Ipswich's Stephen Burton beats former world champion Keith Deller to win Stonham Barns Park's first darts tournament

Stephen Burton says winning the MegaMatch Darts Tournament at Stonham Barns Park on Saturday has given him a confidence boost ahead of an important weekend coming up in Leicester this month.

The former Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) tour card holder came out on top in the inaugural darts tournament at the Suffolk venue, held inside their new Legends Sports Bar, beating 1983 world champion Keith Deller in the final.

With the final four events of this year’s PDC Winmau Challenge Tour taking place at the Morningside Arena over next weekend, and two spots in the Cazoo World Championship and a pair of two-year PDC tour cards on the line, Burton was pleased to get a tournament win under his belt so soon to a crucial two days in Leicester.

“Probably some people would be surprised Keith did make the final, because he doesn’t play as much as he did in his heyday,” Burton said.

“I was happy to play him. Playing against a world champion and beating them, I’m happy with that.

“I was just consistent throughout the day. I wasn’t breaking any world records, but I was a hard person to beat all day.

“Any win is good. It’s definitely what I needed going into the last weekend of the Challenge Tour.

“I’m potentially a semi-final spot away from getting a tour card again and that’s obviously my main aim.

“The confidence levels are slowly getting back to where they were three or four years ago when I played at Alexandra Palace.

“I’m slowly getting back to where I need to be hopefully.”

Burton currently sits in fourth place on the Challenge Tour Order of Merit after 20 events of the season, having made the final of Event 5 in Milton Keynes before going one better and winning Event 8 in Hildesheim, Germany.

Each event offers £10,000 in prize money, which includes £2,000 to the winner, with the top two players on the final Order of Merit earning a spot in the World Championship and a two-year tour card on the professional circuit.

Burton, who plays in the Suffolk Super League for Stowmarket-based Cedars Park, held a tour card for two years from 2017 to 2018 and made his World Championship debut before dropping off the tour.

Last weekend’s event at Stonham Barns Park boasted a winner’s prize of £750, with former world champion Deller and legendary PDC referee Russ Bray among those in attendance on the day.

The semi-finals and final were played on a newly-installed Loxley stage, and there was a fully licenced Lacons bar available on the evening, which was sponsored by hand produced CBD supplier Heavens Hemp.

“I went to school in Debenham, which is very near to Stonham Barns Park,” Burton added.

“I spent a lot of time after I left school playing golf there, so I do know the venue, but it has all changed since my last visit.

“It was a good place to play and there was some good dart players there.

“It was a round robin throughout the day, so it was quite a long day. It was more of a stamina test really.

“To be honest a lot of dart players are not used to playing long days, but I’m fortunate enough to have played top level darts and still do feature in it.

“That’s something I’m used to. It was a tough run getting to the final.”