The return of the PDC Pro Tour, this past weekend, saw Gerwyn Price returned to winning ways in emphatic style.
In claiming his first event wins of the year in Hildesheim the former World Champion defeated firstly Josh Rock 8-5 in the Final – despite averaging lower than the young Northern Irishman – winning Players Championship 17, his first since he beat Gian van Veen at the end of 2022.
The Iceman repeated the trick on the Sunday and again defeated Gian van Veen in the Final in an all-Red Dragon Final, with GVV reaching his first Final on the Pro Tour in 2023 since he earned his Tour Card at the start of the year.
The World Number 4 opened his Saturday campaign with a 6-1 victory over Radek Szaganski before hitting his first ton plus average of the day, scoring 103.31 in a 6-2 win over Spanish international Tony Martinez in Hildesheim.
The Welsh international continued to impress, winning an all-Welsh battle against Nick Kenny before beating another Red Dragon player in Jamie Hughes in a last leg decider in the Last 16.
Price found his highest average of the session, defeating North American Darts Championship winner Jeff Smith 6-1 in the Quarter Finals, scoring 105.53 to reach the Semi’s.
Gerwyn again had to stay focused in a last leg decider this time to defeat Richie Edhouse 7-6 in the Last 4, before dealing Josh Rock his third defeat of the year in a Pro Tour Final after winning 8-5 to claim his first tournament win in the PDC since bringing the World Cup home for Wales.
The Iceman returned on Sunday and started his campaign with early victories over German international Pascal Rupprecht and Jimmy Hendriks in Hildesheim.
The Red Dragon player held his nerve to defeat Keane Barry in a last leg decider in the Third Round before beating James Wade 6-1 in the Last 16 despite averaging 82.55 in Germany.
2-time World Series winner in Australia and New Zealand Rob Cross was dealt a whitewash in a battle of former World Champions in the Quarter Finals, with Gerwyn going on to find his first 100+ average of the day in beating former BDO World Champion Stephen Bunting 7-2 in the Semi Finals.
Gian van Veen impressed once more in what has been a breakout year for the young Dutchman. The Development Tour Number 1 claimed back-to-back averages of 106.04 to beat compatriot Jeffrey de Zwaan in the Last 8 before beating Joe Cullen 7-1 in the Semi Finals with a score 105.05, booking a place in his first Pro Tour Final of 2023.
Price went on to make it a weekend to remember in Hildesheim after claiming consecutive Pro Tour titles, winning the all Red Dragon Final 8-1 with an average of 98.52.
The Welshman wrapped up victory on double 10 to finish 35 in two darts to make it £24,000 earned in 2 days for the former World Champion.
The Pro Tour returns on Sunday from the Barnsley Metrodome with a triple header this time for Players Championship Events 19-21, before the next Euro Tour Event: The German Darts Open takes place on the 8th of September from Jena.
Players Championship 17 Results:
Quarter Finals:
Ritchie Edhouse 6-2 Daryl Gurney
Gerwyn Price 6-1 Jeff Smith
Danny van Trijp 6-1 William O’Connor
Josh Rock 6-4 Andrew Gilding
Semi Finals:
Gerwyn Price 7-6 Ritchie Edhouse
Josh Rock 7-1 Danny van Trijp
Final:
Gerwyn Price 8-5 Josh Rock
Players Championship 18: Results
Quarter Finals:
Stephen Bunting 6-3 Richard Veenstra
Gerwyn Price 6-0 Rob Cross
Gian van Veen 6-2 Jeffrey de Zwaan
Joe Cullen 6-0 Darryl Pilgrim
Semi Finals:
Gerwyn Price 7-2 Stephen Bunting
Gian van Veen 7-1 Joe Cullen
Final:
Gerwyn Price 8-1 Gian van Veen
—–Ends—–
Images: PDC
