MICHAEL VAN GERWEN won through to his first major PDC final with a superb 5-1 defeat of Wes Newton in Saturday’s opening semi-final at the Citywest Hotel in Dublin.

The 23-year-old Dutchman’s brilliant run of form this week continued as he saw off the number six seed in a high-quality contest, with Newton hitting five 180s and 58 percent of his chances at a double, including checkouts of 152 and 150.

Van Gerwen, though, heavily out-scored his opponent and finished with an end average of 95.04 as he booked his place in Sunday’s final against Mervyn King who broke Irish hearts with a 5-2 win over Brendan Dolan.

“It feels amazing to be in the final,” said van Gerwen. “It’s beautiful that I’ve done so well in a tournament like this, because it’s very difficult with the double start.”I’m very happy that I’ve played so well, and I think this was my best match in the tournament. My scoring was very good – I have a lot of confidence in my game and I did some damage at the right moments.

“I thought I should have been 2-0 up in sets but Wes finished well. I kept calm though and did a job. “The crowd have been fantastic and I hope I can continue this because it’s a big game tomorrow.” Van Gerwen has knocked out former World Grand Prix winner Colin Lloyd, World Champion Adrian Lewis and Andy Hamilton in his run to the final, and he admitted: “It feels great.

“Adrian Lewis, Wes Newton and Andy Hamilton are fantastic players and they’re all in the top ten, and you need to throw well to beat them. I hope I can carry on and do some more damage. “I’m very happy about this and I hope I can give the crowd and the fans on TV a good game tomorrow.” Newton’s run to the semi-finals was his best in the double-start format at the World Grand Prix, but he conceded he was beaten by the better player.

“On reflection, the game was probably a lot closer than the scoreline suggests, but Michael was the better player and deserved to win,” said Newton. “He played really well and I take my hat off to him. “I started off well and I’ve felt good all week. I’ve rode my luck in games and dug in and got the results, but my game hasn’t clicked fully and this was probably my best performance of the week.

“I kept believing, but Michael’s a quick player and once he got the momentum he was hard to peg back. I kept trying to get back into the game, but he was hitting everything and played really well.” Newton had reached the final of the European Championship last month, and moves back above Simon Whitlock into fifth place in the PDC Order of Merit by taking £20,000 prize money.

“It’s another good run for me in a major and I can take a lot of positives from it,” said Newton. “It’s all experience for me and I’m sure I’ll go on and win one of these eventually.”

PartyPoker.com World Grand Prix Saturday October 13 Semi-Finals

Michael van Gerwen 5-1 Wes Newton

Mervyn King 5-2 Brendan Dolan

Best of nine sets, all sets the best of five legs. All legs must start and finish with a double.

Match Information

Michael van Gerwen 5-1 Wes Newton

First Set 0-1 - Newton hits a 180 to leave 150, and when van Gerwen misses two darts at tops the Fleetwood ace powers home the 150 checkout on double 15.  1-1 – Newton misses double ten to take out 140, and van Gerwen returns to post double eight to settle any nerves. 2-1 – Van Gerwen finishes 136 to win the third and edge ahead. 2-2 – Newton pins double six to send the set into a decider. 3-2 – van Gerwen takes the set on double 16 to finish 48.

Second Set 1-0 – Newton misses darts at double top and ten, and van Gerwen lands double eight to break throw. 1-1 – Newton fires in a 180 1-2 – Newton finishes 90 on the bull to move ahead. 2-2 – Newton powers in a 180 but van Gerwen lands double four to stay in the set. 2-3 – Newton takes out 86 on double eight to win the set and level.

Third Set 1-0 – van Gerwen hits a 174 to leave 16 before posting double four to win the third set’s opener. 1-1 – van Gerwen posts a 177 score and Newton lands a maximum, with the Dutch ace missing two darts at double 16 to allow his opponent to level on the same bed. 2-1 – Double 12 sees van Gerwen move back ahead in the set. 2-2 – van Gerwen hits his first 180 of the game, but Newton wins the leg with a sensational 152 checkout. 3-2 – van Gerwen takes out 104 on double 16 to win the set and regain the advantage.

