Devon Petersen stuns Jonny Clayton to win in Germany
- Published
Jonny Clayton has won three non-televised PDC ranking event titles
Devon Petersen has become the first African to win a PDC title, stunning Welshman Jonny Clayton 8-3 to win the 2020 German Darts Championship in Hildesheim.
Clayton was ranked 19th in the PDC Order of Merit, 32 places above the South African going into the final.
But 34-year-old Petersen stormed into a 4-1 lead and went on to triumph.
Petersen beat Dutchman Danny Noppert 7-4 in the semi-finals while Clayton saw off Mervyn King 7-3.
In round two the 'African Warrior' had ended 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," said 34-year-old Petersen on his first ranking title.
"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."
Clayton was full of praise for his opponent.
"Devon is absolutely class and this is well deserved," said the beaten 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."