Penhall wins Winmau Pro Tour 5-2 over Brandon Weening
The fourth event on the Winmau Pro tour calendar was played out on Sunday afternoon by 65 players. The winner was Darren Penhall as he defeated Brandon Weening in Weening’s second final of the weekend.
The quarter final stage saw Darren Penhall defeat NSW’s Dave Hanel 5-0, for Hanel his second quarter final of the day. Just as triumphant was Western Australia’s Brenton Lloyd over Victorian Harley Kemp. Another New South Welshman, Tyrell Coppini, had got on a run in the competition, the youngster making it all the way to the quarter final where he met Brandon Weening. The Victorian took that match out 5-1. It was the same score in the last match of that round with GG Mathers eliminating fellow Queenslander Mick Lacey.
For Penhall, who had emigrated to Australia in the early 2000s but won a PDC tour card when he returned to the UK in 2020, (only for COVID to prevent him from making an impact in the PDC) it was a triumphant weekend making this his most successful DPA event after previously having played in the DPA challenge tour pre Covid. In the semi final stage he held throw twice and broke the Lloyd throw in between to lead 3-0. A 140 start in the fourth leg helped Lloyd to a better situation and a 134 left him needing 70 for his first leg of the match. He took it out at the second time of asking. Penhall then scored three consecutive tons before 81 left him needing Shanghai to hold throw. He left 60 and Lloyd put some pressure on it to leave 52. Penhall blinked and left 10, Lloyd pouncing to check out with his next two darts and move the match to 3-2. Penhall started the better against the Lloyd throw with a 140 and then a 180. He followed it up with a 137 to leave 44 which he collected on his next visit to move to within a leg of the match. On throw he started with two tons and then a 140 before 137 left him needing double 12 for the match. He busted on his next visit but with Lloyd on 199 he would return to the oche. A 139 from Lloyd left him needing 60 but this time Penhall took the leg to win the match 5-2 and make his first DPA final.
In the second semi final Brandon Weening held the opening throw of the match. The Mathers throw then got broken by Weening. Despite a 180 start from Weening on throw in leg three, two 140s from Mathers helped him to secure the break straight back. On throw Mathers started with a 140 and stayed well ahead in the leg to quickly return the match back to parity at 2-2. Mathers opened with a maximum against the Weening throw but two 140s in his second and third visit kept Weening in it. It was Mathers who took his chance in the leg, though, to take a 3-2 lead. Mathers missed a chance at 111 for the next leg only for Weening to miss out on Shanghai. With Mathers busting it was Weening who finally took his chance on this leg and the match was back on throw at 3-3. Both players started with visits in the 130s and then followed up with ton visits (in fact Weening had two of them in a row.) A visit of 138 on his fourth time to the oche from Mathers needing 68 to break again and with Weening leaving 20 chasing 111 Mathers got a shot at it. He was unable to secure it and Weening took the chance to move 4-3 ahead. On throw Mathers started with 134 as Weening threw consecutive 137s to start (Mathers throwing a ton in between them.) Another ton left Weening needing 127 for the match and with Mathers on 148 he had a go at it but missed the bull with his last dart in hand. Weening cleaned up on his next visit in two darts to secure his second final of the weekend with the 5-3 victory over Mathers.
In the final Penhall held throw in the opening leg before a visit of 86 moved Weening to 78 of doing the same. He left 24 but with Penhall unable to secure the 130 check out Weening returned to the oche and cleaned up with last dart in hand. A maximum at his second visit gave Penhall a strong lead in the next leg and a 123 visit left him needing 113. Penhall eventually cleaned up to lead the match 2-1. Two tons set Penhall up for a shot at 140 and although he missed it he took his chance at his next visit to lead 3-1. A maximum against the throw from Weening left him on 179 but the same from Penhall on his next visit left him needing 61. Weening moved to 84 and with Penhall busting Weening had a shot at the break. He missed the bull for the leg but Penhall spurned the opportunity again and Weening took out the 25 to move within a leg of his opponent. Penhall again started strong against the throw, this time two 140s. Penhall needed tops as Weening moved from 149 to 54 and with last dart in hand he moved back into a two leg lead, this time one leg away from the final victory. He then opened with 134, then a maximum and then 100 before leaving tops after his next visit. With his 13th dart he secured the match and the final 5-2.
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