Thornton was back to his best on the final day as he defeated Jelle Klaasen and second seed James Wade before defeating Huybrechts 6-2 in the final to take the £25,000 top prize at the Maritim Hotel.

After beating Simon Whitlock in the afternoon session, Thornton was dealt a tough quarter-final draw as he matched up with Klaasen, who was looking to continue his stunning form of late after winning last weekend's Players Championship event in Wigan.

The Scot started well, kicking off with an 11-darter en route to opening up a 4-1 lead, before Klaasen found his form and took the next three legs to level. Thornton would regain his composure though as he took the final two legs to wrap up a 6-4 win and end the recent dominance of the Dutchman.

And things would not get any easier for the 47-year-old as he matched up with Wade in the semi-finals, who was heading into the match on the back of an impressive 6-3 win over Vincent van der Voort.

But Thornton would make light work of his opponent as he produced the performance of the weekend, averaging 111.77 and landing four maximums during a 6-1 demolition of The Machine, landing an 11-darter and two 12-dart legs during the stunning victory.

And Thornton's form would not desert him in the final as he stormed into a 3-0 lead against Huybrechts, before quickly extending that to 5-2 and finishing with a flourish, taking out 116 - his highest checkout of the match - in the final leg to secure the landmark success, averaging 106.18 in the process.

"I came into the tournament and I wasn't really under any pressure because when I come to these European events I'm normally knocked out on the Saturday afternoon!" said Thornton.

"I've got to put the win down to my wife, she calls me a little Pit Bull Terrier and says that I never give in and I proved that tonight.

"I lost my mum last year and I thought to myself 'calm yourself down and go and play darts' but that wasn't working. I'm a better player when I show my emotions and it's taken a couple of months for it to come out but I played well."

As for professional game of dart, we recommend tungsten dart, tungsten is an extremely dense metal. It is also very durable, so a high-density tungsten dart resists wear and the knurling will last much longer.

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Mensur Suljovic goes early! His World Matchplay celebrations were brought to an end when he realised he hadn't won.
 
The Austrian lost his head briefly in the 10th leg during his 11-9 win over Terry Jenkins on Sunday. He forgot he needed two clear legs when tied at nine each until he was reminded to return to the oche next to an unimpressed Jenkins.

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Fixtures and results from the 2015 World Matchplay Tungsten Darts from Blackpool.

Saturday 18th July - Round 1

7.10pm - Simon Whitlock 10-4 Jelle Klaasen

8.00pm - Peter Wright 10-5 Kim Huybrechts

9.00pm - Michael van Gerwen 10-4 Benito Van De Pas

10.00pm - Adrian Lewis 10-7 Joe Murnan

Sunday 19th July - Round 1

1.10pm - Mervyn King 8-10 Andrew Gilding

2.00pm - Ian White 10-6 Stephen Bunting

3.00pm - Justin Pipe 7-10 Jamie Lewis

4.00pm - Michael Smith 4-10 Gerwyn Price

7.10pm - Brendan Dolan 10-6 Vincent van Der Voort

8.00pm - Terry Jenkins 9-11 Mensur Suljovic

9.00pm - Gary Anderson 10-4 Steve Beaton

10.00pm - James Wade 10-7 Kyle Anderson

Monday 20th July – Round 1

7.10pm - Robert Thornton 7-10 Keegan Brown

8.00pm - Dave Chisnall 13-11 Jamie Caven

9.00pm - Phil Taylor 10-2 John Henderson

10.00pm - Raymond Van Barneveld 7-10 Andy Hamilton

Tuesday 21st July – Round 2

7.10pm - Wright  13-7 Gilding

8.20pm - Whitlock 9-13 White

9.30pm - Van Gerwen 13-2 J Lewis

10.40pm - A Lewis 10-13 Price

As for professional game of dart, we recommend tungsten dart, tungsten is an extremely dense metal. It is also very durable, so a high-density tungsten dart resists wear and the knurling will last much longer.

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Price, though, kicked off the next leg with a 180 - his eighth, to match Lewis' tally - before fittingly landing a third-dart double top to claim a famous win.

"It's unbelievable," said Price, who only joined the PDC circuit in January 2014. "My goal initially was to get through the first round and get my first win on TV, and today I just wanted to play well.

"I think I out-played Adrian for most of the game, apart from the last couple of legs where he came back, so I'm chuffed to bits. I wasn't nervous but maybe there was a bit of white line fever and he kept putting me under pressure.

