MARK WEBSTER 10
RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD (2) 8
WHAT is it about double 10 securing big cash prizes for Mark Webster?
That was the double that secured £85,000 for Mark in defeating Simon Whitlock at the 2008 Lakeside World Championship - and double 10 also banked the Denbigh ace a cool £20,000 in Sunday’s third-fourth place play-off versus five-time world champ Raymond van Barneveld.
That result meant that Webster collected a £60,000 cheque for the tournament, with the Dutchman taking home £40,000.
“This win means a lot to me,” said Webster. “I go into the top 32 now and also the money is important too.
“I’m really pleased and now I can reflect on a great tournament. I’ve come third in the biggest darts tournament there’s ever been, so I’m happy with that.”
Webster put together three excellent legs from 8-7 down to wrap up a 10-8 scoreline.
He won the opening leg of the match with a confident 72 finish before van Barneveld replied to win the second, with a two-dart 59 checkout.
The Dutchman, who lost a thrilling semi-final to Simon Whitlock a day earlier, won the third leg with the aid of a maximum but Webster broke straight back by hitting double 12 to level the match.
Webster regained the lead in the fifth leg by hitting double top at the first time of asking but van Barneveld won the next leg with an accurate dart at double 18.
Van Barneveld led the game for a second time by winning the seventh leg with an 84 finish but Webster pegged him back again by winning the next to square the game at four legs apiece.
Webster moved 5-4 up by hitting double 12 before van Barneveld hit double nine with his last dart to win the tenth leg.
The Dutchman registered a 113 checkout to win the next leg but Webster hit form in the 12th leg by hitting an 11-dart finish, which included two maximums.
Webster won the 13th leg after van Barneveld bust his score after hitting treble 20 with his first when trying to convert a 52 finish, but he made no mistake in the next leg to leave the game finely poised at 7-7.
The number two seed took the 15th leg with an excellent 118 checkout after Webster had left himself on tops, but the Vale of Clwyd ace hit back to level at 8-8 after van Barneveld was guilty of missing two chances to move two legs clear.
Webster then moved 9-8 up with a timely 13-darter and then won the match in the 18th leg by hitting double ten with his last dart.
“I was whacked by the best player in the world, Phil Taylor, in the semis and I didn’t want to get whacked by the second best either, because then you think you can’t play the big players,” said Webster.
“But this will hold me in good stead and I can kick on now in the New Year.”
MARK WEBSTER 0
PHIL TAYLOR (1) 6
A FANTASTIC fifteen was still in Phil Taylor’s sights after his semi-final demolition of Mark Webster.
The powerful top seed remained on course for a 15th world championship title with a 6-0 rout of Webster, who was downed by an impressive 106 average.
Taylor won the first set without reply and only dropped four legs in taking the next three to lead 4-0, before taking out finishes of 139 and 116 in winning six successive legs to wrap up the win.
Webster never really got into the match as Taylor made a confident start to immediately apply the pressure, hitting a maximum in a 13-darter to open the match against the throw.
The Stoke superstar hit another 180 to win the second leg and repeated the trick in the third, which was won by hitting double eight to seal the set with ease.
Taylor kicked off the second set with a 13-dart finish before Webster won his first leg of the match by landing double two.
Taylor defied a maximum from his opponent to win the third leg and won the set in the next leg, which he in completed in 14 darts to establish a 2-0 lead.
That dominance continued in the third set as the world number one broke throw in the first leg and then doubled his lead with a 15-dart finish.
Webster won the third leg but Taylor took the next by hitting double top for the set after Webster missed a dart at double 18.
Taylor won the opening leg of the fourth by hitting double 12 but twice missed the same bed and Webster capitalised by landing double top to level.
The next two legs were held with throw before Taylor turned up the heat in the deciding leg with another 13-darter to move 4-0 ahead.
Double seven gave Taylor the opening leg of the fifth set before a 15-dart finish put him into a 2-0 lead.
He hit a fabulous 139 checkout to seal the set and recorded a 116 finish to make a winning start to set six.
A 71 finish against the darts gave the defending champion the second leg and Webster was put out of his misery in the next as Taylor was successful with his attempt at 16 to end the contest.
“I kept concentrating throughout and continually put Mark under pressure,” said Taylor.
“Mark is a lovely lad but this is the semi-finals of the world championship and I had to do a job out there.”
Webster admitted: “That was a learning experience for me tonight and hopefully I can come back and perform better.
“I won’t beat myself up about what happened tonight. I’ve got a lot of positives to take away from this tournament.”
MARK WEBSTER 5
CO STOMPE (28) 3
WEBBY stomped over Stompe to secure a dream semi-final match-up with top seed Phil Taylor.
The left-hander defeated 28th seed Stompe 5-3, taking the first four sets to assume command, before Stompe found his range to win three in a row and threaten a comeback.
Webster, though, remained composed and won the eighth set without reply to book a last-four berth, versus 14-time world champion Taylor.
“I’m really proud of what I’ve achieved this week, but there’s two more games to go,” said Webster after his fourth win of the competition.
“My last two games are my best two on TV, and I’m really confident. When Co was 4-0 down he had nothing to lose and started hitting everything. He made me nervous and I just wanted to get the game over with, and I managed to do that.”
MARK WEBSTER 4
KIRK SHEPHERD (29) 1
THE Karate Kid was well and truly floored as Mark Webster breezed his way to a quarter-final meeting with Co Stompe.
Webster won the first nine legs against 2008 world championship runner-up Kirk Shepherd, with the Denbighshire star eventually winning 4-1 with a 97 average.
“I felt nervous before my last against Peter Manley but I felt much more comfortable today,” said Webster afterwards.
“I knew that if I won the first set that would really settle me down and I did that, unlike my last two matches.
“I was in a ruthless mood and wanted to win 12-0 in legs after winning the first three sets with ease. It’s great to be still in the tournament and I want to keep the run going.”
MARK WEBSTER 4
PETER MANLEY (20) 2
WONDERFUL Webby staged a fine Monday comeback to secure his spot in the last-16.
Webster looked to be heading out when he trailed 20th seed Peter Manley 2-0 in sets in their second round clash.
But Webster put his foot on the gas with a fine spell of quickfire darts.
He kick-started his comeback by winning eight consecutive legs to set up an impressive 4-2 win.
“I was very nervous coming into this match and when I fell two-nil behind, I felt really down,” said Webster.
“But I got myself together and tried to stay positive and it paid off.”
MARK WEBSTER 3
MARK WALSH (13) 2
TON-PLUS finishes helped Mark Webster to a notable first round success over 13th seed Mark Walsh.
Webster made a winning debut in the championship with a tense 3-2 triumph.
The Denbigh destroyer hit three fantastic ton-plus finishes in coming from a set down to lead 2-1, only for Walsh to take the fourth set against the darts and stay in the game.
However, the left-hander kicked off the deciding set with a 124 finish, and took two of the next three legs to book his second round spot.
“There was a lot of pressure on me when I joined the PDC but hopefully this is the start of good things for me and I can kick on from here,” said Webster afterwards.
“I know I can play good darts and that was a gritty performance which hopefully will hold me in good stead.”