CLINICAL CULLEN CLAIMS PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP 27 TITLE

JOE CULLEN secured the Players Championship 27 crown after beating Gerwyn Price 8-7 in the final.

‘The Rockstar’ claimed his second title of the year and the £15K top prize.

Former Masters Champ Cullen averaged a stellar 99.78 and fired in NINE maximums to deny Price.

Cullen admits he has struggled for form at the oche over the last couple of months but says hard work on the practice board and focus have helped him bounce back.

He said: “I’ve been rubbish. I’ll take ownership of it. I got to the final of the first ProTour and then I won the fifth event.

“After that I thought I don’t have to go to qualifiers anymore and I just sat back and got lazy.

“I’ve not been practicing and literally this game is that brutal — you get what you deserve. I’ve been struggling the last few months.

“The last few weeks I’ve put the work in, and I’ve spoken to my wife, and she said when the chips are down like the Grand Prix you always find something, and I have.

“It would be more difficult to take if I had been putting the work in and still been getting beat. I’ve not been working anywhere near as hard as I should be.

“I’m sort of being a nuisance to myself a little bit. It’s just how things are at the minute; they aren’t coming easy.”

Bradford ace Cullen says he’s relieved to have virtually sealed his spot at next month’s World Grand Prix after a big victory on the ProTour.

He added: “My averages went up every game up until the semis and I’m so happy to win this. It’s so frustrating because when I am there it takes a good game to beat me.

“I know I’m defending the semis from two years ago at the World Grand Prix and if I don’t defend it that’s £40 grand off my ranking.

“Performances like today have reassured me that I can play this game.”

Cullen stormed out of the blocks, landing an 85 checkout before following it up with a 16-darter to grab a 2-0 lead over Price.

Seven-time major winner Price hit back in style, firing a 108 finish and an 11-darter to level the match at 2-2 in Hildesheim.

Cullen then hit back, taking two legs in a row to move 4-2 ahead, only for Price to respond with a 13-dart leg of his own.

Former Premier League runner-up Cullen stayed cool under pressure, knocking in a clinical 94 outshot with two double 19s, but Price fought back again to close the gap at 5-4.

The pair traded legs once more, setting up a nail-biting decider as Cullen held his nerve and sealed victory with a pinpoint double four, completing a thrilling clash.

Cullen averaged 100.53 to dispatch Scott Williams 7-1 in the semi-final.

World No.26 Cullen hit six of eight doubles to see off James Hurrell 6-4 in the quarter-final.

The 36-year-old triumphed 6-4 against Robert Grundy in the last 16.

Image by Taylor Lanning.