LES FRANCIS has won the Emperors Palace South African Open, defeating Devon Petersen 4-3 to win a place in the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship.

 

Gauteng’s Francis, 53, emerged the champion in the fourth staging of the South African Open, which featured 158 players at the Emperors Palace Casino in Johannesburg.

 

A semi-final loser last year, Francis went one better this time around to win a place in December’s Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace in London.

 

He hit a 13-dart leg during the three-hour qualifying phase where all players battled to score a leg of 501 in the fewest number of darts.

 

He then defeated Grant Sampson 3-0 in the last 16, overcame Nolan Arendse 3-1 in the quarter-finals and edged out Port Elizabeth’s Christo Meiring in a deciding leg at the semi-final stage.

 

Francis then took on Devon Petersen – who had hit a 12-darter in the qualifying phase – in the final, taking a 3-1 lead before the youngster hit back to force a deciding seventh leg.

 

The 53-year-old proved the better man to take the title, hitting a 134 to leave 36, which he took out on double 18 to claim his country’s biggest honour.

 

“I’m absolutely delighted,” said Francis. “Devon played really well and made it a great final but I’m so happy to have won.

 

“I’d like to thank the PDC and Emperors Palace for creating this tournament. It’s given South Africa’s best players a great chance and I’m looking forward to playing in the World Championship now.”

 

The PDC South African Open also saw a welcome return to form for Cape Town’s Wynand Havenga, the inaugural winner in 2006 who has been dogged by shoulder problems since.

 

He also posted a 13-darter in qualifying for the knockouts, and reached the semi-finals before losing 3-2 to Petersen.

 

There was, though, disappointment for two-time South African Open winner Charles Losper, who missed out on qualifying after posting a 15-dart leg late on but failing to better that tally.

 

Sunday sees the four semi-finalists take on Phil Taylor, James Wade, John Part and Mervyn King in the Virgin Atlantic South African Masters.

 

That tournament will be screened live on Sky Sports from 7pm in the UK and live on SuperSport in South Africa, with play beginning at 8pm local time.

 

The draw and bracket for the Virgin Atlantic South African Masters is:

Quarter-Finals

Phil Taylor v Christo Meiring

John Part v Devon Petersen

James Wade v Wynand Havenga

Mervyn King v Les Francis

Best of seven legs

 

Semi-Finals

Best of nine legs

 

Final

Best of 11 legs

 

2009 Emperors Palace South African Open

‘Saturday Frenzy’ Leading Scorers

12 Darts

Devon Petersen

 

13 Darts

Paul Gormley

Wynand Havenga

Les Francis

Jason Erasmus

Clint Prime

Stephanus Kuhn

 

14 Darts

Christo Meiring

Andrew Ross

Paul Meyer

Jacques Coetzee

Jeff Waterman

Stanley Naidoo

Adrian Petersen

Waleed Clayton

Grant Sampson

Nolan Arendse

 

Emperors Palace South African Masters Knockout Phase

Preliminary Round Game

Christo Meiring 3-0 Stanley Naidoo

 

Last 16

Devon Petersen 3-1 Paul Gormley

Jeff Waterman 3-1 Stephanus Kuhn

Adrian Petersen 3-2 Waleed Clayton

Wynand Havenga 3-2 Clint Prime

Nolan Arendse 3-2 Paul Meyer

Les Francis 3-0 Grant Samson

Jason Erasmus 3-2 Jacques Coetzee

Christo Meiring 3-0 Andrew Ross

Losers: R3,000

 

Quarter-Finals

Devon Petersen 3-0 Jeff Waterman

Wynand Havenga 3-1 Adrian Petersen

Les Francis 3-1 Nolan Arendse

Christo Meiring 3-0 Jason Erasmus

Losers: R5,000

 

Semi-Finals

Devon Petersen 3-2 Wynand Havenga

Les Francis 3-2 Christo Meiring

Losers: R7,000

 

Final

Les Francis 4-3 Devon Petersen

Winner: Place in Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship, plus flights and accommodation

Runner-Up: R15,000

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