Dirk van Duijvenbode wins Players Championship 12

Wim Blokpoel - Last saturday PDC Players Championship 12 was played. And a year which already included a lot of Dutch success, even got more of it!

‘Aubergenius’ Dirk van Duijvenbode started the tournament amazing, as he averaged a ludicrous 109,8 in a 6-2 win over American Danny Baggish. In round 2 it was another ton plus average for Van Duijvenbode: 104,0 and another 6-2 win, this time over Peter Hudson. Into the last 32, DVD played James Wade who he beat 6-4 with an average of 98,7 with Wade averaging 101,6 himself. In the fourth round, Van Duijvenbode beat Florian Hempel 6-2 with just another ton plus average: 104,7! Into the quarter-finals where it was the lowest average so far, but still 97,0 which was enough for a 6-0 whitewash over Australian Simon Whitlock. In the semi-finals DVD averages 98,8 and beat Michael Smith heavily 7-2! Into the final with a tournament average above the ton, Van Duijvenbode played against Ryan Searle. Searle took a 4-2 lead, but Van Duijvenbode won 5 legs on the spin, as it was him who led 7-4. Searle then managed to get back to 7-7, and into a deciding leg but it was Dirk van Duijvenbode who hit a 16-darter and won the final 8-7 with a 98 average! An absolutely unreal day from Dirk van Duijvenbode, with only averages above the 97 as he picks up his second PDC senior ranking title!! 

Purmerend’s Vincent van der Voort was 1-4 down but turned it around to edge out Brett Claydon 6-5 in the last 128. The Dutch destroyer then edged out Polish Krzysztof Kciuk 6-5 as well in round 2. In his board final however, VVDV lost 2-6 to Scott Waites. Despite that, Van der Voort still keeps his 2022 World Matchplay hopes very much alive.

Dutch number one Michael van Gerwen had a bye into round 2, but in the second round he lost 4-6 to that same Scott Waites despite an average of 101,7! Danny Jansen started with a 6-4 win over Eddie Lovely, but lost in the last 64 on the stream 3-6 against number 1 seed Gerwyn Price. Dutch Giant Martijn Kleermaker beat former Lakeside World Champion Richie Burnett 6-4 in the last 128, but lost one round later to Keane Barry 5-6, also on the stream. Five time Champion of the World Raymond van Barneveld edged out Devon Petersen 6-5 in round one with an average of 96,2 before he lost to Belgian number one Dimitri van den Bergh 2-6, while Castricum’s Jimmy Hendriks won a Dutch first round against Maik Kuivenhoven 6-4 before losing 2-6 as well, to Chris Dobey.

Uitgeest’s Niels Zonneveld also won a Dutch first round 6-4, against Almere’s Ron Meulenkamp. Zonneveld then also lost in round 2, 3-6 to Joe Cullen. Danny Noppert avwraged 98,7 in a 6-3 win over Josh Rock on the stream in the last 128, but then suffered an early exit as he lost 1-6 to Mensur Suljovic. Final Dutch win of the day, came from Luc Peters who edged out Jim McEwan 6-5, before losing 1-6 to World Champion Peter Wright.

Dutch American Jules van Dongen had his best average this year so far: 100,1 but he still lost 4-6 to Michael Smith. Six more Dutch first round exits came from: Jeffrey de Zwaan (2-6 against Rowby-John Rodriguez), Jermaine Wattimena (1-6 against Martin Schindler), Kevin Doets (4-6 against Cullen), Berry van Peer (1-6 against Scott Mitchell), Geert Nentjes (3-6 against George Killington) and Damian Mol (5-6 against Steve West).