Darts results: Gerwyn Price wins second title of the season at the Belgian Darts Champoionshipo
Gerwyn Price maintained his incredible hot streak of form by winning his second title in the space of seven days at the inaugural Belgian Darts Championship.
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In his third PDC final in a row and fourth of the season - having also managed the feat at both of last weekend's Players Championship events - the Welshman proved too strong for Michael Smith, averaging 100 in a crushing 8-3 triumph at Expo Hasselt.
It capped off a dominant day of darts for Price, who had earlier thrashed Jamie Hughes 6-0 with an average of 103.66 despite his opponent posting a mark of 101.81, before seeing off Mensur Suljovic 6-2 and coming from 3-0 down to beat Dirk van Duijvenbode 7-4 in the semi-finals.
The first four legs of the final went with throw but the two-time Grand Slam of Darts champion would then take full control by winning five legs on the trot - a run that included two 100+ checkouts of 112 and 126, with the latter completing a 12-darter that put him 7-2 up.
Smith pulled one back but it merely delayed the inevitable as Price pinned double top to claim the top prize of £25,000.
The Iceman's third European Tour title is the 11th of his PDC career and further consolidates his status as the world number three - although on this form he may well be regarded as the most feared player on the circuit right now.
Above him in the rankings are Michael van Gerwen, who is yet to win a trophy this season, and world champion Peter Wright, who he destroyed 7-1 in the Premier League on Thursday night to maintain his unbeaten start to the campaign.
Price told www.pdc.tv: "The crowd were fantastic all weekend, I appreciate everything from them," said Price, who won his first title of 2020 seven days earlier. I think my checkouts this weekend kept me in the games.
"I hit some big shots when I needed them most to change the way some games were going. I think I played pretty well all the way through the tournament and hopefully I can keep this form going into the Premier League and UK Open next week."
Smith misses out on his 12th career title but he can leave Belgium with his head held high after a string of stunning displays.
Fresh from his nine-dart heroics in the Premier League on Thursday night, Bully Boy defeated both Michael van Gerwen and Peter Wright en route to the final, where he perhaps ran out of steam somewhat with a 96.26 average.
Smith, who began his campaign against Ronny Huybrechts on Saturday, averaged over 100 in every other game apart from a 93.35 during his thrilling 6-5 triumph over MVG, which he clinched with a 105 checkout in the deciding leg, but he saved his best for Mervyn King in the quarter-finals, posting an incredible mark of 107.85 in a 6-1 win.
The St Helens ace would later avenge the agonising defeat he suffered at the hands of Wright in this season's Masters final thanks to a 7-5 victory, but it could have been a different outcome had Snakebite not spurned 11 darts at doubles.
Smith's finishing was far superior with a checkout percentage of 58.33% while he also managed 10 and 11 dart legs during the early stages of a high-class encounter.
Belgian Darts Championship: Tournament results
Friday February 28
First Round (Best of 11 legs)
Afternoon Session (12pm GMT)
- Ryan Searle 6-3 Darren Penhall
- Andy Hamilton 6-5 Andy Boulton
- Steve Beaton 6-4 Kai Fan Leung
- Ronny Huybrechts 6-1 Luke Humphries
- Damon Heta 6-0 Michael Barnard
- Wesley Plaisier 6-5 Benjamin Pratnemer
- Martijn Kleermaker 6-4 Stephen Bunting
- Mervyn King 6-4 Justin Pipe
Evening Session (6.15pm GMT)
- Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-4 Luke Woodhouse
- Mike De Decker 6-4 Ron Meulenkamp
- Gabriel Clemens 6-3 Callan Rydz
- Danny Noppert 6-2 Geert De Vos
- Kim Huybrechts 6-2 Ryan Harrington
- Steve Lennon 6-3 Rowby-John Rodriguez
- Steve West 6-0 Jeffrey van Egdom
- Dimitri Van den Bergh 6-3 Derk Telnekes
Saturday February 29
Second Round (Best of 11 legs)
Afternoon Session (12pm GMT)
- Michael Smith 6-1 Ronny Huybrechts
- Joe Cullen 3-6 Martijn Kleermaker
- Krzysztof Ratajski 6-2 Gabriel Clemens
- Glen Durrant 4-6 Mervyn King
- Rob Cross 6-1 Damon Heta
- Ian White 3-6 Dirk van Duijvenbode
- Jermaine Wattimena 2-6 Danny Noppert
- James Wade 6-3 Steve Lennon
Evening Session (6.15pm GMT)
- Nathan Aspinall 6-3 Steve Beaton
- Gerwyn Price 6-1 Wesley Plaisier
- Peter Wright 6-2 Andy Hamilton
- Michael van Gerwen 6-3 Mike De Decker
- Jeffrey de Zwaan 6-4 Kim Huybrechts
- Jamie Hughes 6-5 Dimitri Van den Bergh
- Mensur Suljovic 6-4 Ryan Searle
- Jonny Clayton 2-6 Steve West
Sunday March 1
Afternoon Session (12pm GMT)
Third Round (Best of 11 legs)
- Michael van Gerwen 5-6 Michael Smith
- Mervyn King 6-3 Martijn Kleermaker
- Peter Wright 6-3 Danny Noppert
- Krzysztof Ratajski 6-3 Rob Cross
- Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-4 Jeffrey de Zwaan
- James Wade 4-6 Nathan Aspinall
- Gerwyn Price 6-0 Jamie Hughes
- Mensur Suljovic 6-4 Steve West
Evening Session (6.15pm GMT)
Quarter-Finals (Best of 11 legs)
- Michael Smith 6-1 Mervyn King
- Peter Wright 6-4 Krzysztof Ratajski
- Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-5 Nathan Aspinall
- Gerwyn Price 6-2 Mensur Suljovic
Semi-Finals (Best of 13 legs)
- Michael Smith 7-5 Peter Wright
- Dirk van Duijvenbode 4-7 Gerwyn Price
Final (Best of 15 legs)
- Michael Smith 3-8 Gerwyn Price