YORKSHIRE darts ace Paul Bulmer was edged out in a high-quality final during stage seven of the YDP Masters Open at Huntington WMC.
Bulmer, from Rillington, near Malton, threw an 118 finish for a 15-dart leg and also bagged an 18-darter, but he was beaten 4-3 by Northallerton’s Glenn Brooksbank, who threw legs of 15 and 17 to claim victory.
Earlier, Cleveland county player Brooksbank threw legs of 14 and 20 when racking up a 3-0 win over York’s Gary Wensley in the semi-finals.
Bulmer likewise beat Malton counterpart Steve Oldfield 3-0 in his last-four clash.
Those four players will now join the beaten quarter-finalists in booking their places at the Streamline Taxis (York) and Red Dragons Darts-sponsored Grand Finals tournament on Saturday, January 25 at Huntington WMC, where the winner will pocket £1,000 in prize money.
In the last eight, Wensley won 3-1 against David Scaum, Brooksbank (18, 16, 21) defeated Michael Kearney (127 finish for 18) 3-1, Oldfield overcame Paul Saville 3-0, and Bulmer included two 17-dart legs in whitewashing Lutz Leutzsch.
Other legs of note in the earlier rounds came from Wensley (16), Brooksbank (17), John Holden (19), Bulmer (16, 18, 19, 17, 17, 18), Chris Thompson (17, 16), Kearney (18), Chris Swales (19) and Leutzsch (15, 20).
High checkouts were recorded by Leutzsch (148) and Martin Baggerly (104), while Andy Murray, Steve Kemp junior, Bulmer and Matty Turnbull all threw 180s.
Brooksbank completed a double when partnering Phil Hoggarth in the Blind Pairs event to win the final 2-0 against Chris Swales and Dave Kerr.
They threw a 17-dart leg, including a maximum by Brooksbank, and scores of 123, 140, 140, 66 and double 16 for a 13-dart leg.
The beaten semi-finalists were Steve Fratson/Paul Cooper and Peter Rushby/Mike Kearney, with Tommy Hair claiming the pairs’ highest checkout of 152.
Saturday, January 11 will now see the last of the eight YDP Masters Open qualifying stages at Huntington WMC.
Players need to register by 12.30pm for a 1pm start.
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