Stowe Buntz and Leonard Gates claimed their second Championship Darts Corporation titles of 2024 last weekend, as Canada’s Jim Long also returned to the winner’s enclosure.
The year’s third weekend of Championship Darts Corporation action saw Events 6-8 take place in Wheeling, Illinois on August 3-4, as Long, Buntz and Gates shared the spoils in the CDC’s latest treble-header.
Long – a former World Cup of Darts quarter-finalist – opened Saturday’s action with Event Six success, sealed with a thrilling 7-6 victory against Gates.
The Canadian produced a brutal mid-match burst to overturn a 4-2 deficit, winning his last four legs in 11, 13, 15 and 14 darts to triumph with a 97.71 average.
Long kicked off his campaign with a brace of 5-2 wins against Stephan Rousseau and Sean Mitchell, before recording back-to-back 6-4 victories over Jake Womack and Alex Spellman.
The 56-year-old defied a 102 average from Spellman to progress with a ton-topping average of his own, and he landed a spectacular 167 checkout en route to a 7-2 thrashing of Dave Richardson in the semi-finals.
Former Grand Slam quarter-finalist Buntz later rounded off Saturday’s action with Event Seven glory, defeating CDC Order of Merit leader David Cameron 7-5 to double his title tally in 2024.
Buntz – an Event Four winner last month – recovered from 3-0 down to triumph, kickstarting his bid with a 117 finish in leg four, before completing the comeback with a brilliant 12-dart hold in leg 12.
The reigning CDC Continental Cup champion relinquished just eight legs in his other four matches, dispatching Dustin Holt, Davey Mayne and Jacob Taylor, while converting 104 and 116 finishes to complete a deciding-leg win over Doug Boehm.
Gates then took centre stage in Sunday’s Eight Event, clinching his 10th CDC title with a comprehensive 7-3 victory against Spellman, reeling off four consecutive legs to seal the deal.
The enigmatic American had previously fended off an inspired fightback from Jeff Springer to run out a 7-6 winner in the semi-finals, which was preceded by a 6-2 thrashing of Adam Sevada in the last eight.
Gates also swept aside Jack Robinson by the same scoreline in round three, having opened his title bid with back-to-back whitewash wins against Clayanna Brandon and Albert Anstey.
Three-time World Champion John Part and 1994 World Matchplay winner Larry Butler also impressed in Illinois last weekend, registering semi-final showings in Events Seven and Eight respectively.
The CDC action continues later this month, as Events 9-11 take place in New York from August 23-25, before Indiana plays host to Events 12-14 from September 20-22.
View match stats from each event through DartConnect.
2024 CDC Tour
Saturday August 3
Event Six
Quarter-Finals
Jeff Springer 6-0 Doug Boehm
Leonard Gates 6-3 Joey Lynaugh
Dave Richardson 6-2 Brandon Goddard
Jim Long 6-4 Alex Spellman
Semi-Finals
Leonard Gates 7-6 Jeff Springer
Jim Long 7-2 Dave Richardson
Final
Jim Long 7-6 Leonard Gates
Event Seven
Quarter-Finals
Stowe Buntz 6-5 Doug Boehm
Jacob Taylor 6-5 Leonard Gates
David Cameron 6-3 Adam Sevada
John Part 6-5 Jack Robinson
Semi-Finals
Stowe Buntz 7-1 Jacob Taylor
David Cameron 7-4 John Part
Final
Stowe Buntz 7-5 David Cameron
Sunday August 4
Event Eight
Quarter-Finals
Jeff Springer 6-3 Doug Boehm
Leonard Gates 6-2 Adam Sevada
Larry Butler 6-2 Steve Warnock
Alex Spellman 6-3 Jake Womack
Semi-Finals
Leonard Gates 7-6 Jeff Springer
Alex Spellman 7-1 Larry Butler
Final
Leonard Gates 7-3 Alex Spellman
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