Gerwyn Price continues winning streak to claim European Darts Open crown

Gerwyn Price’s hot streak continued as he edged Dirk van Duijvenbode to win the European Darts Open in Leverkusen.

Price fought back from 3-1 and 7-6 down at the Ostermann Arena, surviving two missed match darts by Dutchman Van Duijvenbode, before triumphing 8-7.

It adds to back-to-back Premier League wins in Nottingham and Newcastle over the past fortnight as the 38-year-old from Wales claimed his seventh European Tour title.

Price said in quotes on pdc.tv: “I’m happy to get the win. I played brilliant darts all weekend apart from the final.

“It was a slow game – I had to dig in and grind out the win, and without this crowd behind me it’s really difficult. This weekend the crowd have been fantastic.”

Price had earlier in the day beaten world champion Michael Smith 6-2 in the last 16 and ended Michael van Gerwen’s defence of the title 6-4 in the quarter-finals.

He then defeated Danny Noppert 7-4 to advance to the showdown with Van Duijvenbode, who had got past Ross Smith, Josh Rock and Rob Cross.

Van Duijvenbode, who was looking to secure a maiden European Tour success, said: “I didn’t play my best game but I should have won anyway.

“It is what it is. I don’t think it should be that close, I could have done some bigger distance at the beginning, and in the end there’s no holding him back. That’s just the class he has.”