Damon Heta makes history with first PDC ranking title in the Autumn Series
Damon Heta created a slice of personal history by securing his first PDC ranking title on Day Two of the Autumn Series in Niedernhausen, defeating Joe Cullen 8-4 in the final.
Heta, who shot to prominence by winning last year’s Brisbane Masters World Series event as a qualifier, opened his account as a Tour Card holder in style on Sunday.
The Australian ace, who missed the Summer Series due to travel complications, made up for lost time as he stormed to the £10,000 top prize.
Heta began his charge to the title with a narrow 6-5 victory over former Lakeside Champion Scott Waites, before defeating Michael van Gerwen 6-4 to record his first win over the world number one.
Heta then thrashed World Matchplay champion Dimitri van den Bergh 6-1 before edging past Ross Smith in a deciding leg and overcoming Germany’s Martin Schindler 6-3 in the Quarter-Finals.
The Semi-Finals saw ‘The Heat’ soar past Stephen Bunting 7-3 to set up a show-down with Cullen – who was bidding for his first ProTour title since 2017.
The opening eight legs went with throw, with Cullen producing a 154 checkout and Heta a 121 in a high quality start.
Heta then punished three missed darts from Cullen in leg nine before the pivotal moment saw the Aussie break throw in the following leg to move 6-4 ahead.
The former DPA star made it three in a row and showed little sign of nerves at the business end as he closed out the win to deny Cullen a fourth ranking title.
“I am stoked – this win today means more than anything to me,” said Heta.
“Don’t get me wrong, my other achievements are amazing to me, but this means ranking points towards everything else.
“The World Series win was those top guys coming to my territory, and this is me coming into theirs and winning out of 128 of the best players.
“I thought it was a matter of time for me. I’ve played so well the whole time and yet might not make it past the second round – but that is what the PDC is all about.
“I may not have played some great darts today but it is all about winning, and I won those tough games and that kept me going.”
Cullen defeated three Premier League players in deciding legs en route to the final, averaging 109.5 in a 6-5 success over Daryl Gurney and overcoming Gerwyn Price by the same scoreline.
His 7-6 win over Nathan Aspinall in the Semi-Finals saw him survive three match darts in a nail-biting final leg.
Elsewhere, Saturday’s winner Peter Wright bowed out in the Last 16 to a rampant Simon Whitlock – who was eventually beaten in the Quarter-Finals.
There were notable First Round exits for the likes of Krzysztof Ratajski, Adrian Lewis, Max Hopp and Gabriel Clemens.
WATCH THE PDC AUTUMN SERIES STREAMED LIVE HERE (18+)
PDC Autumn Series 2020 Day Two Results
Sunday September 13
First Round
Gerwyn Price 6-2 Richard North
Matthew Edgar 6-0 Gary Blades
Madars Razma 6-1 Matt Clark
Jan Dekker 6-3 Benito van de Pas
Mervyn King 6-5 Brendan Dolan
Andy Hamilton 6-1 Joe Murnan
Wayne Jones 6-4 Ryan Joyce
Carl Wilkinson 6-3 Maikel Verberk
Mensur Suljovic 6-0 Aaron Beeney
John Henderson 6-5 John Michael
Steve Beaton 6-2 Josh Payne
Ricky Evans 6-2 Andrew Gilding
Daryl Gurney 6-2 Yordi Meeuwisse
Scott Taylor 6-3 Bradley Brooks
Joe Cullen 6-2 Harald Leitinger
Conan Whitehead 6-4 Graham Usher
Nathan Aspinall 6-5 James Wilson
Mike De Decker 6-4 Justin Pipe
David Pallett 6-5 Steve West
Jesus Noguera 6-1 Mickey Mansell
Danny Noppert 6-3 Jamie Lewis
Daniel Larsson 6-5 Karel Sedlacek
Adam Hunt 6-2 Jeffrey De Zwaan