"On Sunday I struggled with my scoring but my finishing got me through but tonight it came together. It hasn't sunk in yet - I can't wait to do it all again on Thursday."

Price now faces Peter Wright, the number five seed who held off the challenge of Andrew Gilding to reach his first World Matchplay quarter-final with a 13-7 win.

Gilding took out 100 for an 11-darter to open the game and also led 2-1 before Wright levelled and then broke with double 12 to move 3-2 up.

Gilding took out 121 and 74 to remain locked at four-all, but Wright found an extra gear to claim two big breaks of throw in a four-leg burst to move 8-4 up, hitting legs of 11, 12 and ten darts in the process and twice hitting seven perfect darts, missing treble 19 on both occasions in his bid for a nine-darter.

Gilding finished tops to win two of the next three legs to stay in touch at 10-7, but a 68 checkout gave Wright breathing space before he sealed victory with legs of 13 and 14 darts, which both featured 180s, as he moved into the last eight.

"It's fantastic to be through," said Wright. "There were patches of what my game should be all the time, and that's why I'm disappointed with my average but it's a win and I can improve now.

"I used to practice with Andrew before he turned professional with the PDC and he used to beat me all the time and I know how good he is but I got on top of him at the end."

The second round concludes on Tuesday, with the four games including reigning champion Phil Taylor's all-Stoke battle with Andy Hamilton.

2007 World Matchplay winner James Wade is up against Brendan Dolan, while World Champion Gary Anderson faces Austria's Mensur Suljovic and Dave Chisnall takes on World Youth Champion Keegan Brown.

Van Gerwen's victory has seen him cut to Evens with sponsors BetVictor to take the title on Sunday night, with Taylor the 10/3 second favourite and Anderson 4/1/

Wright's win has seen him reduced to 9/1 for the title, with White 33/1 and Price 50/1 following their second round victories.

As for professional game of dart, we recommend tungsten dart, tungsten is an extremely dense metal. It is also very durable, so a high-density tungsten dart resists wear and the knurling will last much longer.

  Tungsten Dart Manufacturer & Supplier: Chinatungsten Online - http://www.chinadart.com/
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White, though, took out tops to hit back and then landed 180s in the next three legs to put himself ahead for the first time at 10-9.

He then finished 104 and traded 180s with Whitlock as he moved 12-9 up before landing double ten to move into the quarter-finals in Blackpool for the first time.

"It feels great and I'm delighted to be in the quarter-finals," said White, who knocked out Stephen Bunting in the first round. "I'm happy with the way things are going at the moment.

"I thought I was dead and buried at 9-6 and it just wasn't going right for me. but I wanted to take one leg at a time, and when I got back to nine-all I knew I could do it.

"I wanted to keep pressuring him and he didn't reply. The 180s came back towards the end and I was taking the doubles out in one dart."

World number four Adrian Lewis was sensationally knocked out 13-10 by Welsh newcomer Gerwyn Price, the former rugby ace who will compete in his first major quarter-final on Thursday night.

Price matched the two-time World Champion blow for blow during a thrilling opening, sharing the first four legs before taking three in a row to lead 5-2 with an in-running average of over 111.

Lewis hit back with an 11-darter, only to see Price take four of the next five to edge himself into a 9-4 advantage as the pair traded 13-dart legs.

Lewis landed scores of 177 and 180 in the next two legs as he pulled back to 9-6, only for Price to land double top to win three of the next four as he moved to the brink of the biggest win of his 18-month career.

Two missed match tungsten darts in the next allowed Lewis in on double two to keep his hopes alive, before he landed another 180 in a brilliant 12-darter and then hit double ten to pull back to 12-10.

As for professional game of dart, we recommend tungsten dart, tungsten is an extremely dense metal. It is also very durable, so a high-density tungsten dart resists wear and the knurling will last much longer.

  Tungsten Dart Manufacturer & Supplier: Chinatungsten Online - http://www.chinadart.com/
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Michael Van Gerwen turned on the style with the fourth highest average in World Matchplay history as he swept Jamie Lewis aside 13-2 on Tuesday night, as Gerwyn Price stunned Adrian Lewis to join Peter Wright and Ian White in the quarter-finals in Blackpool.

World number one van Gerwen was at his brilliant, ruthless best as he powered past Lewis with a 110.93 average, which has only been bettered by Phil Taylor - on three occasions - in the 22-year history of the event.

