Chisnall wins first title of year with Beaton win in Barnsley

The 35-year-old, who reached the semi-finals of the inaugural Shanghai Darts Masters last week and has also appeared in two European Tour finals so far in 2016, claimed his first PDC title of the year with some scintillating darts.

After beating Jamie Robinson 6-2 in his opening game, he then pushed past Jonathan Worsley by the same scoreline in the second round. Chisnall’s first major test came from John Henderson, but the world number nine proved too strong as he reached the last 16 with a 6-5 victory.

The Morecambe ace then put a stop to recent Challenge Tour finalist Lee Evans’ impressive run with a thumping 6-0 victory, before seeing off Kyle Anderson 6-3 to reach the semi-finals.

It was there that he produced arguably his best display of the day, destroying Andrew Gilding 6-0 to set up a final with Beaton, which he won 6-2.

It was a change in fortunes for Chisnall, having lost in The Unibet Masters final in January, and two European Tour events in the Peperami Gibraltar Darts Trophy and the HappyBet European Darts Matchplay, as he scooped his 11th PDC career title.

Chisnall is next in action when the World Series of Darts continues with the Zipang Casino Tokyo Darts Masters this week, July 6 and 7, at the Yoyogi Olympic Hall.

Elsewhere Chisnall has been confirmed as the number nine seed for the BetVictor World Matchplay which will take place from July 16 to 24 at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool.

Reigning champion Michael van Gerwen heads the 16 seeded players who have been joined by 16 qualifiers from the ProTour order of merit.