Gerwyn Price wins the International Darts Open (Picture: Michael Braunschadel PDC Europe)

Gerwyn Price defeats Simon Whitlock in the International Darts Open final

By Chris Hammer

Darts

Mon September 17, 2018 · 6y ago

Gerwyn Price celebrated his maiden PDC European Tour title after beating Simon Whitlock 8-3 in the International Darts Open final.

The Welshman's previous best was finishing runner-up to Jonny Clayton at this year's Austrian Darts Open but he went one better this weekend to claim a landmark triumph in his career.

Price, who now has three PDC titles in total having won two Players Championship crowns in 2016, becomes the fourth new European Tour champion in 2018, despite continuing his recovery from a ruptured Achilles tendon.

"I'm thrilled to win in front of this unbelievable crowd," said Price. "Simon got off to a good lead but I bucked my ideas up and played my best darts of the tournament at the end of the final.

"The injury doesn't bother me, I'm still playing well and I turn up to every tournament expecting to win because it's pointless being there otherwise.

"When you play in front of crowds like this you want to play the best you can and thankfully I did."

Price had to survive three match darts in his 6-5 third-round victory over Daryl Gurney at the start of the day before turning on the style with a 101 average to sink Peter Wright's second-round conqueror Ryan Searle 6-2 in the quarter-finals.

The Iceman once again starred defeat in the face in the last four but Steve West spurned one dart at double 18 for the match and Price returned to pin double 10 having missed his first two attempts at tops.

Whitlock was marginal favourite to win the final having brushed aside Danny Noppert 7-2 in the semi-finals while earlier he'd averaged 102 in a 6-3 victory over Steve Beaton in a 6-3 victory before surviving a final-leg scare against James Richardson in the quarters.

The final began with an early break of throw for the veteran Aussie, who was chasing his first European Tour title since 2012, before Price broke straight back with a 14-dart leg and then held throw for a 2-1 lead.

Whitlock held and then found double 12 with his last dart in hand to regain the lead at 3-2, but that was as good as it got for the Australian who was blown away by six stunning legs from Price.

The turning point in the match came in the eighth leg as Whitlock missed two darts at double 18 to go level before Price punished with a 72 checkout in two darts to go 5-3 up.

From there, the world number 12 and former UK Open finalist romped to the finish line, ending the match with a clinical 53.85% checkout success rate and an average of 98 as he picked up the title.

Despite suffering a repeat of his 8-3 loss to Mensur Suljovic in June's Danish Darts Open final, crowd favourite Whitlock was pleased with his weekend's work as he reached the fifth European Tour final of his career.

"Well done to Gerwyn, he was the better player in the final," said Whitlock, who averaged 88 and missed six of his nine double attempts. "Making the final is fantastic, I'm proud to be here and play in front of this fantastic crowd.

"I just love playing darts!"

The German weekend was also one to remember for Noppert, who reached his second European Tour semi-final of the year, and for Searle, who continued his sublime form to reach his first quarter-final on the continent.

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The trophy ceremony at the International Darts Open (Picture: Michael Braunschadel PDC Europe)