David Cameron clinched the 2024 Magic Darts Masters title with a thrilling 7-6 victory over Jeff Smith in an all-Canadian final, marking his seventh overall win on the CDC circuit. He surged to a 6-3 lead before Smith launched a relentless comeback, surviving match darts to force a nervy deciding leg in which Cameron pinned tops in 18 darts to secure the win.

Smith and Cameron entered the weekend as the top two in the 2024 points standings but had not advanced past the quarterfinals until Event 5 on Sunday. Cameron was knocked out in the quarterfinals twice, while Smith didn’t make it past the last 16 on Saturday.

“The Silencer” began his Magic Darts Masters run with a 5-2 victory over Shane Meeks, followed by a 5-3 win against PDC tour card holder Jules Van Dongen. He then cruised through the next rounds, defeating fellow countryman and good friend Albert Anstey 6-1 and Leonard Gates 6-3, before facing Danny Baggish in the semifinals. Scoring and finishing on-form, Smith got to within one leg of victory at 6-3 before Baggish managed to claw back three legs on the trot to force a last-leg decider where Smith checked 14 for a 16-darter to book the clash with Cameron.

For his part, “Excalibur” navigated the early rounds smoothly, dispatching Brian Fenlon 5-1, Eugene Schmitt 5-0, and Anthony Cianciolo 6-2 to reach the quarterfinals. There, he faced a tough challenge from Gary Mawson, who had been in top form all weekend. In a seesaw battle, Cameron emerged victorious in a last-leg decider and then defeated fellow Canadian Jim Long to reach the final.

Throughout the tournament, Cameron posted the third-highest average at 88.58, just behind Jeff Springer and Adam Sevada. He also led with 12 180s. Daniel Baggish recorded the highest checkout of 160 and tied with Sevada for the highest checkout percentage, hitting 44% of his finishes.

Finals

• David Cameron 7-6 Jeff Smith

Semifinals

• Jeff Smith 7-6 Daniel Baggish
• David Cameron 7-2 Jim Long

Quarterfinals

• Daniel Baggish 6-4 Adam Sevada
• Jeff Smith 6-3 Leonard Gates
• David Cameron 6-5 Gary Mawson
• Jim Long 6-5 Jake Womack

The journey to the 2024 Continental Cup continues on August 3 & 4 with main events 6 to 8 in Chicago, IL.

Article by Brian Fraser
July 15, 2024

North America’s top players gathered in Chicago, IL, for the Winmau Darts Championship – Event #3 on the 2024 Championship Darts Circuit. Sixty-four players started the day vying for the title, but it was “The Mawler” Gary Mawson who turned back the clock, defeating Jeff Springer 7-4 to secure his first CDC title since the 2018 Continental Cup. Both players were making their first finals appearance since 2022.

The tournament saw shocking first-round exits for Jeff Smith, Jules Van Dongen, and Danny Lauby. Second-round defeats for Stowe Buntz, Leonard Gates, and Adam Sevada left the bracket wide open. Top seed Alex Spellman failed to make it past the last 16, while former US number one Daniel Baggish fell in the quarterfinals, along with the Canadian trio of Jacob Taylor, David Cameron, and Jim Long.

Gary Mawson was in commanding form during his early matches, securing a 5-1 victory over Chris Caldwell, a 5-0 win over Jacob Schaeffer, and a 6-1 triumph over Sylvain Bourdeau. He faced a tough test in the quarterfinals, falling behind 4-3 before rallying to win the last three legs to secure victory over David Cameron. In the semifinals, Mawson opened up a 5-2 lead against Jake Womack, eventually holding on for a 7-5 win.

Springer was the giant killer of the day, knocking out Jeff Smith 5-2 in the first round, Alex Spellman 6-5 in the third round, and Daniel Baggish 6-3 in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals against Nick Linberg, Springer found himself trailing 5-4 but showcased his resilience by winning three successive legs to take the match 7-5.

Despite his defeat in the last 16, Alex Spellman posted an impressive average of 95.65 on the day. Jeff Springer led the way with twelve 180s, four more than semifinalist Jake Womack, and also hit the highest checkout of the tournament with a 164.

Final
Gary Mawson  7-4  Jeff Springer

Semifinals
Jeff Springer  7-5  Nick Linberg
Gary Mawson  7-5  Jake Womack

Quarterfinals
Jeff Springer  6-3  Danny Baggish
Nick Linberg  6-1  Jacob Taylor
Gary Mawson  6-4  David Cameron
Jake Womack  6-2  Jim Long

The full bracket is available at: https://tv.dartconnect.com/event/cdc24dc03/brackets/72784

The CDC continues with Event #4 – the Galaxy Gold Cup – this evening in Chicago.

Article by Brian Fraser

July 13, 2024