Price adds BoyleSports World Grand Prix to honours
Gerwyn Price holds off a spirited Dirk Van Duijvenbode to win his first World Grand Prix title.
Gerwyn Price defeated Dirk van Duijvenbode 5-2 to win the BoyleSports World Grand Prix in Coventry on Monday.
A rampant Price dominated much of the contest to lead 4-1, and while Van Duijvenbode threatened a comeback, the Welshman re-found his form to make it back-to-back TV crowns having won the World Series of Darts Finals in September.
The £110,000 star prize puts Price up to a career-high second on the PDC Order of Merit, continuing the incredible rise of the former rugby player who first competed in the PDC in 2014.
While Van Duijvenbode fell short in the final, the Dutchman has gained a new army of fans following his life-changing week at the Ricoh Arena, which saw him become the first debutant to reach the final since 1998.
The 28-year-old pockets the £50,000 runner-up prize which sees him move him up 19 places to 54th on the PDC Order of Merit, while also securing him a debut in November’s Grand Slam of Darts. The final saw Price start strongly, taking the opening set without concession of a leg, before winning the set two decider to double his lead.
Van Duijvenbode began to find the form which saw him defeat Gary Anderson and Simon Whitlock in the previous two rounds as he won the third set, only for Price to roar back in the fourth to restore his three-set cushion.
The Dutchman landed a 135 checkout out of the blue in the fifth set, only for Price to win his tenth deciding leg of the tournament from as many attempts to go 4-1 up in sets. Price seemed to be cruising to the finish line, but a dogged Van Duijvenbode showed class and determination to recover from 2-1 down to claim the sixth set.
Van Duijvenbode kicked on and looked likely to pull it back to 4-3 in sets as he led 2-0 in the seventh, but this time it was Price’s turn to turn a set around as he reeled off three consecutive legs, winning it in style with a 102 checkout.
2020 BoyleSports World Grand Prix
Monday October 12th (20.00 BST)
Final
Dirk Van Duijvenbode 2-5 Gerwyn Price
Full Results:
First Round
Danny Noppert 2-1 Ryan Searle
Mensur Suljovic 1-2 Dirk van Duijvenbode
Jose De Sousa 0-2 Devon Petersen
James Wade 0-2 Mervyn King
Rob Cross 0-2 Gary Anderson
Michael van Gerwen 2-1 Krzysztof Ratajski
Michael Smith 0-2 Dimitri Van den Berg
Kim Huybrechts 2-1 Brendan Dolan
Jonny Clayton 2-1 Ian White
Dave Chisnall 2-0 Glen Durrant
Joe Cullen 2-1 Daryl Gurney
Ryan Joyce 2-0 Peter Wright
Gerwyn Price 2-0 Jermaine Wattimena
Gabriel Clemens 2-0 Nathan Aspinall
Simon Whitlock 2-0 Chris Dobey
Jamie Hughes 1-2 Jeffrey de Zwaan
Second Round
Dirk van Duijvenbode 3-1 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Simon Whitlock 3-2 Mervyn King
Gary Anderson 3-0 Danny Noppert
Michael van Gerwen 3-0 Devon Petersen
Ryan Joyce 2-3 Dave Chisnall
Gabriel Clemens 0-3 Jeffrey de Zwaan
Gerwyn Price 3-0 Kim Huybrechts
Joe Cullen 3-2 Jonny Clayton
Quarter-Finals
Dirk van Duijvenbode 3-1 Gary Anderson
Dave Chisnall 3-2 Joe Cullen
Michael van Gerwen 0-3 Simon Whitlock
Gerwyn Price 3-1 Jeffrey de Zwaan
Semi-Finals
Dirk van Duijvenbode 4-1 Simon Whitlock
Dave Chisnall 3-4 Gerwyn Price