Fourth Set 0-1 – van Gerwen posts a 177 to be first to a finish, but misses three darts at double top and ten, and Newton steals the leg on double top. 1-1 – van Gerwen takes out double ten to level. 1-2 – Double 16 puts Newton back ahead. 2-2 – van Gerwen finishes 36 to level the set. 3-2 – The Dutch ace breaks to win the decider, with Newton missing double 16 to take out 143 and allow him in on double eight.

Fifth Set 1-0 – Double ten gives van Gerwen the fifth set’s opener. 2-0 – The 23-year-old posts double 16 to break and move two legs up. 3-0 – van Gerwen opens with a 160, before Newton replies with a 180, but the drama comes at the end of the leg as van Gerwen misses two darts for the set, only for Newton to miss the bull to finish 126 and allow him back on double two.

Sixth Set 1-0 – Tops puts van Gerwen ahead in the sixth set as he moves two legs away from the win. 2-0 – van Gerwen lands double 12 to put himself a leg away reaching his first major PDC final. 2-1 – Newton holds throw despite a 180 from van Gerwen, finishing 52 to stay in the contest. 3-1 – van Gerwen wins through to the final by taking out double top for a 72 finish.

Mervyn King 5-2 Brendan Dolan 

First Set 0-1 – King misses three starting doubles as Dolan gets away immediately, only for the home favourite to miss the bull to take out 170. King, though, misses double 16 and eight and Dolan finishes 25 to break throw. 0-2 – The players trade 180s in back-to-back throws, but King misses double ten for a 128 checkout and Dolan finishes 62 in two darts. 1-2 – King hits a 180 and tops to get off the mark. 2-2 – Both players miss the bull before King returns to post double four to level the set. 3-2 – King wins a third successive leg to claim the set, finishing 52 on double eight to silence the home crowd.

Second Set 0-1 – Dolan finishes 82 on tops to win the second set’s opener. 1-1 – Double 12 sees King level the set. 2-1 – Dolan misses double 13, hitting single six before being off-target on double ten, allowing King in to break. 3-1 – King wins the set by posting double 16. Third Set 0-1 – King hits a 174 and Dolan lands a 180, with the Northern Irishman finishing double 16 to break and win the third set’s opener. 0-2 – Dolan lands double eight to move two legs up. 0-3 – A brilliant 170 checkout from Dolan raises the roof at the Citywest Hotel as he wins the third set without reply.

Fourth Set 0-1 – Dolan wins the fourth set’s opener to take a fourth successive leg. 1-1 – Dolan is unable to punish three misses from King as he is off-target on double 16, and King returns to hit double two. 2-1 – King lands double 18 for a 13-darter to break and move ahead in the set. 3-1 – King lands a 180, his third of the game, and finishes double 16 to win the set and go 3-1 up.

Fifth Set 1-0 – King finishes 89 in two darts to lead in set five. 1-1 – Dolan hits back to level the set. 1-2 – The players trade 180s, and when King misses two darts at double 16, Dolan steps in to finish 84 on the bull to break throw. 2-2 – Double top for King sees him level the set. 3-2 – King moves 4-1 up in the game, taking out 49 to win the set.

Sixth Set 0-1 – Dolan hits a 180 and finishes tops to lead. 1-1 – Double eight sees King level. 1-2 – King lands a 180 but misses double seven, and Dolan posts double eight to move 2-1 up. 2-2 – King finishes 90 on double eight to level. 2-3 – King misses four match darts at double top and ten, and Dolan lands double two to keep the match alive.

Seventh Set 1-0 – Double five sees King take the seventh set’s opener. 2-0 – Dolan misses double 16, and King finishes 108 with a ‘Shanghai’ on the 18 bed to move a leg away from the final. 3-0 – Dolan lands his fifth 180 of the game, but King seals a brilliant win with a 132 bullseye finish.