Winner Brian Moar and runner-up Stevie Linklater.

The Masonic Club played host to this years Festive Open Singles ranking competition last Friday, and what a great advert for the game of darts in Orkney it was.  
63 players entered, including some who play in the WMDA, plus a few unregistered players.  The atmosphere was brilliant all night, and some terrific darts were thrown, with 20 180s recorded from 12 different players along with 10 high checkouts from nine players.
Mal Reid proved to be the best from the west, reaching the quarter finals before succumbing to the  almost indomitable Kevin Gray, who was striving to win a record breaking fourth consecutive ranking competition.  
Ian Findlay picked up 5 valuable points in his quest to make the flight to Shetland, losing out in the quarters to Stevie Linklater.  
Stevie Garner showed his class, netting a brilliant 147 checkout against Brian Moar in their quarter-final clash, but it wasn't quite enough for the 'B' league player to progress.  
The last quarter-final saw Paul Foubister cruise past Colin Barnett, who had clearly enjoyed his extended run in the cup.
Kevin had beaten Stevie in the Pit Stop Cup final earlier in the season, and Stevie was clearly determined to get revenge in the first semi-final.  
Their match went the distance and Stevie managed to sink the double for a 4-3 win, with Kevin left to rue a few missed chances.  
The other semi saw Brian rocket into a two nil lead, only for Paul to turn the screw in his fight back, levelling the match at two apiece. Some nervy, scrappy darts followed from both, before Brian sunk a 110 checkout and eventually took the sixth leg to book his place in the final.
Current league form coupled with historical final meetings between Stevie and Brian would have firmly suggested the Sandwick man should have strolled to an easy victory, but the competition was not to pan out that way, perhaps helped with the sizeable crowd clearly backing the underdog.
Stevie had the first shot at a double, narrowly missing the bull on a potential 122 finish before Brian took out 64 to go one up.  
The second leg saw Stevie start with a 180, but Brian matched that a few throws later, eventually going two up by checking out just as Stevie had left himself sitting on a finish.  With Stevie struggling to find his usual scoring prowess, Brian took full advantage, with his scoring power allowing him the chance to finish each leg before Stevie got a chance.  
It wasn't long before the lead had stretched to three, then four legs, despite Stevie notching a second 180.  
Brian eventually wound up the competition by hitting his nemesis, the dreaded double 8, to wrap up an unlikely 5-0 win over the vastly more experienced player.  
It wasn't a classic by any stretch of the imagination, with the averages (Brian 75.91 and Stevie 69.66) being distinctly average but Brian was clearly delighted to win only his third ranking event, as well as picking up the £100 first prize, with Stevie collecting £50 as runner-up.
Ryan Tulloch won first prize in the annual Festive Prize draw, with Norman Walsh winning the second prize.  
The KDDL committee wish to thank all who bought and sold tickets for the draw, a  vital fundraiser for the league.
180s were scored by: Ian Linklater, Sam Caithness, Alan Pirie, Michael Scollie, Don Gray, Steven Low, Andrew Moar, Erland Ritch, Mal Reid (WMDA), Brian Moar, Craig Taylor (two), Stevie Garner (two), Trevor Shearer (two), Paul Foubister (two), Kevin Gray (three), Stevie Linklater (three) and Brett Dickinson (four).  Ryan Tulloch and Daryl Robertson both scored 177, whilst John Garson scored 171.

Ton-plus checkouts came from:  Ben Johnston 100, Scott Wilson 100, Toby Penwarden 100, Michael Moodie 101, Jason Cook 102, Gary Wilson 106, Andrew Moar 109, Brian Moar 110, Kevin Gray 113,  Erlend Eunson 120, Neil Drever 129, Paul Firth 140, Stevie Garner 147, Erlend Lennie 160, Robbie Norquoy (100, 110) and Ryan Tulloch (104, 118).

Results

A League
The Ola 8, Untouchables 4

B League
Tankerness 6, RBL2 6, Legion Arrows 9, Young Loons 3, Vikings 5, Muppets 7, Tigers 8, Quoyburray 'B' 4, Shandy Bass 7, Quoyburray 5, Sands 3, Tankerness 9.

Festive Open Singles
Brian Moar 5, Stevie Linklater 0

Fixtures

A League
Sanday v Bilco Boys, Exiles v Legion, Nomads v Wanderers, The Ola v OGC, Commodores v Untouchables, Shapinsay – no game.

B League
Legion Arrows v Vikings, Tigers v Young Loons, Shandy Bass v RBL2, Sands v Quoyburray 'B', Quoyburray v Tankerness, Muppets – no game.