Ryan Murray 6-2 Barrie Bates
Ian White 6-0 Lisa Ashton
Robert Collins 6-2 William O’Connor
Derk Telnekes 6-3 Dirk van Duijvenbode
Ron Meulenkamp 6-4 Luke Woodhouse
Michael Smith 6-5 Keegan Brown
William Borland 6-1 Steffen Siepmann
Jonny Clayton 6-3 Max Hopp
Chris Dobey 6-2 Adrian Gray
Peter Wright 6-5 Jelle Klaasen
Ryan Meikle 6-2 Krzysztof Kciuk
Devon Petersen 6-1 Kai Fan Leung
Robert Thornton 6-3 Marko Kantele
Dave Chisnall 6-3 Darius Labanauskas
Simon Whitlock 6-5 Brian Raman
Steve Lennon 6-4 Gabriel Clemens
Vincent van der Voort 6-5 Harry Ward
James Wade 6-1 Justin Hood
Arjan Konterman 6-4 Nathan Derry
Stephen Bunting 6-1 Jeff Smith
Christian Bunse 6-3 Steve Brown
Glen Durrant 6-1 Martijn Kleermaker
Andy Boulton 6-2 Toni Alcinas
Ryan Searle 6-4 Maik Kuivenhoven
Scott Baker 6-0 Ryan Hogarth
Boris Krcmar 6-5 Krzysztof Ratajski
Jason Lowe 6-2 Jitse Van der Wal
Kim Huybrechts 6-3 Nick Kenny
Reece Robinson 6-4 Ted Evetts
Jose De Sousa 6-4 Alan Tabern
Darren Webster 6-4 Scott Mitchell
Martin Schindler 6-1 Jamie Hughes
Vincent Van der Meer 6-2 Geert Nentjes
Michael van Gerwen 6-2 Niels Zonneveld
Damon Heta 6-5 Scott Waites
Dimitri Van den Bergh 6-5 Adrian Lewis
Gavin Carlin 6-4 Kirk Shepherd
Rob Cross 6-5 Luke Humphries
Ross Smith 6-5 Rowby-John Rodriguez
Jermaine Wattimena 6-3 Callan Rydz
Peter Jacques 6-3 Mark McGeeney
Second Round
Gerwyn Price 6-3 Matthew Edgar
Madars Razma 6-2 Jan Dekker
Mervyn King 6-2 Andy Hamilton
Carl Wilkinson 6-2 Wayne Jones
Mensur Suljovic 6-2 John Henderson
Ricky Evans 6-4 Steve Beaton
Daryl Gurney 6-3 Scott Taylor
Joe Cullen 6-3 Conan Whitehead
Nathan Aspinall 6-3 Mike De Decker
Jesus Noguera 6-4 David Pallett
Danny Noppert 6-0 Daniel Larsson
Adam Hunt 6-5 Ryan Murray
Ian White 6-5 Robert Collins
Ron Meulenkamp 6-2 Derk Telnekes
Michael Smith 6-1 William Borland
Chris Dobey 6-5 Jonny Clayton
Peter Wright 6-2 Ryan Meikle
Robert Thornton 6-3 Devon Petersen
Simon Whitlock 6-1 Dave Chisnall
Steve Lennon 6-3 Vincent van der Voort
James Wade 6-1 Arjan Konterman
Stephen Bunting 6-2 Christian Bunse
Andy Boulton 6-1 Glen Durrant
Ryan Searle 6-0 Scott Baker
Boris Krcmar 6-5 Jason Lowe
Kim Huybrechts 6-5 Reece Robinson
Jose De Sousa 6-4 Darren Webster
Martin Schindler 6-4 Vincent Van der Meer
Damon Heta 6-4 Michael van Gerwen
Dimitri Van den Bergh 6-5 Gavin Carlin
Ross Smith 6-5 Rob Cross
Jermaine Wattimena 6-4 Peter Jacques
Losers: £500
Last 32
Gerwyn Price 6-2 Madars Razma
Mervyn King 6-4 Carl Wilkinson
Ricky Evans 6-4 Mensur Suljovic
Joe Cullen 6-5 Daryl Gurney
Nathan Aspinall 6-3 Jesus Noguera
Danny Noppert 6-4 Adam Hunt
Ian White 6-3 Ron Meulenkamp
Chris Dobey 6-3 Michael Smith
Peter Wright 6-5 Robert Thornton
Simon Whitlock 6-4 Steve Lennon
Stephen Bunting 6-3 James Wade
Andy Boulton 6-5 Ryan Searle
Boris Krcmar 6-5 Kim Huybrechts
Martin Schindler 6-5 Jose De Sousa
Damon Heta 6-1 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Ross Smith 6-5 Jermaine Wattimena
Losers: £1,000
Last 16
Gerwyn Price 6-0 Mervyn King
Joe Cullen 6-0 Ricky Evans
Nathan Aspinall 6-4 Danny Noppert
Ian White 6-3 Chris Dobey
Simon Whitlock 6-1 Peter Wright
Stephen Bunting 6-1 Andy Boulton
Martin Schindler 6-4 Boris Krcmar
Damon Heta 6-5 Ross Smith
Losers: £1,500
Quarter-Finals
Joe Cullen 6-5 Gerwyn Price
Nathan Aspinall 6-5 Ian White
Stephen Bunting 6-2 Simon Whitlock
Damon Heta 6-3 Martin Schindler
Losers: £2,250
Semi-Finals
Joe Cullen 7-6 Nathan Aspinall
Damon Heta 7-3 Stephen Bunting
Losers: £3,000
Final
Damon Heta 8-4 Joe Cullen
Winner: £10,000
Runner-up: £6,000