Although Lewis shared the first two legs, he had no answer to van Gerwen's brilliant scoring and clinical finishing as the Dutchman reeled off nine successive legs.

The run included finishes of 100 - with two double tops - 91, 89 on the bull, 87 and 86 as well as an 11-dart finish, two 12-darters and four 14-dart legs.

Lewis landed double 11 to hit back in the 12th leg with a sparkling 13-darter, but van Gerwen landed 180s and another 11-darter in the next two legs to move 12-2 up before adding a 174 score to leave 32 as he sealed victory in style with a 13-dart finish.
"It's a statement to myself and the rest of the players," said van Gerwen. "Jamie was scoring okay but I didn't give him any chances and my finishing went in brilliantly, and I want to keep going like this.

"You don't do this average every day and it makes it a bit special - but it was only one game.

"I'm already looking forward to Thursday against Ian White and I want to concentrate on that and make sure I perform really well."

Van Gerwen will now take on Ian White in the quarter-finals, after the number nine seed produced an outstanding comeback to defeat Simon Whitlock 13-9 by reeling off seven successive legs.

A tight contest saw the opening ten legs all won with the throw, as White hit a 113 checkout and Whitlock fired in four 180s, before the Australian took three in a row to claim an 8-5 advantage.

White replied with a 13-darter before Whitlock enjoyed six perfect darts for the second time in the game, and though he again missed out on a nine-dart finish the Australia did take the leg for a 9-6 lead.

As for professional game of dart, we recommend tungsten dart, tungsten is an extremely dense metal. It is also very durable, so a high-density tungsten dart resists wear and the knurling will last much longer.

  Tungsten Dart Manufacturer & Supplier: Chinatungsten Online - http://www.chinadart.com/
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Monday July 20 (7pm-11pm)
First Round
Robert Thornton 7-10 Keegan Brown
Dave Chisnall 13-11 Jamie Caven
Phil Taylor 10-2 John Henderson
Raymond van Barneveld 7-10 Andy Hamilton

Tuesday July 21 (7pm-11.30pm)
Second Round
Peter Wright v Andrew Gilding
Simon Whitlock v Ian White
Michael van Gerwen v Jamie Lewis
Adrian Lewis v Gerwyn Price

Wednesday July 22 (7pm-11.30pm)
Second Round
Dave Chisnall v Keegan Brown
James Wade v Brendan Dolan
Phil Taylor v Andy Hamilton
Gary Anderson v Mensur Suljovic

Thursday July 23 (7pm-10pm)
Quarter-Finals x2

Friday July 24 (7pm-10pm)
Quarter-Finals x2

Saturday July 25 (7pm-10pm)
Semi-Finals

Sunday July 26 (7pm-9pm)
Final

Format
First Round - Best of 19 legs
Second Round - Best of 25 legs
Quarter-Finals - Best of 31 legs
Semi-Finals - Best of 33 legs
Final - Best of 35 legs
* Each game must be won by two clear legs, with up to a maximum of five additional legs being played before the sixth "extra" leg is sudden-death. There will be no re-throw for the bull in this instance. For example, should a First Round game (best of 19 legs) reach 12-12, then the 25th leg would be the final and deciding leg.

Prize Fund
Winner - £100,000
Runner-Up - £50,000
Semi-Finalists - £27,000
Quarter-Finalists - £17,500
Second Round Losers - £10,000
First Round Losers - £6,000
Total - £450,000

In addition, should a player achieve a nine-dart finish during this event, a bonus of £15,000 will be paid. Should more than one player achieve a nine-dart finish, this would be shared on a pro-rata basis.

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The World Matchplay takes place from July 18-26 at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool.

The prestigious £450,000 tournament - first held in 1994 - features 32 stars competing across nine days in a knockout format.

