Gerwyn Price secures International Darts Open hat-trick to retain number one spot
Gerwyn Price claimed his third International Darts Open title courtesy of an 8-4 victory over Peter Wright in the final, maintaining the world number one spot in the process.
The final of the year’s first European Tour event saw the world’s top two collide, with the winner taking the world number one spot on the PDC Order of Merit, as well as the £25,000 title.
Price came into the final day of action in Riesa knowing he had to win the title in order to live to fight another week at the top of the rankings, and he did just that with a series of blistering displays.
A high-quality final saw both players average above 106, but Price’s deadly accuracy on the outer ring saw him miss just one attempt at double as he clinched victory with a 130 checkout in front of 2,000 fans at the Sachsenarena.
“I told Peter he will have to wait another week [to become world number one],” joked Price, who last suffered defeat in a European Tour event in 2020.
“There was a lot of pressure on me in that final with the world number one spot resting on it, so I’m proud of myself tonight.
“I’ve played here four times and won three of them; I thank the crowd immensely for the reception they gave me and the way they supported both players in the final.”
Price continued the merciless vein of form which saw him hit two nine-darters on his way to winning Premier League Night Three in Belfast ten days ago.
The Welshman saw off Australia’s Damon Heta in Sunday afternoon’s Last 16 before victories over Danny Noppert and the returning Nathan Aspinall in the Quarter-Finals and Semi-Finals respectively.
Wright remains on the verge of becoming world number one for the first time in his career, but will have to wait at least until next weekend’s UK Open.
An impressive weekend from the reigning World Champion saw him come through a last-leg shoot-out with Michael Smith in the Quarter-Finals, before enjoying a 7-3 success over Jonny Clayton in the Semi-Finals – in which he recovered from 3-0 down to reel off seven consecutive legs.
“I’ve got to fight to become world number one, I know it won’t just be given to me,” said Wright.
“Gerwyn showed tonight why he is world number one and a former World Champion; he never gives up, he always fights.
“But I’m after him, and hopefully I can do enough over the next few weeks.”
The afternoon’s Last 16 saw Danny Noppert pull off a 6-4 victory over Dutch rival Michael van Gerwen, while Aspinall marked an impressive return to action by defeating Masters Champion Joe Cullen en route to the Semi-Finals.
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International Darts Open 2022 Day Three Results
Sunday February 27
Afternoon Session
Last 16
Joe Cullen 3-6 Nathan Aspinall
James Wade 6-1 Kim Huybrechts
Michael van Gerwen 4-6 Danny Noppert
Gerwyn Price 6-2 Damon Heta
Dimitri van den Bergh 6-1 Brian Raman
Jonny Clayton 6-4 Lewy Williams
Peter Wright 6-2 Niko Springer
Michael Smith 6-1 Dirk van Duijvenbode
Evening Session
Quarter-Finals
Nathan Aspinall 6-2 James Wade
Danny Noppert 4-6 Gerwyn Price
Dimitri van den Bergh 4-6 Jonny Clayton
Peter Wright 6-5 Michael Smith
Semi-Finals
Gerwyn Price 7-3 Nathan Aspinall
Peter Wright 7-3 Jonny Clayton
Final
Gerwyn Price 8-4 Peter Wright
