Beau Greaves beats Michael Smith to secure historic PDC ranking title
Beau Greaves has become the first woman to win a Professional Darts Corporation ranking title after defeating Michael Smith 8-7 in the Players Championship 11 final in Milton Keynes on Monday.
The 22-year-old sealed her monumental triumph in a dramatic last-leg decider.
She produced a stunning 142 checkout to snatch the victory away from the 2023 world champion.
Earlier in the contest, the English darting sensation reeled in a massive 170 finish to establish a commanding 6-3 advantage.
Giant-killing run to the final
The path to the trophy was exceptionally demanding for the pioneering star.
She remarkably dispatched three former world champions across her final three matches of the day.
A thumping 7-1 semi-final victory over two-time world champion Gary Anderson highlighted her ruthless scoring.
Before that masterclass, the trailblazer edged past 2018 world champion Rob Cross with a tense 6-5 quarter-final victory.
Anderson achieves nine-dart perfection
Despite suffering a heavy defeat to the eventual champion, Anderson enjoyed his own moment of magic during the tournament.
The Scottish veteran threw a perfect nine-dart leg during his comprehensive 6-1 last-16 victory over Alexander Merkx.
However, the afternoon ultimately belonged entirely to the historic women’s champion.
This landmark achievement shatters another significant glass ceiling in the world of professional darts.
Players Championship 11 key results
The Milton Keynes event featured several high-profile clashes during the latter stages.
- Quarter-final: Beau Greaves 6-5 Rob Cross
- Quarter-final: Michael Smith 6-5 Andrew Gilding
- Semi-final: Beau Greaves 7-1 Gary Anderson
- Semi-final: Michael Smith 7-4 Kevin Doets
- Final: Beau Greaves 8-7 Michael Smith
