It is a second Premier League nightly triumph of the season for Gerwyn Price, who claimed the honours in Manchester with breathtaking, almost transcendent brilliance.
Setting the tone from the outset, The Iceman imperiously overcame reigning champion Luke Humphries with a masterful amalgamation of ferocious scoring and surgical finishing.
Just two legs in, finishes of 161 and 135 from Price emphatically underlined his intent. Despite Cool Hand concluding with a ton-plus average, this contest was unequivocally dominated by Gezzy, who glided into the semi-finals having missed just a solitary dart at double.
Awaiting Price was the ever-popular Liverpudlian Stephen Bunting, who had opened proceedings with a commendably assured victory over Michael van Gerwen.
Statistically, that encounter suggested a different story, with the Green Machine averaging in excess of 104, yet The Bullet’s clinical and superior efficiency on the outer ring proved decisive.However, it was against the former Lakeside Champion that Price elevated his performance to an even more stratospheric level, accelerating into the final with a staggering 112.91 average.
Once again, Bunting departed with a colossal figure – this time 106 – which, under ordinary circumstances, would be more than sufficient to secure victory. Quite simply, Price was operating in an untouchable, almost unplayable realm.
Onto the other half of the draw. And young Dutch prodigy Gian van Veen, though perhaps not yet at full physical capacity following recent surgery, appeared markedly sharper than in Germany the previous week.
Facing Luke Littler is an inherently daunting proposition, yet Van Veen produced a performance of composure and resilience to edge the World Champion.
Racing into a commanding 4-1 lead, Van Veen forced Littler into a spirited resurgence, with the league leader dragging the contest into a dramatic last-leg decider.
Both players squandered match darts in a tense denouement, but it was the elder of the two emerging stars who eventually located the decisive double.
There appeared to be a flicker of post-match tension, reportedly stemming from Van Veen’s suggestion in Dutch media that, after wiring a double, he turned to see Littler celebrating the miss.
Regardless, the defining metric remained the result. In his semi-final, Van Veen encountered Josh Rock, who for the second consecutive week had accrued points courtesy of victory over Jonny Clayton.
Yet, much like seven days prior, the Northern Irishman’s progression halted there.
While Rock dominated in scoring, Van Veen’s superior efficiency on the doubles – converting twice as many from identical opportunities – proved the decisive differentiator.
Onto the evening’s showpiece event, and Price sustained his scintillating trajectory, collecting maximum points for the second time this campaign. Van Veen, increasingly familiar with runner-up finishes since the Ally Pally final, could harbour few grievances on this occasion.
The Iceman was simply majestic, registering a commanding 105.84 average while exhibiting near-flawless finishing.Victory propels Price into second place, edging compatriot Clayton on leg difference, with both now sitting just two points adrift of Littler following his early exit.
Completing the top four is Van Gerwen on 13 points, with Van Veen climbing to fifth, just one point behind.
Humphries follows closely, while Bunting and Rock remain in the bottom two despite both augmenting their tallies in Manchester.
Next stop, the south coast of England, as Brighton hosts week ten.
2026 PREMIER LEAGUE – NIGHT NINE
Manchester, England (2nd April) Quarter-Finals
Stephen Bunting 6-3 Michael van Gerwen
Gerwyn Price 6-2 Luke Humphries
Gian van Veen 6-5 Luke Littler
Josh Rock 6-4 Jonny Clayton
Semi-Finals
Gerwyn Price 6-2 Stephen Bunting
Gian van Veen 6-3 Josh Rock
Final
Gerwyn Price 6-2 Gian van Veen
—–Ends—–
Images: PDC
