Rock ends 2024 with Players Championship 30 as Beaton says goodbye

With a thrilling deciding-leg victory against Jonny Clayton on Thursday, Josh Rock secured his third ranking championship of 2024. Players Championship 30 in Leicester marked the end of the PDC ProTour season.

Rock has had a spectacular ProTour season, winning the Players Championship 17 in August after making his European Tour debut in the Dutch Darts Championship in May.

In Rosmalen, the 23-year-old defeated Clayton to win his first European Tour title. He then defeated the Welshman in a thrilling match to win the £15,000 top prize.

The two-time World Cup winner opened his account with an incredible 132 combination on the bull after Rock took advantage of Clayton’s early double troubles to create a 3-0 lead.

Clayton responded with an incredible four-leg surge, producing legs of 11, 13, 14, and 14 darts to tie the score at six apiece, but the Northern Irishman seemed unfazed as he increased his lead to 6-2.

Clayton then responded to Rock’s 14-dart hold with a spectacular 140 finish to force a decision, but he was denied a chance to win the bout as Rock won with a smug 118 checkout on tops.

Rock, who is competing in his fourth Players Championship final of 2024, had his best performance of the day when he destroyed Jim Williams in the third round, averaging 107.67 to knock the Welshman out.

Wins against Karel Sedlacek and Alexander Merkx came before this, and in the round of 16, he had a spectacular mid-match outburst to celebrate defeating James Wade 6-3.

Then, in his quarterfinal matchup with Wessel Nijman, Rock made a late surge, defeating William O’Connor 7-3 in the last four after surviving two match darts in the decider.

Rock has returned to the world’s top 16 after winning his fourth PDC ranking title, and he is committed to taking his ProTour shows to the big stage in the upcoming weeks.

“That was a very, very tough game,” reflected Rock, who defied a 106.38 average from Clayton to triumph with a 102 average of his own.

“That is why Jonny is one of the best players in the world. He just doesn’t go away!

“He knows what to do, how to do it and when to do it. He came back brilliantly there, but thankfully I hit that 118 checkout!

“My TV performances in the last two years have been disappointing, but that will change,” vowed the former World Youth Champion.

“I don’t know why it hasn’t been happening on the big stage, because I’m not doing anything different.

“I’m not feeling nervous up there, but things will change, and the one I am most focused for is the World Championship.”

Although Welsh number one Clayton’s attempt to win a seventh Players Championship title was heartbreakingly unsuccessful, he continued his comeback to win the £10,000 runner-up prize.

After defeating William Borland with a 102 average to start his attempt, Clayton went on to win by a slim margin over fellow countryman Nick Kenny and European Championship runner-up Jermaine Wattimena.

After defeating Thibault Tricole 6-1, the 50-year-old defeated Arron Monk in the deciding leg. In the semi-finals, he defeated Ryan Searle 7-4 by averaging 103.

Searle defeated Madars Razma in a deciding-leg match and advanced to the semi-finals by defeating Jose de Sousa and Mike De Decker, the recent World Grand Prix winner.

After starting his campaign with an exciting victory over top seed Dave Chisnall, who had previously in the match scored a nine-darter, O’Connor joined Searle in the final four.

In addition, the Irishman interrupted Damon Heta’s unstoppable run in a top-notch quarterfinal and averaged 103 in a stunning victory over Darryl Pilgrim in the third round.

Along with Nijman, Razma, and Monk, the Australian number one made up the quarterfinal lineup after averaging 110, 106, and 112 in his first three games.

But Andrew Gilding put on the best show of the day, averaging 115.12 to defeat Connor Scutt, who averaged 110.82 but lost two legs in a thrilling match.

In the meanwhile, Monk advanced to the round of eight by defeating Dutch legend Raymond van Barneveld and Players Championship Order of Merit winner Chris Dobey, but he was unable to qualify for the Players Championship Finals.

Despite losing against Kevin Doets in the first round, former World Matchplay champion Nathan Aspinall managed to secure the 64th and final spot in the event next month.

But among the well-known absences from this year’s Players Championship Finals are Portuguese sensation De Sousa, Australian veteran Simon Whitlock, and German number three Ricardo Pietreczko.

As Steve Beaton’s ProTour career came to an end in the Mattioli Arena, he was also unable to reach Minehead for the Players Championship Finals.

After receiving a standing ovation from his fellow pros prior to Thursday’s play, the 60-year-old lost to Niels Zonneveld 6-5 in his last Players Championship event before retiring.

However, Beaton will compete in the Grand Slam of Darts Qualifier tomorrow. He can also qualify for the 2024–25 World Darts Championship by competing in the Tour Card Holder Qualifier next month.

2024 Players Championship 30

Thursday October 31, Mattioli Arena

Last 16

William O’Connor 6-3 Graham Hall

Damon Heta 6-2 Darren Beveridge

Wessel Nijman 6-2 Martin Schindler

Josh Rock 6-3 James Wade

Ryan Searle 6-3 Mike De Decker

Madars Razma 6-3 Steve Lennon

Arron Monk 6-3 Raymond van Barneveld

Jonny Clayton 6-1 Thibault Tricole

Quarter-Finals

William O’Connor 6-4 Damon Heta

Josh Rock 6-5 Wessel Nijman

Ryan Searle 6-5 Madars Razma

Jonny Clayton 6-5 Arron Monk

Semi-Finals

Josh Rock 7-3 William O’Connor

Jonny Clayton 7-4 Ryan Searle

Final

Josh Rock 8-7 Jonny Clayton

Nine-Darter!

Dave Chisnall hit a nine-darter in his first round tie against William O’Connor