Legendary three-time World Champion John Part rolled back the years at the latest CDC tournament, reaching his first CDC final since 2018 before losing 7-3 to Leonard Gates. Gates sealed his 14th CDC title and a first of the year, but it was Part who stole the spotlight.
Part, who continues to play alongside his main role as a commentator and pundit on Sky Sports, reached the final at the same venue where he last appeared in a CDC final in 2018. He booked his place by seeing off David Cameron 6-3 in the quarter-finals and then producing a commanding 7-3 semi-final win over Glen Richard.
Part's resurgence could potentially earn him a spot at the US Darts Masters, but he would need to reach at least the semi-finals today and another final if Brayden Hall, who currently leads the rankings on 18 points ahead of Part, makes the Last 16. Part is six points behind Hall, so his resurgence may have come at the wrong time.
In the final, Leonard Gates defeated John Part 7-3. Earlier in the tournament, top-ranked American Adam Sevada lost his first game of the year in the quarter-finals, falling 6-4 to Nick Linberg. Sevada had won the other two events and looks to have booked his spot in the US Darts Masters as the top-ranked American on the CDC Points List. There is a further event on Sunday to decide the final spots for MSG.