Rob Cross won his fifth World Series of Darts title with a clinical display at the TOTO Dutch Darts Masters on Saturday, seeing off Stephen Bunting 8-5 in the Den Bosch final.
Cross bounced back from his first round exit in Bahrain a week earlier in style to claim the Toon Greebe Trophy, producing a string of top-class displays at De Maaspoort.
Cross followed Friday's defeat of Richard Veenstra with victory over a second Dutchman - Jermaine Wattimena - in Saturday's quarter-finals, hitting six doubles from eight attempts.
The 2018 World Champion then averaged over 100 and finished 50% of his darts at double in his semi-final success against Gerwyn Price.
He then denied Stephen Bunting back-to-back World Series titles by seeing off the Bahrain Darts Masters winner with an 8-5 success in the final, averaging almost 102 and finishing 8/15 doubles.
Cross started the final stronger, leading 2-0 and adding 13-darters to move 3-1 and 5-2 up, only for legs of 14, 12 and 12 darts helping Bunting to draw level - as he took out 62, 94 and 130.
Cross, though, hit back strongly to regain the lead on double 18, before a brace of double eight checkouts sealed glory and a first World Series title in Europe.
"It's amazing to come here and win - it's special for me," said Cross, who was last year's US Darts Masters winner.
"I think it's about time I won in the Netherlands and I'm very grateful - the crowd were brilliant. The determination and focus I had today dragged me through.
"Stephen is a great man and he's a credit to the sport. He's done all the work today, got there and probably ran out of steam.
"To come here and win this one means so much. It's been a great weekend and I've really enjoyed it, and I love the World Series."
Bunting overcame two former World Champions as he booked his spot in a second successive World Series final, only to lose out to another in his bid for further glory.
He finished a 13-darter to edge past Raymond van Barneveld in the last eight, before an 11-darter saw off Luke Littler in a tight semi-final tie.
"To reach two finals back-to-back is amazing for me and it was a great final," said Bunting. "Rob played a really good game and had me under pressure from the start.
"If you'd said to me at the start of the tournament that I was going to be in the final I'd have taken it. Credit goes to Rob. I'll dust myself down and get ready for Milton Keynes next week.
"I'm playing the best darts of my life, and with the fanbase I've got, the social media; everything around me is in a great place and I can't wait to continue the form in the World Masters."
Littler had ended Michael van Gerwen's title defence with a 6-3 victory in their quarter-final, despite two 12-darters from the Dutchman.
However, the new World Champion was unable to claim a place in a second successive Den Bosch final when Bunting left him stranded on 130 after nine darts in the decider to their last four clash.
All four remaining Dutch stars exited the event in the quarter-finals, with Kevin Doets seeing Price claw back from 3-1 down before taking out 145 in their deciding leg.
Focus on the PDC circuit now moves to next weekend's Winmau World Masters for the first ranking event of the new season, with the World Series of Darts returning with the Mr Vegas Nordic Darts Masters at Forum Copenhagen on June 6-7.
2025 TOTO Dutch Darts Masters
Saturday January 25
Quarter-Finals
Stephen Bunting 6-5 Raymond van Barneveld
Luke Littler 6-3 Michael van Gerwen
Gerwyn Price 6-5 Kevin Doets
Rob Cross 6-3 Jermaine Wattimena
Semi-Finals
Stephen Bunting 7-6 Luke Littler
Rob Cross 7-3 Gerwyn Price
Final
Rob Cross 8-5 Stephen Bunting
Format
Quarter-Finals - Best of 11 legs
Semi-Finals - Best of 13 legs
Final - Best of 15 legs
Photo Gallery
