Darts results: Gerwyn Price wins eighth title of the season on day three of the Winter Series
Gerwyn Price won his eighth title of the year on Day Three of the PDC Winter Series in Coventry on Thursday.
Price defeated Australia's Damon Heta 8-6 in a nip-and-tuck final to pick up another title on the back of lifting the World Cup of Darts for Wales last weekend.
The world number three's fourth Players Championship title of the year provides ideal preparation ahead of next week's defence of his Grand Slam of Darts crown.
"I'm happy to win, but I think I played poor in the final," Price admitted. "This week I've lost games when I've played well and today I've won playing poorly in the final.
"I felt I was in control for most of the game but I thought he was going to pinch it at the end. I just needed to play well this week and that's what I've done the last two days.
"I'm confident, I'm playing well and that's all that matters."
The final saw Price get off to a perfect start with an 87 checkout for an 11-dart break of throw, only for Heta to break straight back with double four after Price bust 20 with one dart.
The next eight legs saw both players squander chances to break throw, but it was Price who eventually found tops for a timely break to move 6-5 ahead.
However, the Welshman once again allowed Heta to break straight back after missing three more darts at doubles.
Price then crucially found double top with his last dart for a third consecutive break of throw to go within a leg of victory and, after Heta missed five darts to force a deciding leg, Price finally put the game to bed with a last dart double two.
Despite going down in the final, World Cup of Darts star Heta continued his progression in his first year in the PDC having won his first title at the Autumn Series in September.
Elsewhere, the third of five consecutive days of Players Championship events at the Ricoh Arena saw Nick Kenny hit a nine-dart leg in a 6-3 first round defeat to Dimitri Van den Bergh.
The day was also a significant one for Callan Rydz who reached his first ProTour semi-final and for Irish number one William O'Connor who made it to his first ProTour semi-final since April 2019.
Having picked up titles on both the first two days, Michael Smith remains on to of the Winter Series Order of Merit, while Jermaine Wattimena stays in the provisional qualifying place for the Grand Slam of Darts as the highest ranked non-qualified player.
Players Championship Results: Winter Series Day Three
Last 16 onwards. For all the Players Championship results and detailed stats, head to Dart Connect (tv.dartconnect.com/events/pdc)
Last 16
- Gerwyn Price 6-0 Jeff Smith
- Stephen Bunting 6-4 Jan Dekker
- Ryan Searle 6-4 Madars Razma
- William O'Connor 6-5 Jonny Clayton
- Callan Rydz 6-5 Simon Whitlock
- Ian White 6-3 Vincent van der Voort
- Krzysztof Kciuk 6-3 Nathan Aspinall
- Damon Heta 6-4 Ross Smith
Quarter-Finals
- Gerwyn Price 6-4 Stephen Bunting
- William O'Connor 6-3 Ryan Searle
- Callan Rydz 6-2 Ian White
- Damon Heta 6-2 Krzysztof Kciuk
Semi-Finals
- Gerwyn Price 7-3 William O'Connor
- Damon Heta 7-5 Callan Rydz
Final
- Gerwyn Price 8-6 Damon Heta
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