Gerwyn Price celebrated his fourth title of 2023 with an 8-5 victory over Josh Rock in Saturday’s Players Championship 17 final in Hildesheim.
Price – who won back-to-back European Tour titles in March – capped off a successful return to ProTour action to pocket the £12,000 top prize at Halle 39.
The Welshman wasn’t at his blistering best on German soil, although he produced a professional performance to see off Northern Ireland’s Rock in Saturday’s showpiece.
Rock struck the first blow in the decider by firing in a 12-dart break to lead 2-1, although the 2021 World Champion immediately responded, registering back-to-back 15-dart legs to regain the initiative.
With the scores locked at four apiece, both players faltered on the outer ring, but it was Price who profited in a scrappy conclusion to the tie, winning four of the last five legs to triumph.
“I scraped through a few games,” conceded Price, who also steered Wales to a second World Cup of Darts title alongside Jonny Clayton in June.
“Even in the final I wasn’t at my best, but I’m winning, and that is all that matters.
“I came here and didn’t know where my game was. I haven’t been in many ranking events over the last couple of months, so to win this title gives me a confidence boost going into tomorrow.
“These are the tournaments you need to be playing in if you want to keep sharp and you want to be winning major tournaments.
“I don’t think I played anywhere near as well as I can today, but I played some good darts when it mattered.”
Price began his campaign with convincing wins over Radek Szaganski and Tony Martinez, averaging over 103 in his victory over the Spaniard.
The 38-year-old then overcame Nick Kenny in an all-Welsh affair to reach the last 16, where he edged out Jamie Hughes in a gruelling last-leg decider.
Price continued his charge with a 6-1 demolition of Jeff Smith in the quarter-finals, averaging almost 106 before winning through another deciding-leg tie against Ritchie Edhouse in the last four.
Edhouse led 6-4 before Price survived a match dart in leg 11, and the Welshman completed the comeback with back-to-back 12-darters to win through a dramatic contest.
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