PDC Youth Round-up - Crawley

Sam, Joe & Jake competed at Crawley K2 centre in the final two PDC Youth events starting at the unusual time of 6 o’clock. 

This was Jake’s first PDC youth event under AM Darts management & acquainted himself really well with a 4-2 win over Josh Pinder, defeating Aaron Bateman 4-1, then playing Shaun Griffiths taking that game 4-1 and only going out to our own Sam Head 4-1 in a closely fought match which could have gone either way unlike the score suggests.

On the Sunday Jake started really well beating top Irish player Paddy Meaney 4-0 but failing to progress any further as Shaun Griffiths got his revenge by beating Jake 4-0 this time but a great start in the AM Darts team.

Sam Head was in awesome form on Saturday and showed why he is one of the best youth players around beating Aden Kirk 4-2, beating former tour winner Reece Robinson 4-2, Sam Hill being his next opponent which saw Sam Head taking out a 105 check out in the deciding leg when Sam Hill was sitting on a double ready to close the came out for himself.  In the quarters Sam played really well to beat our own Jake Jones 4-1 and progressed to the semis where he met an in form Chris Aubrey.  This game went glove to glove with the score at 3-3 and the vital deciding leg was awesome with Sam on a double after 12 darts victory looked assured but Chris put the pressure on with some high scores causing Sam to miss match darts at a double enabling Chris to come down and win 4-3.

 
On the Sunday Sam went out William O’Connor 4-3 after missing match doubles in the deciding leg but another great weekend for the ever improving Sam Head.

Joe Davis had by far, his best PDC tour event where he showed great form all weekend. On Saturday his first game was against Lee Whitworth who Joe beat 4-2. Joe then came up against PDC World Youth Campion James Hubbard and took a 3-1 lead him unfortunately Joe failed to close the game out and James prevailed winning 4-3.

Joe continued his good form into the Sunday starting with a 4-0 win against Gavin Howard and in his second game of the evening beat top youth player Jamie Landon 4-0 in a convincing win.  George Killington was his last 16 opponent who has been in inspirational form of late.  Joe out scored George in most legs but George was on form taking big shots out his legs, the game went to a deciding leg and with George having the throw, Joe had to pull out some magic and with a 12 dart leg did so.  In the quarters Joe faced the number one ranked youth player for 2012, Arron Monk. Monk came out a convincing 4-0 winner and went on to win the tournament, his second of the weekend. 

Sam and Jake both qualify for the Youth World Championship to be played in the spring.  Sam came a credible 11th (£1300) Jake 19th (£950) Joe 40th (£470) which is just outside the requirement for automatic qualification, however Joe will be aiming to qualify through various regional events in the coming months.

FINAL ORDER OF MERIT