UK Open final: Leg-by-leg report as Michael van Gerwen beat Gerwyn Price 11-9 in Minehead

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Semi-Finals & Final (Best of 21 legs)

• Gerwyn Price 11-4 Jonny Clayton
• Michael van Gerwen 11-3 Daryl Gurney
• FINAL: GERWYN PRICE 9-11 MICHAEL VAN GERWEN

What an incredible night to end a fantastic 'FA Cup of Darts', which started with a 159 players on Friday afternoon and ended with two of the very best battling it out in another unforgettable final.

Michael van Gerwen has answered critics about his form in emphatic fashion this weekend with a string of spellbinding displays that more than suggest he's back to his very best - despite 'that' scare against Ryan Lowe on Saturday - but he also had to show true champion fighting spirit to come from 5-1 down against his arch rival.

Gerwyn Price will rue missing bullseye for a 6-1 lead as well as an attempt at tops for 6-2 as momentum shifted firmly in MVG's favour and he can now celebrate his third UK Open title and the 54th televised crown of his astonishing PDC career - eight years after his first.

After collecting his trophy, van Gerwen says: "It was a hard day for me because I had to play three Premier League players. Gerwyn is a phenomenal competitor to have in darts. To win this tournament means a lot to me, I've come far."

A gutted Price says: "I bombed numerous opportunities and possibly could have been 9-6 up but that's the way darts goes. It's just battling against myself when I go for doubles. If I hit my doubles, I probably am the best player in the world."

Of course, the lasting memory will be his seventh televised nine-darter in the PDC during his thumping semi-final victory over Daryl Gurney. Enjoy!

• Leg Five
  If Van Gerwen is going to get his hands on the UK Open trophy again then he'll have to do it the hard way as Price opens up a three-leg lead at the first interval with a stylish 97 checkout that denied the world number one a chance at 16.
  Price 4-1 MVG
• Leg Four
  Price responds to MVG's second maximum of the match with his first to leave 54, which he clinically takes out for a 14-dart hold, with his opponent waiting on 60.
  Price 3-1 MVG
• Leg Three
  Nothing scrappy about how this next leg finishes as Price goes tops tops for a stunning 105 checkout that completes a 15-dart break of throw. Cue the big celebrations!
  Price 2-1 MVG

• Leg Two
  Price restores parity in these early stages with a scrappy leg that he wins in 18 by pinning double 12 with his last dart in hand.
  Price 1-1 MVG
• Leg One (Michael van Gerwen to throw first)
  Michael van Gerwen picks up where he left off by firing a 180 with his very first visit and a further score of 128 helps him on his way to a 13-dart hold, with Price waiting on 44. The standard is set.
  Price 0-1 MVG

2055: As for the head-to-head record...

• Overall H2H: 2-19, 1 draw
• Televised Meetings: 1-11, 1 draw
• Other Stage Meetings: 0-4
• Meetings Since Start of 2019: 2-6, 1 draw
• Meetings Since Start of 2020: 1-0

Gerwyn Price ended his long wait for victory over Michael van Gerwen in the semi-finals of last year's Grand Slam of Darts, which he went on to retain against Peter Wright. A week later they met again on this very stage in the climax of the Players Championship Finals but on that occasion MVG got revenge with a pulsating 11-9 victory. Their only clash so far this season was a quite brilliant final of a Players Championship event in Wigan away from the television cameras and Price won that 8-7. It's one of the four PDC finals he's reached in just three weeks, including this one, and tonight he's hoping to win his third of them.

2050: If you need another reminder of the routes to the final...

MVG

• Rd 4: 10-8 Nathan Aspinall
  (Av: 105.48, 180s: 6, Doubles: 10/23, 100+ Outs: 2, High Out: 150)
• Rd 5: 10-9 Jason Lowe
  (Av: 95.63, 180s: 4, Doubles: 10/27, 100+ Outs: 2, High Out: 170)
• Rd 6: 10-4 James Wade
  (Av: 108.93, 180s: 6, Doubles: 10/14, 100+ Outs: 3, High Out: 116)
• QF: 10-4 Rob Cross
  (Av: 110.81, 180s: 4, Doubles: 10/21, 100+ Outs: 1, High Out: 127)
• QF: 11-3 Daryl Gurney
  (Av: 110.32, 180s: 5, Doubles: 11/21, 100+ Outs: 1, High Out: 141)

