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Stephen Bunting seals first televised PDC title at The Masters

Jamie Shaw in Winmau World Masters 04 Feb 2024

Reigning champion Stephen Bunting (Photo by Taylor Lanning/PDC)

Stephen Bunting secured his first televised PDC title at the 2024 Cazoo Masters with a magnificent 11-7 victory over Michael van Gerwen in the final.

Bunting, whose last televised triumph came at the BDO World Championship in 2014, ended a decade-long wait for major silverware as he stormed to glory in Milton Keynes.

The 38-year-old had recovered from 5-2 down to deny Ross Smith in a deciding leg in Round One on Friday, before producing a quartet of ton-plus checkouts to topple World Champion Luke Humphries in Saturday’s Second Round.

The world number 16 continued his clinical combination finishing on Sunday, sweeping aside Peter Wright and Nathan Aspinall in emphatic style.

Bunting produced 104, 121 and 122 checkouts to thrash 2020 champion Wright 10-2 in the opening Quarter-Final with a 101 average, before putting in another dominant display to demolish World Matchplay champion Aspinall 11-1.

However, he saved his best performance for the final, averaging 102 and landing eight 180s to deny Van Gerwen in a high-quality contest.

“I’m lost for words,” admitted an emotional Bunting, who had only won four of his previous 26 meetings against the three-time World Champion.

“To do it front of a crowd that were chanting my name from the minute I stepped foot in Milton Keynes means so much to me.

“I’m really happy. This just shows my hard work is paying off, and it’s a great start to the season. Hopefully I can push on from this.

“My main aim when I moved over from the BDO was to win big titles, but you’re playing the best of the best, and you’re going to be pushed all the way.

“Michael is a multiple World Champion. He’s a fantastic player. I’ve beaten Luke Humphries this weekend, and I’ve beaten Peter Wright and Nathan Aspinall – all Premier League players.

“That is where I want to get my game back to so let’s see what happens in the future, but I really think I deserve this trophy.”

The final began with five comfortable holds of throw, which included Bunting pinning an 81 finish on the bull for a 12-darter in leg five.

Following two further holds, Bunting secured the game’s first break of throw in leg eight, converting an 88 finish to move 5-3 ahead.

The Merseyside marksman then opened up a three-leg gap with a crucial 83 finish on the bull, but Van Gerwen responded superbly with three straight legs of his own – including a double-double 92 – to level at six apiece.

The pair exchanged holds before Bunting edged back ahead, following up a terrific 177 set-up shot by rounding off a 13-dart hold on tops to make it 8-7.

Bunting extended his lead after Van Gerwen squandered three darts to restore parity at 8-8, before firing in back-to-back 180s and completing an 11-dart hold to move to the cusp of glory at 10-7.

The St Helens star did surrender a 9-6 lead against the Dutchman in November’s Players Championship Finals, but there was to be no repeat on this occasion as he wrapped up a landmark triumph with a 14-darter on tops.

Van Gerwen was bidding for a sixth Masters crown – a first since 2019 – but was unable to follow up last weekend’s Dutch Masters success on home soil in Den Bosch.

The world number two dropped just ten legs in reaching the final, having kicked off his campaign with a 10-4 rout of reigning champion Chris Dobey.

The Dutch superstar overcame two-time runner-up Dave Chisnall by the same scoreline in the Quarter-Finals, averaging 102 and converting ten of his 16 attempts at doubles.

In the Semi-Finals, Van Gerwen recorded an 11-2 demolition of Dimitri Van den Bergh, crashing in a 148 checkout to round off another comprehensive win.

“Fair play to Stephen, he played really well throughout the tournament,” admitted a gracious Van Gerwen.

“I think just before the last break, I was playing a little bit better than him, but I couldn’t make the difference.

“He kept producing the 140s and he put me under a lot of pressure. He has worked really hard for this, and it’s a nice moment for him.

“There is lots more to come from me, but I am not in form yet. I’m still struggling here and there.

“I know I can do a lot better, but I want to give Stephen the credit because he had a really good tournament.”

Earlier in the day, Van den Bergh ran out a 10-7 winner over Damon Heta, despite the Australian number one firing in six 180s and two ton-plus checkouts

In the other Quarter-Final tie, Aspinall defied a bout of double trouble to edge out Daryl Gurney in a topsy-turvy affair, rallying from 8-6 adrift to seal a place in his first televised Semi-Final since last September.

Cazoo Masters 2024 Day Three Results

Sunday February 4

Afternoon Session

Quarter-Finals
Stephen Bunting 10-2 Peter Wright
Nathan Aspinall 10-9 Daryl Gurney
Michael van Gerwen 10-4 Dave Chisnall
Dimitri Van den Bergh 10-7 Damon Heta

Evening Session

Semi-Finals
Stephen Bunting 11-1 Nathan Aspinall
Michael van Gerwen 11-2 Dimitri van den Bergh

Final
Stephen Bunting 11-7 Michael van Gerwen

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Stephen Bunting seals first televised PDC title at The Masters

Cazoo Masters 2024 Day Three Results

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