The first four quarter finalists are confirmed at the European Championship, and round two proved to be the end of the line for defending champion Gian van Veen, as Luke Woodhouse eliminated the Dutchman in a 10-6 win in Dortmund.
2024 semi-finalist Woodhouse led a tight first session 3-2, and should have been 6-2 up, only for van Veen to find a 142 finish from almost nowhere to keep in touch at 5-3.
The gap proved too much though for the Dutchman, and after he missed three darts at tops to close to 9-7, Woodhouse found the same double to confirm victory, and a step closer to the title.
Gerwyn Price was the first player into the last eight, as he opened the afternoon’s proceedings with a routine 10-4 win against Cameron Menzies.
24/10/26: Round Two. Cameron Menzies v Gerwyn Price. Picture: Michael Cooper/PDC
The Welshman controlled the action in the main, and found three ton-plus finishes during the contest, including a match-winning 109 to add to a pair of earlier 113 kills.
Stephen Bunting was just as emphatic in sealing his quarter final place, with ‘The Bullet’ taking out Kim Huybrechts in a routine 10-3 success.
Bunting was in rock-solid form on the finishing side of the game in particular, with four ton-plus finishes and an average of 96.83 helping him to advance.
World Series Finals champion Ross Smith fended off a late fightback from Damon Heta, who battled from 7-3 and 9-5 down, but would ultimately be defeated 10-7 by ‘Smudger’, who will have his eyes on another big title after winning this event in 2022.
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2026 Machineseeker European Championship
Saturday October 24
Afternoon session
Round Two
Gerwyn Price 10-4 Cameron Menzies
Stephen Bunting 10-3 Kim Huybrechts
Ross Smith 10-7 Damon Heta
Luke Woodhouse 10-6 Gian van Veen
Evening Session (1900-2300 CEST)
Round Two
Krzysztof Ratajski v Kevin Doets
Martin Schindler v Jermaine Wattimena
Nathan Aspinall v Luke Littler
Jonny Clayton v Josh Rock
