Darts results: Andrew Gilding stuns Michael van Gerwen in UK Open final to win his first major at the age of 52

Goldfinger was a massive 200/1 outsider at the start of the tournament this weekend but he used his Midas touch in Minehead to make a mockery of those odds and earn his biggest ever payday of £110,000 that sees him soar up to 24 in the world.

His previous best outing at a TV event was a run to the UK Open semi-finals in 2015 but apart from that he'd never even gone as far as a quarter-final, while he'd also spent a couple of seasons off the PDC tour after losing his card at the end of 2018.

Gilding eventually won it back at Q School at the start of 2021 and although he's enjoyed two strong seasons to climb up the rankings and qualify for several of the biggest events, he'd yet to win a title of any kind despite reaching three finals away from the cameras.

So when he found himself 8-5 and 9-7 down in a race to 11 against a player who has won 62 televised titles and 148 overall during a legendary career, few would have given him any chance of bouncing back. But he displayed such a cold finger to bring it back to 9-9 and when MVG produced a magnificent 170 checkout to go 10-9 up, he responded immediately with a 180 at the start of the 20th leg.

Gilding continued held his nerve to force a deciding leg which he pinched with a 13-darter on double top after van Gerwen had missed one for the title to send the 5,000-strong crowd wild.

“I can’t believe it,” admitted Gilding, who had lost all six of his previous meetings against Van Gerwen.

“I didn’t expect to win that game. I played steady all weekend, but I didn’t feel like I played particularly brilliant darts.

“The crowd were absolutely amazing. I have been practising more, working hard and it’s paying off. Now I’ve got to win all of these major titles!”

Van Gerwen was understandably hot favourite ahead of the final on his reputation alone but he'd also produced superb darts throughout the tournament to beat Dave Chisnall, Martijn Kleermaker, Luke Humphries, Nathan Aspinall and Dimitri Van den Bergh with a tournament average just shy of 100.

Gilding's route saw him overcome Darren Webster, Ricky Evans, Luke Woodhouse, Brendan Dolan, Martin Schindler and Adam Gawlas before striking gold against the biggest name of all.

He averaged 95.46 compared to MVG's 96.74 and hit seven thumb-raising 180s while his finishing of 40.7% was more clinical than his opponent's 32.3%.

“To play games like this are always difficult. Andrew had nothing to lose and I think he played really well,” conceded Van Gerwen, who was forced to settle for the £50,000 runner-up prize.

“I think I made many mistakes and I know that, but I’m the only one to blame and fair play to Andrew. At this moment I can’t find many positives. I’m here to win tournaments and when you don’t do that it’s disappointing.

“It is painful for me. It hurts. Everybody knows what I’m like, but I will take it on the chin. Credit to Andrew. He had a phenomenal tournament.”

Gilding’s heroics dominated the headlines on an extraordinary day in Minehead, but 21-year-old Gawlas also created his own slice of history in his quarter-final win over Rob Cross.

The former World Youth finalist crashed in an incredible 12 maximums to celebrate a 10-8 success against 2019 runner-up Cross, which lifts him into the world’s top 50 for the first time.

Meanwhile, Sunday’s other quarter-final tie saw Van den Bergh curtail Richie Burnett’s fairy-tale run, converting 53% of his attempts at double to dispatch the veteran Welshman in emphatic style.

UK Open: Round-by-round results

FINAL

Andrew Gilding 11-10 Michael van Gerwen

SEMI-FINALS

Andrew Gilding 11-6 Adam Gawlas
Michael van Gerwen 11-6 Dimitri Van den Bergh

QUARTER-FINALS

Andrew Gilding 10-4 Martin Schindler
Michael van Gerwen 10-6 Nathan Aspinall
Rob Cross 8-10 Adam Gawlas
Richie Burnett 2-10 Dimitri Van den Bergh

SIXTH ROUND

Michael van Gerwen 10-4 Luke Humphries
Peter Wright 8-10 Richie Burnett
Jonny Clayton 8-10 Martin Schindler
Jeffrey de Zwaan 7-10 Rob Cross
Gary Anderson 8-10 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Brendan Dolan 8-10 Andrew Gilding
William O'Connor 3-10 Adam Gawlas
Nathan Aspinall 10-2 Joe Cullen

