Michael van Gerwen certainly knows how to win on the Euro Tour, having won the European Darts Open for the fifth time in his career after beating Dimitri van den Bergh 8-5 in the Final. The win in Leverkusen gives van Gerwen his third title on the European Circuit having won in Hildesheim earlier this year and Graz last week.
The Dutchman averaged 102.49 in the Final and included six maximums to add to an overall 11 hit on the oche over the weekend. MvG used tops to finish two dart outshots firstly in the third leg to take out 74 before his first dart hit the boards top segment to finish 91 and break the Belgians throw to lead 3-1.
‘The Dream Maker’ broke back in leg five after hitting double sixteen with his last dart to finish 83 with his Dutch opponent ready to return for the leg should he miss. The highest checkout of the match was hit in leg nine by van Gerwen after using the bullseye to finish 164 and lead 5-4.
The nerves on the stage showed and for Van den Bergh he got away with one in leg 11 with a bust of 25 after a dart at double eight found its way into the 16 segment. Van Gerwen missed, and he returned to take out the same score in two darts on double eight to go within one of a level Final.
The former World Matchplay champion missed more darts at double and was punished by van Gerwen in the twelfth leg, as he hit double ten with his second dart to go one away from the win in Leverkusen and sealed the deal hitting double eight to cap of yet another Euro Tour victory despite been pressured by the Belgian who hit a maximum in his final visit to the oche of the match.
van Gerwen beat Dirk van Duijvenbode in the Quarter Finals just like last week in Graz, needing a last leg decider to beat the Titan who missed seven match darts to reach the Semis. Van Gerwen finished on the madhouse after his opponent missed two darts at tops for a 100 checkout, and finished a 108-checkout hitting a shanghai finish on eighteens to go within one of van Duijvenbode who led 4-3 at the time.
Luke Humphries won the last Euro Tour in Germany after winning in Munich in event three and put up another strong performance this weekend reaching the Semi Finals. Cool Hand beat the likes of Nathan Aspinall in the Quarter Final with a 108.81 average and included an obscure 120 finish, hitting double ten with his last dart after his second dart hit double tops instead of the single.
Humphries also hit a 108 checkout to seal the win hitting double 16 after Aspinall hit a very impressive two double combination shot, hitting double eighteen twice in one visit to finish 79 in three darts. His run would end in the Semi Finals to a 105.26 average from overall winner van Gerwen in a 7-2 defeat.
James Wade made it through to the Semi Finals after coming through a last leg decider with Ryan Searle but withdrew from his Semi Final with Dimitri van den Bergh due to illness meaning the Belgian was given a BYE to the Final.
Josh Rock made it to his first Euro Tour Quarter Final on Sunday losing out to eventual finalist Dimitri van den Bergh 6-1, with the Belgian finishing 66 on double sixteen to close out victory. The youngster from Northern Ireland started strong winning 6-0 against fellow youngster Connor Scutt on Friday.
His best performance though came against World Number 14 Krzysztof Ratajski on the first match on Saturday after he won 6-2 with a 101.68 average before beating Scott Williams in the Last 16. Williams knocked out World Number One Peter Wright on the Saturday night to deal the Scotsman another opening round defeat on the European Tour.
The Premier League returns on Thursday with the competition heading for Sheffield on Night 14 with Michael van Gerwen looking to overturn a six-point deficit from Jonny Clayton as he faces Peter Wright in the third match.
By Harry Masterson
European Darts Open: Last 16 Results
Nathan Aspinall (16) 6-5 Gerwyn Price (1)
Luke Humphries (8) 6-4 Brendan Dolan (9)
Dirk van Duijvenbode (13) 6-3 Joe Cullen (4)
Michael van Gerwen (5) 6-4 Jonny Clayton (12)
Josh Rock 6-2 Scott Williams
Dimitri van den Bergh (7) 6-4 Martin Schindler
James Wade (14) 6-4 Jose de Sousa (3)
Ryan Searle (6) 6-5 Dave Chisnall
Quarter Finals:
Luke Humphries (8) 6-3 Nathan Aspinall (16)
Michael van Gerwen (5) 6-5 Dirk van Duijvenbode (13)
Dimitri van den Bergh (7) 6-1 Josh Rock
James Wade (14) 6-5 Ryan Searle (6)
Semi Finals:
Michael van Gerwen (5) 7-2 Luke Humphries (8)
Dimitri van den Bergh (7) v James Wade (14) (Wade Withdrawal)
Final:
Michael van Gerwen (5) 8-5 Dimitri van den Bergh (7)
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