Geelong Greyhound Racing Club hosted the Simon Whitlock Trophy this weekend as part of the Dartplayers Australia season. It also determined another qualifier for the World Series of Darts in Wollongong.
The quality of the field in the first event of the weekend meant big names would fall early. Tim Pusey, GG Mathers, Dave Marland and Brandon Weening all fell at the round of 16.
Brody Klinge defeated Dave Hanel 5-2 in their quarter final. Rob Modra defeated Harley Kemp in a deciding leg, 5-4. The other two quarter finals finished the same. Mal Cuming defeated Jeremy Fagg, and Joe Comito beat Michael Cassar in them.
The semi finals saw Modra defeat Klinge 6-3. Comito defeated Cuming 6-4 in the other.
The Final was level after four legs. Each player had a hold and break of throw. It was level again after six legs. Comito then broke Modra to lead 4-3. Modra broke straight back. He then held throw in 15 darts. He broke Comito again to win 6-4.
Adam Demaj won the mediums and lows event held on the Saturday.
The second event of the main field on the Saturday saw more big names fall at the round of 16. Joe Comito, Mitchell Clegg, Sam Ballinger and Dave Marland were amongst that group.
The quarter final match between Brenton Lloyd and Brody Klinge went to a deciding leg. Lloyd progressed 5-4. Jeremy Fagg and Rob Modra’s quarter final also finished with the same scoreline, Fagg progressing. Harley Kemp defeated GG Mathers 5-3. James Bailey’s result was even bigger, winning 5-1 over Brandon Weening.
Bailey fell 6-1 to Lloyd in their semi-final. The other half of the draw saw Fagg progress. He had a tight match with Kemp but won the deciding leg. He took the match 6-5.
The Final saw Lloyd win the first leg. Fagg then won five legs in a row. Lloyd responded with a brief revival as he won two legs. The lead was too much though and Fagg won the ninth leg. Thus he took the Final 6-3.
Sunday saw more big names fall early in event 6. Mitchell Clegg, Jeremy Fagg, Joe Comito, and James Bailey amongst those eliminated in the round of 16.
The quarter finals saw Brody Klinge win two sets to nil against Brenton Lloyd. Dave Marland defeated Rob Modra by the same. GG Mathers defeated Mal Cuming two sets to one. Brandon Weening finished his match on the same score over Harley Kemp.
Both semi finals finished three sets to nil. Mathers defeated Marland and Klinge eliminated Weening.
The Final saw Klinge win the first set in straight legs. Mathers did the same in the second set. Klinge then won the opening leg in the next set. Mathers won the next three in a row. He led the match by two sets to one overall. Klinge led two nil in the next set. Mathers won another three consecutive legs. He therefore won the Final three sets to one.
The results meant that overall Rob Modra etched his name on the Simon Whitlock trophy. Given the support Simon has given Rob over the years it was a great reward for a good weekend of darts from Modra.
It also meant that Modra returns to the World Series of Darts. This time it will be on a PDC stage in Australia. He previously was a part of Auckland 2015 and 2017.
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