FIFTH ROUND

Gerwyn Price 8-10 Jeffrey de Zwaan
Michael Smith 9-10 Luke Humphries
Martijn Kleermaker 6-10 Michael van Gerwen
Peter Wright 10-8 Callan Rydz
William O'Connor 10-9 Danny Noppert
Kim Huybrechts 2-10 Gary Anderson
Dirk van Duijvenbode 8-10 Nathan Aspinall
Mervyn King 8-10 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Richie Burnett 10-9 Ted Evetts
Adrian Lewis 5-10 Martin Schindler
Joe Cullen 10-5 Karel Sedlacek
Jonny Clayton 10-3 Jose de Sousa
Adam Gawlas 10-8 Kevin Doets
Luke Woodhouse 5-10 Andrew Gilding
Chris Dobey 6-10 Brendan Dolan
Steve Beaton 3-10 Rob Cross

FOURTH ROUND

The fourth round features the world's top 32 and the winners of round three

Darius Labanauskas 8-10 Jose de Sousa
Luke Woodhouse 10-2 Jelle Klaasen
George Killington 6-10 Martjn Kleermaker
Mensur Suljovic 4-10 Karel Sedlacek
Adam Gawlas 10-8 Luke Littler
James Wade 8-10 Gary Anderson
Matt Campbell 4-10 Adrian Lewis
Michael van Gerwen 10-8 Dave Chisnall
William O'Connor 10-1 Jermaine Wattimena
Gerwyn Price 10-3 Thomas Banks
Luke Humphries 10-9 Damon Heta
Kryzstof Ratajski 8-10 Dirk van Duijvenbode
Raymond van Barneveld 9-10 Rob Cross
Jeffrey de Zwaan 10-9 Danny Jenson
Mervyn King 10-7 Keane Barry
Nathan Rafferty 8-10 Ted Evetts
Martin Schindler 10-7 Simon Whitlock
Kim Huybrechts 10-8 Mike De Decker
Dylan Slevin 7-10 Joe Cullen
Danny Noppert 10-8 Jim Williams
Callan Rydz 10-7 Daryl Gurney
Dimitri Van den Bergh 10-5 Gabriel Clemens
Kevin Doets 10-9 Martin Lukeman
Richie Burnett 10-9 Florian Hempel
Rowby-John Rodriguez 4-10 Steve Beaton
Vincent van der Voort 9-10 Brendan Dolan
Michael Smith 10-4 Ian White
Stephen Bunting 9-10 Peter Wright
Alan Soutar 9-10 Nathan Aspinall
Ryan Searle 6-10 Chris Dobey
Ricky Evans 5-10 Andrew Gilding
Ross Smith 9-10 Jonny Clayton

THIRD ROUND

Round three features the winners from round two along with Tour Card Holders 33-64.

Adrian Lewis 6-0 Joe Murnan (R3)
Josh Rock 2-6 Luke Woodhouse (R3)
Ross Montgomery 3-6 Simon Whitlock (R3)
Florian Hempel 6-3 Jamie Hughes (R3)
Boris Krcmar 4-6 Jermaine Wattimena (R3)
Steve Beaton 6-4 Connor Scutt (R3)
Scott Williams 5-6 Jelle Klaasen (R3)
Lewy Williams 1-6 Danny Jansen (R3)
Kevin Doets 6-3 Radek Szaganski (R3)
Mario Vandenbogaerde 4-6 Adam Gawlas (R3)
Luke Littler 6-5 Ritchie Edhouse (R3)
Ryan Joyce 5-6 Mike De Decker (R3)
Cameron Menzies 2-6 Ian White (R3)
Jim Williams 6-3 Gian Van Veen (R3)
Dylan Slevin 6-2 Robbie Knops (R3)
Martijn Kleermaker 6-4 Steve Lennon (R3)
Martin Lukeman 6-4 Dan Read (R3)
Madars Razma 5-6 George Killington (R3)
Richie Burnett 6-1 Jurjen Van der Velde (R3)
Mensur Suljovic 6-3 Mickey Mansell (R3)
Keane Barry 6-3 Damien Mol (R3)
Jeff Smith 1-6 Matt Campbell (R3)
Karel Sedlacek 6-1 Lewis Gurney (R3)
Ryan Meikle 5-6 Nathan Rafferty (R3)
Andrew Gilding 6-2 Darren Webster (R3)
Niels Zonneveld 3-6 Darius Labanauskas (R3)
Ted Evetts 6-3 Owen Roelofs (R3)
Richard Veenstra 2-6 Rowby-John Rodriguez (R3)
Ricky Evans 6-5 Graham Usher (R3)
Jeffrey De Zwaan 6-5 James Wilson (R3)
Thomas Banks 6-2 Conor Heneghan (R3)

ALSO READ: PAUL NICHOLSON'S UK OPEN COLUMN

SECOND ROUND

Round two will contain the winners from round one along with Tour Card Holders 65-96.

