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Finally!
It was here, the premier darts event in the US. The Las Vegas Desert Classic III, held at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino. We never thought June 28th would ever arrive. In year in the waiting, sharpening their skills. The US and Canadian players were determined to give the top players in the world a better run for the cash this year. And what cash too! $183,000 was up for the taking.
The 2003 Las Vegas Desert Classic was televised live both in the US and in
Europe via Sky TV and the Fox Sport World network here in the states. This year, Fox decided not to go live but air the event on four consecutive Sundays in
September on their Fox Sports Net station at 6:00 pm coast to coast. It starts September 5 and continues for the next 3 Sunday evenings. Prime time!
The goal was to qualify in one of four qualifiers to reach the final 32 players to
compete for the big cash on stage. Each qualifier’s format was the best of seven games in a single elimination bracket
. Reach the top four in any qualifier, and you’re in. The women had to win their bracket to qualify.
Once qualified, the next staqge was the final 32, or 4 for the women, on the
stage. Check the qualifier brackets within this article to see how the competitors faired. Then read on to see how the matches went.
FIRST ROUND - Top 32
The first round format can be a nerve racking experience for some of the top
players as the game is best of only 3 sets, each set best of 5 legs. If the players are not mentally prepared and already warmed up, they could face an early exit.
Phil Taylor vs Adrian Gray
Colin Lloyd vs Richie Burnett
Peter Manley vs Paul Lim
Roland Scholten vs Dennis Preistley
Ricky Villanueva vs Steve Coote
Alan Warriner vs Mark Dudbridge
Andy Jenkins vs Bob Anderson
Darin Young vs Lionel Sams
Gerry Convery vs Darren Webster
Wayne Mardle vs Wes Newton
Bruce Cottrell vs Adrian Gray
Dennis Ovens vs John Kuczynski
Ronnie Baxter vs Steve Beaton
Paul Williams vs Dennis Smith
James Wade vs Kevin Painter
Alex Roy vs John Part
Stacy Bromberg vs Carolyn Mars
Trina Gulliver vs Gayl King
ºThe first match of the day featured Phil The Power Taylor against Adrian
Lewis. Taylor opened the first set in style throwing 16 11 and a 14 darter to win the set in three legs. Lewis attempted to derail Tayor in the second leg
with a brilliant 12 darters but just missed the center bull finish. Taylor cleaned up 52 for his first 11 darters of the match.
Taylor won the second set with a 16, 21 and his second 11 darter of the
match, but Lewis managed to take one leg with the darts to prvent a complete whitewash. Lewis threw well, but an unlicky draw in the first round
pit him against perhaps the best dart player the world has ever seen, Phil The Power Taylor.
Next up was Richie Burnett aganist Colin Jaws Lloyd. Both players held their
starts in the first two legs, but Burnett broke Jaws in the third leg and took the set in 4 when Jaws failed to hit double on two successive turns.
Lloyd broke Burnett in the first leg of the second set in 15, and Burnett broke
back in the 2nd with a nice 14 darter that included a 180. Burnett held his start and had a great opportunity to eliminate the number 5 seed from the
tournament and did so breaking Lloyd when he missed 2 darts at 40 and 20 respectively. The Prince of Wales, Burnett, on the the final 16.
The third match thrilled the crowd with the first of 5 American players taking
the stage, Paul Lim, versus the defending Las Vegas Desert Classic Champion, Peter One Dart Manley. Trading the first 2 legs with the start,
true to his name, Manley broke Lim in the 3rd leg with One Dart at double and Lim needing 66. Lim had a chance to break from 115 with one at tops
but failed and Manley cleaned up the first set 3 games to 1.
Manley gave Lim 4 darts to break him in the first leg of the second set, but
was still able to hold his start when Lim couldn’t take advantage of the opportunity. Lim held his start in the second and Manley took the next two
legs to win the match 2 sets to none.
Roland Scholten was up next with Dennis Priestley. A thrilling match ensued
where players traded the first two sets then levelled the final set two games each. The Menace made things quite a mess for the Dutchman hitting a 180
in the final leg and breaking Scholten to win the match 2 sets to 1 and move on to the final 16.