Watch Live!
Sky Sports - UK & Ireland
RTL7 - Netherlands
Sport1 - Germany
Fox Sports - Australia
Sky New Zealand
OSN - Middle East & North Africa
PPTV - China
Viasat - Scandinavia
Nova - Czech Republic & Slovakia

BetVictor World Matchplay
Saturday July 18 (7pm-11pm)
First Round
Simon Whitlock 10-4 Jelle Klaasen
Peter Wright 10-5 Kim Huybrechts
Michael van Gerwen 10-4 Benito van de Pas
Adrian Lewis 10-7 Joe Murnan

Sunday July 19
Afternoon Session (1pm-5pm)
First Round
Mervyn King 8-10 Andrew Gilding
Ian White 10-6 Stephen Bunting
Justin Pipe 7-10 Jamie Lewis
Michael Smith 4-10 Gerwyn Price

Evening Session (7pm-11pm)
First Round
Brendan Dolan 10-6 Vincent van der Voort
Terry Jenkins 9-11 Mensur Suljovic
Gary Anderson 10-4 Steve Beaton
James Wade 10-7 Kyle Anderson

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Chisnall now faces World Youth Champion Keegan Brown, who enhanced his growing reputation as a contender at darts' highest level with another composed performance, as he followed up his giant-killings at the Grand Slam of Darts and World Championship by claiming another big-name victim.

Thornton had gone into the event on a high following last weekend's European Tour triumph in Dusseldorf, but never recovered from seeing Brown take an early 5-1 lead as he suffered a sixth straight first round exit in Blackpool.

After Brown opened the game with a 14-darter, Thornton replied with a 12-darter only to see the Isle of Wight youngster win the next four to pull clear.

Thornton replied with finishes of 70, 40 and 62 as he reduced the gap to 5-4, but was crucially denied a chance to level as Brown fired in a 180 in a 14-darter to regain breathing space.

A 102 finish put him 7-4 up and he also took out another 14-darter to lead 8-5 before landing the bullseye to move to the brink of victory at 9-6.

Battling Thornton landed a 180 and finished 78 on tops to stay in the hunt, but Brown clinically sealed victory with another bull checkout, this time taking out 87 to seal his second round spot.

"I'm over the moon," said Brown. "I came here 12 years ago and watched Phil Taylor and Wayne Mardle in the final and thought it would be brilliant to play on that stage on day, and I've done that now.

"Robert's a player with Premier League experience so I wanted to get into him quickly and to take the first session 4-1 meant I could relax. Robert showed his class when he came back at me but thankfully I got there at the end.

"This is the hardest tournament to qualify for every year so I wanted to relax and play like I can do. To be in the last 16 makes me so happy."

The second round kicks off on Tuesday, with world number one Michael van Gerwen up against Welsh ace Jamie Lewis in their last 16 clash.

2013 World Matchplay finalist Adrian Lewis is up against another emerging Welsh star in Gerwyn Price, while Peter Wright takes on Andrew Gilding and Simon Whitlock faces Ian White.

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Hamilton, though, proved too strong in the next and landed double nine to complete a win which could kick-start his year, after dropping to 20th on the PDC Order of Merit.

"It was always going to be a tough game but I knuckled down, and this event and this venue seems to bring the best out of me," said Hamilton.

"I love this tournament, I love Blackpool and I love this crowd and it brought back some great memories for me getting back on that stage. The 96 and the 158 got me going and I controlled the game from there.

"The last six months have been a horrible time for me but there's more to come and if I play well I can give Phil a good game on Wednesday. Hopefully I can progress from what I've done tonight and be more consistent, but my game's getting there."

Earlier, Premier League semi-finalist Dave Chisnall edged out Jamie Caven 13-11 in a tie-break as the pair slugged out a 24-leg thriller.

Although Caven held a slender 2-1 lead early on, following a break of throw in leg three, Chisnall hit back to take a 6-4 advantage with the aid of a 13-darter and a 14-dart finish.

Caven took the next two to level at six-all, with the next six legs all going with the throw to send the game into a tie-break at 9-9, leaving a player needing to win by two clear legs.

The pair traded tops finishes and then shared the next two legs to remain locked at 11-all as Chisnall twice missed a single match dart, with double nine then seeing the number seven seed move 12-11 up and to the brink of victory.

With Caven throwing to force a sudden-death 25th leg, Chisnall kicked off with 140, 180 - his 13th of the game - and 135 to leave 46, and eventually sealed victory at the eighth attempt.

"It was a funny game but a good game before me because I won," said Chisnall. "Hats off to Jamie because he played well and kept plodding on and hitting his doubles and pulling it back, but thankfully I broke his throw in the last leg.

"I had a feeling that the game was going to go all the way because he's a great player. Sometimes I was in control but I was probably under pressure more than Jamie because I was almost always in the lead.

"My scoring's never a problem but sometimes it's my doubles which are a bit dodgy, but luckily I won tonight and that's all that matters."

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