Scotland's Gary Anderson continued his great World Series form with victory in the Darts Masters at west Auckland - then declared it was like playing at home. Photo / Greg Bowker
Scotland's Gary Anderson continued his great World Series form with victory in the Darts Masters at west Auckland - then declared it was like playing at home.
In a repeat result from this year's world championships final in London, Anderson defeated England's Adrian Lewis, having already won the opening World
Series tournament in Dubai last month.
Both men had three-dart averages just under 100 but Anderson had a much higher finishing average and won 11 - 7 before a 3000 crowd in the Trusts Arena.
Anderson stayed on for a holiday with his wife Rachel and wee son Tai after the inaugural Auckland tournament last year. His family was with him again but it was all business for Anderson this time as he hit superlative form over the weekend.
"This country is so much like Scotland - I love it here," said the 45-year-old, who has won the last two world titles.
"This is your winter but it is like my summer time at home."
With the tournament brought forward from August to avoid a TV clash with the Olympics, it meant a tighter schedule and most of the players only arrived from Europe on Wednesday and battled jet lag.
"I've been going to bed at midnight and waking up at 3...it's still Thursday isn't it," said Anderson, who picked up an $80,000 prize for beating last year's Auckland champion Lewis.
"I've been going to breakfast at the hotel at 6 and all the boys are there - and you never see that normally."
But once the sleep had been rubbed from the eyes, Anderson was the deserving winner with sensational form over the weekend.
The tournament was a further indication of the rise in dart standards.
Anderson won a stunning semifinal by 11-7 over Dutchman Raymond van Barneveld, who had raced to a 4 - 0 lead. Anderson's three-dart average was 111 - second best ever in a World Series match - while van Barneveld's was an impressive104. In the second semifinal, Lewis beat James Wade 11 - 9 outscoring his fellow Englishman by 12 to one in 180s.
