PHIL TAYLOR claimed a third successive PartyPoker.com Grand Slam of Darts title with a 16-2 demolition of Scott Waites at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall.

Taylor followed up his 16-6 defeat of Raymond van Barneveld in Sunday afternoon's semis with another brilliant display to take the £100,000 title.

The win earned Taylor a 21st tournament victory of 2009 in sensational style, hitting a 170 checkout during the game and missing double 12 for a nine-darter in the winning leg - settling instead for a 10-darter in wrapping up the triumph.

"I've put a lot of hard work into this and really dedicated myself," said Taylor.  "I love the competition and playing on the big stage against all the other players.

"I'm so proud of Scott. He came through a really tough field this week, and he never gave in."

Taylor kicked-off the match with a 14 darter, before winning the second against the darts by hitting double 16.

The Stoke star converted a two-dart 72 finish to win the third leg despite a 180 from his opponent, and soon increased his lead to 4-0 before Waites got into the game with an excellent 105 checkout to win the fifth.

Taylor's domination of the match continued as he won three legs on the spin, in legs of 14, 13 and 14 darts, to move 7-1 ahead.

Waites managed to halt his opponent's flow by winning the ninth leg, after Taylor made rare errors on the doubles, but the world number one won the next two legs to go 11-2 ahead and establish complete command.

He then produced a fabulous 170 checkout after Waites had missed the bullseye for an 81 finish tp move ten legs clear.

Double top gave Taylor a 13-2 lead, and he won the next by recording a 116 checkout to go two legs away from the match.

Taylor missed the bullseye by the slimmest of margins for another 170 checkout, but returned to the oche to land double eight and continue the relentless pace, and set up a potential nine-dart finish in aiming to seal the win.

After hitting back-to-back 180s, he returned to land treble 20 and treble 19, but his attempt at double 12 was a whisker under the wire - mirroring a similar attempt in the European Championship final three weeks ago.

However, he returned to the oche to hit double six for a ten-dart finish to claim the PartyPoker.com Grand Slam of Darts trophy once again.

"I've put a lot of work into this tournament and I'm delighted to win it," added Taylor. "Scott never gave in and played some fantastic darts throughout the week, and he should be proud of himself.

"It means a lot to me to win another title here and I love the challenge."

Despite his heavy defeat in the final, Huddersfield-based Waites – a joiner who will return to work on Tuesday - was able to reflect on a successful week, taking away a cheque for £50,000 - the biggest of his career.

"Phil is hardest person in the game to play, and proved why tonight," said Waites. "This week has been fantastic and I'm ready to come back next year for more."

SCOTT WAITES will attempt to deny Phil Taylor a third successive PartyPoker.com Grand Slam of Darts title when the pair meet in the final at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall on Sunday night.

Yorkshireman Waites continued the greatest week of his darting career with a superb 16-11 semi-final win over Terry Jenkins, earning him a minimum £50,000 pay-day.

He could yet take the £100,000 first prize on Sunday night when he meets Taylor for the first time in his career.

"It's amazing, I can't believe I've made it this far," said Waites, a joiner by trade and a former World Masters runner-up.

"It's always been my ambition to play against Phil and I get to do it for the first time in the final. Given the way this week has gone, anything could happen!"

Waites, ranked number two in the BDO, led 2008 runner-up Jenkins 4-1 and 10-6 before the Ledbury star hit back to level at 11-all.

However, Waites reeled off five successive legs, including finishes of 117 and 10, to progress to the final.

Taylor had earlier seen off Raymond van Barneveld 16-6 with another high-quality display, averaging almost 107 in reaching a third successive Grand Slam of Darts final.

Van Barneveld matched Taylor in the early exchanges and trailed 4-3 when the reigning champion took 11 of the next 13 legs to move 15-5 up before sealing victory.

"I'm over the moon to be in the final," said Taylor. "It's a great tournament and I'm blessed to still be in it.

