Glory for Gates at the World Seniors Masters winning back-to-back TV titles

Leonard Gates won the 2023 World Senior Darts Masters after defeating Richie Howson 5-2 in the Final at Yeovil’s Westlands. The competition continues to produce champions from North America, with Soulger taking home the £10,000 winner’s prize for his weekend performances. 

After defeating past MODUS Super Series week winner Chris Mason and clinching a last leg decider against Mace the Ace, the American international advanced to the Semi Finals. Gates punished Chris in the fifth set, missing a dart at double 19 for a 100 checkout and a 3-2 lead in sets. 

The Texas  found double tops with his second dart in hand to take the lead for the first time in the Quarter last before completing the last set without reply, finishing on double 16 with his final dart to claim a 4-3 victory. 

In the Semi Finals, Gates faced back-to-back Seniors World Champion Robert Thornton, and produced a 116 check out in the fourth set to take a 3-1 lead. In the sixth set, the Red Dragon player missed a key dart at double 5 to tie the match at 3-3, letting his opponent to return to the oche and hit the same double. 

Thornton missed darts at doubles once more, this time two at tops, to win the following set and keep the Semi Final alive. Soulger set up a rematch of the Champion of Champions Final with a double 18 on his opening dart, completing a 5-2 triumph over the tournament’s second seed. 

Richie Howson reached his third Seniors Final of the year, defeating reigning WDF World Champion Neil Duff in the Quarters with a 141 finish before defeating Dennis Harbour in the Semis. 

Gates stormed out of the blocks in the Final, winning the first four legs without a reply to grab a 2-0 lead in sets against the Owl. Richie smashed double 16 to cap a 112 finish with one of his famous tonne plus checkouts in the third set. 

Howson cut the deficit to one in the third and fifth sets, but was forced to rue 11 missed double darts in the seventh. After striking double 5 with his last dart, Gates punished and moved within one point of the match. 

The Owl hit a 102 finish on double 16 to tie the eighth set at 1-1, but it was Leonard Gates who won the Final on double 4 to win 6-2 and become the 2023 World Senior Darts Masters Champion. 

The American has excelled on the Seniors Circuit, winning the World Senior Darts Masters in addition to the Champion of Champions earlier this year. 

2023 World Senior Darts Masters: Results 

 

Quarter Finals: 

 

Richie Howson 4-3 Neil Duff 

Dennis Harbour 4-2 Phil Taylor

Robert Thornton 4-3 John Part 

Leonard Gates 4-3 Chris Mason 

 

Semi Finals: 

 

Richie Howson 5-2 Dennis Harbour 

Leonard Gates 5-2 Robert Thornton 

 

Final: 

Leonard Gates 6-2 Richie Howson