Clinical Cross completes World Series double Down Under

World Series of Darts

Rob Cross completed a World Series double Down Under with a crushing 8-1 victory over home favourite Damon Heta at the 2023 PalmerBet New South Wales Darts Masters.

Whitlock & Heta delight Aussie crowd on opening night in Wollongong

World Series of Darts

The 2023 PalmerBet New South Wales Darts Masters begins on Friday, as Australian pair Damon Heta and Simon Whitlock enjoyed wins.

2023 PalmerBet NSW Darts Masters preview

World Series of Darts

Rob Cross will begin his bid for back-to-back World Series of Darts titles at the PalmerBet New South Wales Darts Masters on Friday, as Damon Heta prepares to lead home hopes in Wollongong.

Aspinall to take on Whitlock in PalmerBet NSW Darts Masters opener

World Series of Darts

Nathan Aspinall will take on Australian icon Simon Whitlock in the opening round of the PalmerBet New South Wales Darts Masters, with the draw for this weekend’s event now confirmed.

Buoyant Cross thrilled to return to winning ways on the big stage

World Series of Darts

Rob Cross was in buoyant mood after ending his two-year wait for a televised title with victory at the New Zealand Darts Masters in Hamilton on Saturday.

Cross edges out Aspinall to claim NZ Darts Masters title

World Series of Darts

Rob Cross fought back superbly to defeat newly crowned World Matchplay champion Nathan Aspinall and claim the New Zealand Darts Masters title in Hamilton on Saturday.

Puha & Tata thrill home fans as 2023 NZ Darts Masters begins

World Series of Darts

Haupai Puha and big-stage debutant Jonny Tata delighted the Hamilton crowd at the 2023 NZ Darts Masters with victories as the World Series of Darts event began.

Price sets sights on Down Under double ahead of NZ Darts Masters

World Series of Darts

Gerwyn Price has set his sights on a World Series of Darts double in New Zealand and Australia over the next fortnight.

Price faces Whitlock in 2023 NZ Darts Masters opener

World Series of Darts

Gerwyn Price will start his bid to retain his New Zealand Darts Masters title against Simon Whitlock as the 2023 staging of the event starts on Friday August 4.

World Series returns Down Under with Hamilton set for NZ Darts Masters

World Series of Darts

The stars of the PDC have headed Down Under for the World Series' double-header in New Zealand and Australia.

Gerwyn Price tasted glory for a second time in three years by winning the Jack's World Series of Darts Finals on Sunday night, denying Dutchman Dirk van Duijvenbode 11-10 in a thrilling final.

Price previously won the season-ending event in 2020, and backed up last month's TAB New Zealand Darts Masters success by scooping the £70,000 World Series of Darts Finals top prize.

He was pushed all the way by home favourite Van Duijvenbode in an enthralling final, securing the title with a 14-dart leg in a dramatic ending.

A high-quality start saw the pair trade 14-darters in the opening four legs before Price broke for a 3-2 lead, and he then pinned tops to open up a two-leg cushion.

Three successive legs from Van Duijvenbode saw him move ahead again at 5-4, and he added a 12-darter as he retained the edge.

Price took out 146, 121 and 116 as he came from 7-6 down to lead 9-8 - pouncing on a miss at double 18 from Van Duijvenbode in leg 17.

The Dutchman - who had taken out 112 in leg 15 - hit back with a superb 11-darter and fired in double four to move 10-9 up, putting himself on the brink of a maiden big-stage title.

Price showed his class with a 12-darter to take the final to a deciding leg, and after being first to a finish during a tense finale, the Welshman took out 90 to seal glory.

"I'm thrilled to get over the line," said Price, who ended the final with a 100.14 average. "Dirk played fantastic but I think I played a little bit better.

"It was a great game but I made it really difficult for myself. There were two or three legs where I missed doubles, and at five-all going into the second break I probably could have been 7-3 up.

"I knew from there on in it was going to be a tough battle; Dirk was playing really well and obviously the crowd were supporting him but I dug in there right until the end.

"I gave myself a chance in the last-leg decider and scraped over the line."

He added: "I'm more than experienced with these sort of crowds, and fair play to them - they were all cheering for their man but I think they were quite respectful in patches.

"I let him off the hook a couple of times but I just wanted to give myself a chance in the last leg - I've got a little bit more composure and experience than Dirk had in that leg and that's all that counted."

Price earlier followed up Saturday's narrow win over Matt Campbell with a high-quality 10-8 quarter-final win over Joe Cullen, before seeing off James Wade 11-9 in the semis.

Wade had hit back from 2-0 down in the semi-final to lead 6-5 after landing a 170 checkout amongst three 12-darters, only for Price to reel off five legs in a row on his way to victory.

Van Duijvenbode's run to a third televised final sees him qualify for November's Cazoo Grand Slam of Darts.

June's Dutch Darts Masters runner-up, he had battled past Haupai Puha and Gary Anderson to reach the final day of action, before surviving a missed match dart from Ryan Joyce in the penultimate leg of their quarter-final.

He then ended Jonny Clayton's title defence with a superb 11-8 semi-final success, only to lose out narrowly to Price.

The loss for Van Duijvenbode was a repeat of the 2020 World Grand Prix final, and provided further big-game experience in his bid to claim major honours.

"I was a bit unfortunate in the last leg and he showed his class," said Van Duijvenbode, who earned £30,000 as runner-up.

"It's a bit frustrating because apart from that class, I could have won it in the end if I just composed myself better."

Clayton had earlier won six of the final seven legs to defeat four-time champion Michael van Gerwen 10-7 in the last eight.

Wade was Sunday afternoon's other quarter-final winner, finishing ten doubles from 18 attempts in a clinical 10-5 win over birthday boy Michael Smith.

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