"Raymond wasn't at his best. He had spells buit seemed very lethargic and let me in."
PartyPoker.com Grand Slam of Darts

RESULTS
PartyPoker.com Grand Slam of Darts
Sunday, November 22
Final
Phil Taylor 16-2 Scott Waites
Semi-Finals
Phil Taylor 16-6 Raymond van Barneveld, Scott Waites 16-11 Terry Jenkins

Saturday November 21
Quarter-Finals
Scott Waites 16-13 Simon Whitlock, Terry Jenkins 16-9 Robert Thornton, Raymond van Barneveld 16-6 Kevin Painter, Phil Taylor 16-7 Tony O'Shea

Second Round - Friday
Robert Thornton 10-9 Darin Young, Simon Whitlock 10-1 Steve Beaton, Terry Jenkins 10-9 James Wade, Gary Anderson 9-10 Scott Waites

Second Round - Thursday
Tony O'Shea 10-9 Mark Webster, Kevin Painter 10-5 Kirk Shepherd, Phil Taylor 10-4 Colin Lloyd, Raymond van Barneveld 10-6 Mervyn King

First Round
Wednesday November 18
Groups E-H Final Games
Adrian Lewis 5-4 Terry Jenkins, Gary Anderson 5-2 Co Stompe, Robert Thornton 5-2 Gary Mawson, Scott Waites 5-0 Wayne Mardle, Andy Hamilton 5-3 James Wade, Simon Whitlock 5-4 Ted Hankey, Steve Beaton 5-4 Kevin McDine, Darin Young 5-3 Denis Ovens
Nine-Dart Shoot-Out - James Wade qualifies in second from Group H
James Wade 361 (96, 85, 180), Andy Hamilton 277 (100, 77, 100)

Tuesday November 17
Groups A-D Final Games
Darryl Fitton 5-4 Mervyn King, Vincent van der Voort 5-1 Phil Taylor, Kevin Painter 5-0 Francis Hoenselaar, Tony O'Shea 5-2 Colin Lloyd, Kirk Shepherd 5-3 Steve Maish, John Part 5-4 Raymond van Barneveld, Mark Webster 5-2 Anastasia Dobromyslova, Brian Woods 5-4 Colin Osborne

First Round - Monday Results
Groups E-H Second Games
Kevin McDine 5-4 Co Stompe, Andy Hamilton 5-2 Gary Mawson, Denis Ovens 5-3 Adrian Lewis, Ted Hankey 5-4 Wayne Mardle, Gary Anderson 5-2 Steve Beaton, James Wade 5-3 Robert Thornton, Terry Jenkins 5-3 Darin Young, Simon Whitlock 5-4 Scott Waites

Sunday, November 15 - Evening - Groups A-D
John Part 5-3 Francis Hoenselaar, Colin Lloyd 5-0 Brian Woods, Vincent van der Voort 4-5 Anastasia Dobromyslova, Darryl Fitton 3-5 Kirk Shepherd, Raymond van Barneveld 5-4 Kevin Painter, Phil Taylor 5-0 Mark Webster, Tony O'Shea 5-2 Colin Osborne, Mervyn King 5-4 Steve Maish

Afternoon - Groups E-H First Games
Steve Beaton 5-2 Co Stompe, Robert Thornton 5-2 Andy Hamilton, Darin Young 5-2 Adrian Lewis, Simon Whitlock 5-1 Wayne Mardle, Scott Waites 5-3 Ted Hankey, Gary Anderson 5-2 Kevin McDine, James Wade 5-3 Gary Mawson, Terry Jenkins 5-1 Denis Ovens

Saturday, November 14
Groups A-D Results
Mervyn King 5-0 Kirk Shepherd, Raymond van Barneveld 5-1 Francis Hoenselaar, Tony O'Shea 5-3 Brian Woods, Colin Osborne 5-3 Colin Lloyd, Phil Taylor 5-0 Anastasia Dobromyslova, Kevin Painter 5-3 John Part, Steve Maish 5-1 Darryl Fitton, Mark Webster 5-3 Vincent van der Voort.

Date updated: November 19, 2009

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