Danny Jansen 6-4 Bradley Brooks (R2)
Connor Scutt 6-3 Jimmy Hendriks (R2)
James Richardson 2-6 Richie Burnett (R2)
Keegan Brown 3-6 Niels Zonneveld (R2)
Jules van Dongen 4-6 Kevin Doets (R2)
Rusty-Jake Rodriguez 2-6 Luke Littler (R2)
Matt Campbell 6-4 Christopher Holt (R2)
Daniel Klose 3-6 Mario Vandenbogaerde (R2)
Jose Justicia 4-6 Mickey Mansell (R2)
Cameron Menzies 6-2 Jim Moston (R2)
Ted Evetts 6-2 Jim McEwan (R2)
Lewis Gurney 6-5 Stephen Burton (R2)
Luc Peters 0-6 James Wilson (R2)
Damian Mol 6-4 Gary Davey (R2)
Dan Read 6-4 v Brian Raman (R2)
Joshua Richardson 3-6 Owen Roelofs (R2)
Richard Veenstra 6-1 Jamie Clark (R2)
Darren Webster 6-5 Tony Martinez (R2)
Conor Heneghan 6-5 Mick Kenny (R2)
Graham Hall 3-6 Thomas Banks (R2)
Kevin Burness 2-6 Nathan Rafferty (R2)
Graham Usher 6-5 John O'Shea (R2)
Jeffrey De Zwaan 6-3 Geert Nentjes (R2)
Jelle Klaasen 6-1 Ricardo Pietreczko (R2)
Radek Szaganski 6-3 Krzysztof Kciuk (R2)
Gian Van Veen 6-5 Scott Waites (R2)
Jurjen Van der Velde 6-4 Ronny Huybrechts (R2)
Michael Flynn 1-6 Karel Sedlacek (R2)
Ross Montgomery 6-5 Adam Warner (R2)
Dylan Slevin 4-6 Shaun Wilkinson (R2)
Jitse Van der Wal 1-6 George Killington (R2)
Arron Monk 0-6 Robbie Knops (R2)

FIRST ROUND

The first round of the multi-board event features Tour Card Holders 97-127 along with 16 Rileys Amateur Qualifiers and 16 players from the Challenge tour and Development Tour

Luke Littler 6-0 Nick Fullwell (R1)
Jelle Klaasen 6-2 Josh Payne (R1)
Dom Taylor 4-6 Darren Webster (R1)
Lewis Gurney 6-5 Darryl Pilgrim (R1)
Stuart White 3-6 Owen Roelofs (R1)
Stephen Burton 6-5 Adam Smith-Neale (R1)
Gian van Veen 6-4 Robert Owen (R1)
James Richardson 6-4 Thibault Tricole (R1)
Lukas Wenig 3-6 Jeffrey de Zwaan (R1)
Sebastian Bialecki 4-6 Joshua Richardson (R1)
Jurjen van der Velde 6-4 Brett Claydon (R1)
Geert Nentjes 6-5 Christian Kist (R1)
Arron Monk 6-5 Vladimir Andersen (R1)
Dan Read 6-5 Callum Loose (R1)
Conor Heneghan 6-2 Daniel Lee (R1)
Graham Hall 6-4 Jeffrey Sparidaans (R1)
Jacques Labre 3-6 Daniel Klose (R1)
Karel Sedlacek 6-2 Harry Lane (R1)
Andy Jenkins 2-6 Adam Warner (R1)
Noel Grant 4-6 Graham Usher (R1)
Nathan Girvan 2-6 Niels Zonneveld (R1)
Michael Flynn 6-4 Jonathan Wynn (R1)
Callum Goffin 2-6 Robbie Knops (R1)
Pascal Rupprecht 5-6 Nick Kenny (R1)
Jarred Cole 5-6 Jitse Van der Wal (R1)
Jim McEwan 6-1 Danny Lauby (R1)
Jim Moston 6-4 Kenny Neyens (R1)
Dylan Slevin 6-0 Maik Kuivenhoven (R1)
Gary Davey 6-4 Lee Evans (R1)
Danny van Trijp 3-6 Christopher Holt (R1)

Darts results: Andrew Gilding stuns Michael van Gerwen in UK Open final to win his first major at the age of 52

UK Open: Round-by-round results

ALSO READ: PAUL NICHOLSON'S UK OPEN COLUMN

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