PRICE

• Rd 4: 10-3 Danny Noppert
  (Av: 104.23, 180s: 2, Doubles: 10/14, 100+ Outs: 1, High Out: 126)
• Rd 5: 10-3 v Ricky Evans
  (Av: 98.6, 180s: 4, Doubles: 10/25, 100+ Outs: 1, High Out: 136)
• Rd 6: 10-9 Gabriel Clemens
  (Av: 102.87, 180s: 5, Doubles: 10/20, 100+ Outs: 1, High Out: 114)
• QF: 10-5 Dimitri van den Bergh
  (Av: 102.15, 180s: 4, Doubles: 10/17, 100+ Outs: 3, High Out: 144)
• SF: 11-4 Jonny Clayton
  (Av: 102.39, 180s: 5, Doubles: 11/25, 100+ Outs: 2, High Out: 112)

2045: Have you got your breath back in time for the UK Open final?! Can Michael van Gerwen follow up his nine-dart heroics and lift this trophy for a third time? Or will his arch-rival Gerwyn Price win it for the very first time in his career? Just minutes to wait now for the entrances!

Van Gerwen 11-3 Gurney: Match Stats

Averages

• MVG: 110.59
• Gurney: 96.76

180s

• MVG: 5
• Gurney: 6

Doubles

• MVG: 10/20
• Gurney: 3/9

100+ Checkouts

• MVG: 141
• Gurney: N/A (Highest: 87)

• Leg 10
  It's just a matter of time before MVG seals his spot in the final as a relatively comfortable hold in 16 darts puts him three away from victory.
  MVG 8-2 Gurney
• Leg Nine
  Gurney's second maximum of the match leaves him 88 but he misses an attempt at the bullseye to stop the rot in his next visit, and MVG makes him pay on double 18 for a 15-darter.
  MVG 7-2 Gurney
• Leg Eight
  MVG is averaging well over 110 as he fires in an 88 checkout to complete a 14-darter, with Gurney way back on 244.
  MVG 6-2 Gurney
• Leg Seven
  The Minehead crowd are singing his name after his third perfect leg on this stage since 2016 - including his effort at the 2019 Players Championship Finals - and he motors along with an 11-darter which is finished off by a 72 checkout.
  MVG 5-2 Gurney
• Leg Six (MVG to throw first)
  NINE DART FINISH! It's the second perfect leg of this year's UK Open as Michael van Gerwen follows up back-to-back 180s with a 141 checkout! It's his second on this stage having managed it against Rob Cross in 2016 while he emulates Jonny Clayton's effort on Saturday!
  MVG 4-2 Gurney

• Leg Five
  Gurney, who famously claimed a heroic battling victory over MVG on this very stage in the 2018 Players Championship Finals, keeps himself well in this contest with a clinical 87 checkout that completes an impressive 12-dart hold, which also included a pair of 140s.
  MVG 3-2 Gurney
• Leg Four
  The 'dream final' is looking on the cards now as the world number one repels Gurney's first 180 by polishing off 34 in a scrappy 17-dart hold.
  MVG 3-1 Gurney
• Leg Three
  Van Gerwen fires in the first maximum of the match and follows it up with visits of 140 and 149 to leave 32, which he takes out at the first attempt for a wonderful 10-dart break.
  MVG 2-1 Gurney
• Leg Two
  MVG begins the leg with a dreadful visit of 28, featuring a single three, but fights back with further scores of 140 (x2) and 134 to leave him 59, which he takes out for a 14-dart hold, with Gurney waiting on 61.
  MVG 1-1 Gurney
• Leg One (Daryl Gurney to throw first)
  Michael van Gerwen looked all set to break throw in the opening leg but he missed a dart at tops for a 114 checkout and Gurney, who left 66 after a visit of 139, took advantage for a 17-darter.
  MVG 0-1 Gurney

1955: As Daryl Gurney and Michael van Gerwen make their way to the stage, let's quickly remind ourselves of their head-to-head record and routes to the semi-finals...

• Overall H2H: 22-6, 1 draw
• Televised Meetings: 11-4, 1 draw
  7-1: 2020 Premier League (Groups)
  8-3: 2019 Melbourne Masters (Final)
  5-8: 2019 Brisbane Masters (QF)
  10-7: 2019 Premier League (SF)
  5-8: 2019 Premier League (Groups)
  5-7: 2019 Premier League (Groups)
  9-11: 2018 Players Championship Finals (Final)
  4-1: 2018 World Grand Prix (SF)
  10-7: 2018 Champions League (Groups)
  8-4: 2018 Shanghai Masters (QF)
  6-6: 2018 Premier League (Groups)
  7-2: 2018 Premier League (Groups)
  11-8: 2017 World Series of Darts Finals (SF)
  8-6: 2017 US Masters (Final)
  5-1: 2016 World Championship (QF)
  11-2: 2015 Players Championship Finals (SF)
• Other Stage Meetings: 7-1
• Meetings Since Start of 2019: 4-3
• Meetings Since Start of 2020: 1-0

It was here on this very stage at the Players Championship Finals of 2018 when Gurney heroically beat MVG to win his second major title which also snapped a 13-match losing run against him. Since then he's won three of their seven meetings - including a famous Premier League regular season double last year.