The next match scheduled was to be between Ricky Villaneuva and Steve
Coote, but in accordance with PDC rules and the Tournament Director, Tommy Cox, Villanueva was late to the players room and disqualified
advancing Coote to the next round.
Eleventh seed, Alan The Iceman Warriner, was up against qualifier Mark
Dudbridge in the next match. The first set was a thriller going to the 5th and final leg which Dudbridge won putting him up one set to none. Trading the
first two games against the darts in the second set, The Iceman held his start in the third leg and then broke Dudbridge to take the second set,
levelling the match at one set each.
Dudbridge had the advantage starting the final set and won his start hitting 90
on his 15th dart with Warriner on 96. The Iceman held his start only after giving Dudbridge a gut renching chance from 80. Warriner then broke
Dudbridge in the next leg and set himself up for the win with the start in the 4 leg. Warriner never let up but missed 4 darts at double giving Dudbridge the
chance with 3 darts at 20. Dudbridge missed oh so narrowly, but that was all Warriner needed to take the match and advance. The Iceman better get back
in the freezer because his next match will be just as hot.
Next up was Andy Jenkins, the number 10 seed, against Bob The Limestone Cowboy Anderson, who took care of business in the first of the 4 qualifying
rounds getting into the final 32. Jenkins had the start and took the first leg, broke Anderson in the second, and cleaned up the third leg on his start to
take the first set 3 nil.
Throwing a steady diet of tons, Anderson was not able to match the 140s and
180s from Jenkins. Jenkins broke in the first in 15 darts and took the second leg in 16. Down 1 set and 2 legs, Anderson knew he had to win his start and
raise his game to stay in the match, but was focused in and gave no quarter to Anderson, breaking him in the third and final leg to take the match in clean sets.
Next up, America’s hope, Darin Young, against The Lion Lionel Sams.
Young had the start and narrowly missed from 156, but cleaned up the 18 remaining to take a 1 game lead. Sams open leg two with 134, 60, 59, 140
to leave 108 and Young answered with 140, 140, 100, 97 to set up 24 after 12 darts. Sams wizely did not let Young have a go at 24 and finished the 108 on
his 15th dart. Young held his start in leg 3 to go up 2 games to 1 with a vedry nice 13 darters that included two 140s. Sames opened leg 4 with 100, 100,
60, 81 to leave 160 and Young responded 59, 137, 85, 41 to leave 179. Sams stroked a 140 to leave 20 after 15 darts, knowing Young couldn’t win in 15.
Sams leveled the set at 2 games each on his 16th dart. In the final leg, Young applied the pressure and took the first set with Sams resting back on
113. The first set to Young with the start in five legs.
The Lion knew he had to keep the pressure on Young and held his start in
the first game of the second set. Sams kept the pressure up in leg 2 against
the darts finishing a break with Young on 52, but only after missing 8 darts at
double before hitting the required out in the nick of time. Now with the start and up 2 legs to nil, Sams looked to level the match on his start in the third
leg, but Young upset that plan when Sams missed from 20 on darts 13, 14 and 15 and Young finished 100 on his 15th dart. Now with the start, Young
could level the set. Young opened 83, 81, 140, 140 to leave 57 and Sams followed with 85, 96, 97, 140 to leave 83. Young didn’t let Sams look at 83
taking the 4th leg in 14 darts. Now Sams had to have the 5th leg and he had the start. Both players showed their nerves as the scores reflected. Sams
opened 83, 59, 60, 59, 100, 78 to leave 62 after 18 darts and Young followed with 85, 58, 60, 59, 60, 97 to leave 82. Sams did not fail from 62, levelling the
sets at 1 each.
Young had the start in the final set and opened with a 140. Sams hit...
Continued...
Complete, in-depth coverage of this year’s exciting 2004 Las Vegas Desert
Classic III, including additional photos and complete winners brackets, is available to our print subscribers on pages 26 – 40 of the September/October 2004 print edition.
Related Article: Final Event Results 
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