Colin Lloyd ended almost two years without a ranking title by defeating Andy Hamilton 6-5 in the final of Sunday’s Players Championship at the K2 Centre in Crawley.
The former World Matchplay champion secured his place in this month’s tournament at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool and returns to the world’s top 16 following the £6,000 triumph – which was his first win since taking victory at the same venue in September 2010.
Lloyd, kown as “Jaws”, had recently reached a Players Championship semi-final in Birmingham and hit a nine-darter last week in Berlin at the European Tour event, and continued the form by going all the way in Crawley.
He picked up three successive 6-3 wins in his early victories over Mareno Michels, Gareth Cousins and Aaron Turner before whitewashing Dean Winstanley in the last 16.
Lloyd then saw off Terry Jenkins 6-4 in the quarter-finals and won his semi-final against Ian White by the same scoreline – avenging a defeat to the Stoke thrower at the same stage in April – as he moved into the final against Hamilton.
The pair could not be split for the first six legs before Hamilton produced a hammer blow with a brilliant 152 checkout to break in the seventh, before finishing 72 to lead 5-3.
Lloyd, though, took out 130 on double five to hit back and punished one missed match dart from Hamilton – at double 16 for a 112 finish – by posting double ten to force a decider, which he edged on double five.
“It’s been a while but I’m very happy to have won,” said Lloyd. “I’ve played some good stuff today and battled hard.
“I won my board, and to play Dean Winstanley straight after was a tough game because he’d just beaten James Wade. I never let him get going and got through that and took out some big shots against Terry Jenkins.”
He added: “Andy’s a great player and the 152 seriously hurt, because I was in control of that leg. I went 5-3 down but held my throw and broke him when I got a shot and then won the decider, so I’m happy that I did that.
“I’m over the moon because winning this guarantees that I’ll be in the World Matchplay.
“I love playing in Blackpool and can look forward to that – but I’m looking forward to the European Tour event in Germany next week first because I’m throwing some great stuff at the moment and I’m enjoying myself.
“I think I’ve got the respect of the players back now where they know I’m not just a pushover any more. Someone said to me that while I’ve got a smile on my face I’m dangerous, and someone will have to do a lot to wipe the smile off my face because I’m back to cause some damage!”
Lloyd’s triumph denied Hamilton his first ranking title for five years, but he took home £3,000 as runner-up after reaching his second final inside a month.
The World Championship finalist overcame Belgium’s Kurt Van De Rijck, Spain’s Carlos Rodriguez and Holland’s Michael van Gerwen to reach the last 16, before wins over Arron Monk and Mark Hylton pushed him into the last four against another Belgian, Kim Huybrechts.
Huybrechts led 4-1 at one stage, but Hamilton won the next five legs without reply to win his place in the decider.
Huybrechts’ run to the semis saw him reach the last eight or better in a PDC ProTour event for the eighth time this year, as he continues his progression towards the world’s top 32.
White is another player whose consistency in the ProTour events will see him qualify for the World Matchplay as he followed up a quarter-final in Saturday’s Players Championship by reaching the last four on Sunday.
Justin Pipe and Simon Whitlock joined Jenkins and Hylton in reaching the last eight, while Ted Hankey overcame Mark Webster and Mark Walsh in reaching the last 16 – although he will now miss out on qualification for the World Matchplay.
The qualifiers for the World Matchplay will be decided following next weekend’s £82,100 European Tour event in Dusseldorf, with the world’s top 16 joined by 16 qualifiers from the ProTour Order of Merit.