Huybrechts claims Players Championship 3 “This means the world to me.”

Kim Huybrechts won the Players Championship 3 in Barnsley on Saturday with an 8-1 victory over Germany’s number one Gabriel Clemens.

Huybrechts won the £12,000 top prize at the Barnsley Metrodome before defeating Clemens in Saturday’s showpiece to claim his first PDC title since 2015.

Clemens was beaten 8-0 by Dirk van Duijvenbode in a ProTour final a year ago, and he appeared to be heading in the same direction at one point.

Huybrechts drew first blood with a clinical two-dart 78 checkout before punishing Clemens’ carelessness to race into a 5-0 lead, despite the German winning four of those legs with darts at double.

The Antwerp ace then converted 70 and 117 finishes in consecutive legs to move to 7-0, only for Clemens to open his account with a 103 outshot in leg eight

However, that was only a temporary reprieve for Clemens, as Huybrechts sealed the deal with a 16-dart hold via double eight to return to the winner’s circle in style.

 

“This means the world to me. I’m so happy,” reflected Huybrechts, celebrating his fifth PDC title.

“I’ve been working really hard since the World Championship. I lost two games last weekend with a 103 and 98 average and I was thinking this can’t happen all the time, but the level is so high these days.

“When I won my last title, I was on the up. My name was always there and now I wasn’t even in the conversation, so this win means everything.

“I want to be back in that top 16. I want to be qualified for everything. I want to be up there again in the top ten of the world.

“That is my goal and some people will say I won’t reach it, but you have to set goals in your life, and I believe in my own ability.”

The Belgian trailblazer demonstrated his credentials with a stunning first-round victory over Devon Petersen, averaging 112 to defeat the South African star.

Huybrechts defeated Players Championship 1 semi-finalist Dylan Slevin and posted a 102 average to defeat Premier League star Nathan Aspinall before cruising past Ricardo Pietreczko to reach the last eight.

The 37-year-old then held off a spirited comeback from Josh Rock to reach the semi-finals, producing a 13-dart hold in a last-leg decider after Rock had come back from 5-1 down to level.

This set up a semi-final meeting with his old rival Gerwyn Price, but the Belgian won convincingly 7-3, despite a brief rally from the Welshman midway through.

Clemens, who was competing in his seventh PDC final, was unable to win his elusive first ranking title, but he did secure the £8,000 runner-up prize.

In his first match, the World Championship semi-finalist cruised past Jules van Dongen, followed by victories over Jose Justicia, Kevin Doets, and European Champion Ross Smith.

Clemens advanced with a quarter-final victory over Latvia’s Madars Razma, before rallying from a 4-3 deficit to defeat Canada’s Matt Campbell in the final four.

In reaching the semi-finals, Campbell defeated Dutch trio Vincent van der Voort, Niels Zonneveld, and Gian van Veen, as well as Bradley Brooks and Mike De Decker.

Price, meanwhile, made his first ProTour appearance of 2023 with a strong performance in Barnsley, defeating James Hurrell 6-5 with a 104 average.

In addition to Callum Goffin, Scott Williams, Richard Veenstra, and Andrew Gilding, the Welshman advanced to the semi-finals, earning £4,000 for his efforts.

Surprisingly, eight different nationalities were represented in Saturday’s quarter-finals, with Gilding, Razma, and Van Veen falling in the last eight alongside World Youth Champion Rock.

 

2023 Players Championship 3

Saturday February 18

Barnsley Metrodome

Last 16

Andrew Gilding 6-3 Jamie Hughes

Gerwyn Price 6-2 Richard Veenstra

Kim Huybrechts 6-2 Ricardo Pietreczko

Josh Rock 6-3 Adam Warner

Gabriel Clemens 6-3 Ross Smith

Madars Razma 6-4 Danny Noppert

Matt Campbell 6-2 Niels Zonneveld

Gian van Veen 6-4 Jonny Clayton

 

Quarter-Finals

Gerwyn Price 6-5 Andrew Gilding

Kim Huybrechts 6-5 Josh Rock

Gabriel Clemens 6-3 Madars Razma

Matt Campbell 6-3 Gian van Veen

 

Semi-Finals

Kim Huybrechts 7-3 Gerwyn Price

Gabriel Clemens 7-4 Matt Campbell

 

Final

Kim Huybrechts 8-1 Gabriel Clemens