start like that, he wasn’t to be denied.
Taylor did win a couple of legs but Wade averaged an amazing 110.48 – “Tayloresque” as Sid Waddell would say! Taylor got on the board in the 4th leg, after Wade just missed the bull for a 127 finish but a 121 check-out in the next gave him a 4-1 lead.
A 72 finish from Taylor pulled the match back to 2-4 but ‘The Power’ then missed three shots at double 18 and double top from Wade sealed a deserved victory.
He was then involved in a high quality semi-final against Unicorn new boy Osborne, who’d earlier won four consecutive legs to see off Wayne Mardle.
Wade came from two legs down in the opening set and won it with a brilliant 11-darter. The second set produced some great darts. Wade took out 148 to make it 2 legs apiece, only to see Osborne respond with an 11-darter of his own to make it one set all.
Wade won the deciding set 3-0 to reach his second final in a month….remember he was runner-up at the South West UK Open in Bristol in February.
It was destined to be Wade’s day…..the 23-year-old won the first set against the throw. Terry Jenkins, who has been in such brilliant form in the Premier League, had no answers. Wade started the final with a maximum and won it with a 91 finish on the bull.
Although Jenkins finally got on the board in the second set, Wade produced another 121 finish and sealed victory on double eight to round off a memorable weekend in the North West.
Results – Quarter Finals (legs):
Denis Ovens 1-5 Steve Hine
Losers - £600
Semi-finals (sets):
Terry Jenkins 2-0 Steve Hine (3-1, 3-0)
Losers - £1,250
Final:
James Wade 2-0 Terry Jenkins (3-0, 3-1)
Winner - £5,000
BY STUART PYKE
