CAPE TOWN - South Africa’s Devon Petersen says it’s “amazing to be a champion” after winning the 2020 German Darts Championship.
Petersen became the first African to win a Proffesional Darts Corporation (PDC) title after beating Welshman Jonny Clayton 8-3 in Hildesheim.
Petersen beat Dutchman Danny Noppert 7-4 in the semi-finals before the “African Warrior” halted Gerwyn Price's bid to win a fourth successive PDC tournament, coming back from 5-1 down to end the Welshman's 17-match winning streak.
"It's been a long time coming," the 34-year-old Petersen told the BBC.
"I've been working hard, it feels like a lifetime and it's probably been the last ... since I was 15 ... so it's 19 years.
"The last two or three years have been the hardest where you are competing against the level of Jonny Clayton and Michael van Gerwen, Gerwyn Price, there's loads of names and Peter Wright ... and you just feel as though you are not going to get there because they are improving all the time.
"I played in the Autumn Series and I lost out to Gerwen Price and I missed three or four darts to win and I just think that spurred me on today.
"To be a champion is amazing, wow."
🗣Hear from your CHAMPION 🏆
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) September 27, 2020
An emotional Devon Petersen speaks after lifting his first ever PDC title after claiming an 8-3 final victory over Jonny Clayton at the 2020 German Darts Championship... pic.twitter.com/5qdc9A5MUK
Clayton, who saw off Mervyn King 7-3 in the semis, praised Petersen’s performance.
"Devon is absolutely class and this is well deserved," said the Welshman. "He's proven to the darting world that he's on this map.
"For myself this weekend has been brilliant. I've enjoyed some good wins and the German crowd were great as always."
@IOLsport