Robert Thornton produced a sensational upset to beat world number one Phil Taylor 11-5 and win the Speedy Services UK Open in Bolton.
Taylor had appeared on course to win a fifth title in ‘The FA Cup of Darts’ last night when he powered past Terry Jenkins and Denis Ovens in the latter stages.
But after taking a 2-0 lead in the final, he had no answer to an inspired barrage from the Scot, who won nine of the next ten legs and hit six 180s in the process of moving 9-3 up as Taylor missed a total of 23 darts at doubles.
The Stoke great hit back to 10-5, but was unable to prevent Thornton from sealing victory in only his second major with a 121 bullseye finish, as he followed up his 2007 World Masters win by taking the £40,000 first prize.
The triumph – which followed his earlier wins against Mark Webster, Gary Anderson, Dennis Priestley, Wes Newton and Dave Chisnall – will kick-start Thornton’s career, with the Scot having spent two months sidelined last year as he recovered from a bout of pneumonia, and also returns him to the world’s top 32 after he had slipped down the PDC Order of Merit.
“It hasn’t sunk in what I’ve done yet,” said a delighted Thornton. “When I won the World Masters in 2007 it was a great achievement but to beat Phil Taylor in a televised final is a very special moment in my career.
“Phil did miss quite a few doubles in the middle of the game and I managed to take the chances that were on offer to me.”
Taylor’s defeat was only his sixth in a major televised final during his incredible career, and his first in a decider since losing to another Scot, Gary Anderson, in the 2007 World Darts Trophy.
“Robert deserved to win,” said Taylor. “I missed a lot of doubles but Robert was the better player.
“He’s come through an incredibly tough draw and beaten the likes of Mark Webster, Gary Anderson and Wes Newton along the way to the final, so that shows he deserves this title.”
Thornton’s win sees him move from 34th in the PDC Order of Merit back to 23rd, and he admits that the win is a huge boost following the bout of pneumonia which affected him in the second half of last year.
“The pneumonia knocked me back a fair bit,” added Thornton, who turns 45 next month. “I was out for a couple of months, but with the support of my kids and my grandkids I got back on my feet and playing again.
“They lifted me and they didn’t give up on me, and I wasn’t going to give up. I hope this is the start of good things again for me now.
“I was 13th in the world a couple of years and I want to get back there and higher!”
Thornton enjoyed a fine semi-final win over Dave Chisnall, who improved on last year’s run to the quarter-finals by reaching the last four this time around, but he was unable to repeat the heavy scoring which had helped him see off Raymond van Barneveld earlier yesterday.
Denis Ovens was the other losing semi-finalist, as he reached the last four for the third successive year before losing 10-2 to Taylor.
