Revisiting a Triumphant Moment: Vincent van der Voort’s Fourth PDC Title on May 15, 2011
In this edition of ‘On this day in…’, Dartsnews takes a look back at one of the career highlights for Dutch darts sensation Vincent van der Voort. On May 15, 2011, the Dutchman secured his fourth PDC title, a remarkable feat that still brings him great joy a decade later.
Van der Voort’s Victorious Day
Van der Voort’s successful outing that day was made even sweeter by the fact that his beloved football club Ajax had won the Eredivisie championship on the same day. The Dutchman’s triumph came through a Players Championship tournament victory in Austria, a feat he would replicate with a Euro Tour title three years later.
The Road to the Final
The road to the final was not without its challenges, as Van der Voort had to overcome a tough 6-4 victory over Martin Marti in the opening round, followed by a commanding 6-1 win against Dave Chisnall. The Dutchman then dispatched Brian Woods (6-4), Paul Nicholson (6-2), Andy Smith (6-5), and Mark Hylton (6-4) to reach the final showdown against none other than the legendary Phil Taylor.
The Final Showdown
In a tightly contested final, Van der Voort raced out to a 3-0 lead, only to see Taylor level the score at 3-3 with a spectacular 151 finish. The Power had a chance to break in the seventh leg, but Van der Voort held his nerve to take a 4-3 advantage. The final three legs went with the darts, setting up a decisive leg to determine the champion. Taylor’s 180 in the opening visit put him in the driving seat, but Van der Voort remained unfazed, sealing the victory with a clinical double 10 to defeat the most successful darts player of all time.
Van der Voort’s Achievements
This triumph marked Van der Voort’s fourth PDC title, adding to the two Players Championship victories he secured in 2010 and the UK Open Qualifier title he won in 2011. His crowning achievement, however, came in 2014 when he clinched the Austrian Darts Open title.
Facing Challenges in Recent Years
While the memories of that successful day remain vivid, the past decade has seen Van der Voort facing challenges in maintaining his PDC Tour Card. After failing to achieve consistent results and missing the last World Darts Championship, the Dutchman has dropped significantly in the world rankings. As the current season comes to a close, Van der Voort must finish within the top-64 of the PDC Order of Merit to retain his Tour Card and continue competing at the highest level of the sport he loves.
“This triumph marked Van der Voort’s fourth PDC title, adding to the two Players Championship victories he secured in 2010 and the UK Open Qualifier title he won in 2011.”
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