MVG's route to the semi-finals

• Rd 4: 10-8 Nathan Aspinall
  (Av: 105.48, 180s: 6, Doubles: 10/23, 100+ Outs: 2, High Out: 150)
• Rd 5: 10-9 Jason Lowe
  (Av: 95.63, 180s: 4, Doubles: 10/27, 100+ Outs: 2, High Out: 170)
• Rd 6: 10-4 James Wade
  (Av: 108.93, 180s: 6, Doubles: 10/14, 100+ Outs: 3, High Out: 116)
• QF: 10-4 Rob Cross
  (Av: 110.81, 180s: 4, Doubles: 10/21, 100+ Outs: 1, High Out: 127)

Gurney's route to the semi-finals

• Rd 4: 10-9 Keegan Brown
  (Av: 98.6, 180s: 7, Doubles: 10/24, 100+ Outs: 2, High Out: 105)
• Rd 5: 10-9 v William O'Connor
  (Av: 94.9, 180s: 7, Doubles: 10/31, 100+ Outs: 0, High Out: 74)
• Rd 6: 10-6 v Peter Wright
  (Av: 99.33, 180s: 4, Doubles: 10/21, 100+ Outs: 3, High Out: 148)
• QF: 10-9 Jelle Klaasen
  (Av: 95.3, 180s: 8, Doubles: 10/27, 100+ Outs: 1, High Out: 113)

Gerwyn Price 11-4 Jonny Clayton: Match Stats

Averages

• Price: 102.61
• Clayton: 90.43

180s

• Price: 5
• Clayton: 3

Doubles

• Price: 10/24
• Clayton: 4/17

100+ Checkouts

• Price: 112, 109
• Clayton: N/A (Highest: 88)

• Leg Five
  The Iceman completes a whitewash in this opening session as he pins tops to complete a third successive 14-darter with his opponent way back on 248.
  Price 5-0 Clayton
• Leg Four
  Price is averaging 118 as a third maximum of the match puts him on course to win a fourth successive leg, this time in 14 darts. Clayton has yet to have a dart at a double.
  Price 4-0 Clayton
• Leg Three
  This is brutal from the two-time Grand Slam of Darts king as he holds throw in 14 darts with a 68 checkout, with Clayton unable to get an attempt at 126.
  Price 3-0 Clayton

• Leg Two
  The Iceman is making a flying start here and breaks the Clayton throw with an 87 checkout to complete an 11-darter.
  Price 2-0 Clayton
• Leg One (Gerwyn Price to throw first)
  Gerwyn Price kicks off the match with back-to-back 180s and although he disappoints the crowd with a couple of sloppy visits , he eventually wins the leg in 13.
  Price 1-0 Clayton

1910: Jonny Clayton makes his way to the stage, swiftly followed by Gerwyn Price in this all-Welsh UK Open semi-final. Play is about to begin.

1850: Right, we've done routes to the semi-finals and head-to-head records, so here's just a quick look at each of the quartet's career bios and achievements so far...

GERWYN PRICE

• Nickname: The Iceman
• Date of Birth: 07/03/1985
• Nationality: Welsh
• World Ranking: 3
• Walk-on music: Vanilla Ice, Ice Ice Baby
• Career highlights: Grand Slam of Darts champion (2019, 2018), nine non-televised PDC titles including two this season
• 2020 season so far: Seven events played, two titles, three finals. Has won 24 of his last 26 matches.

JONNY CLAYTON

• Nickname: The Ferret
• Date of Birth: 04/10/1974
• Nationality: Welsh
• World Ranking: 17
• Walk-on music: Jonny Be Good
• Career highlights: Three non-televised PDC titles including one on the European Tour in 2018
• 2020 season so far: Eight events played and his best is a run to the Masters quarter finals

MICHAEL VAN GERWEN

• Nickname: Mighty Mike
• Date of Birth: 25/04/1989
• Nationality: Dutch
• World Ranking: 1
• Walk-on music: Seven Nation Army, White Stripes
• Career highlights: 3x World Champion (2014, 2017, 2019), 2x World Matchplay (2015, 2016), 5x Premier League (2013, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019), 5x World Grand Prix (2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019), 2x UK Open (2015, 2016), 3x Grand Slam of Darts (2015, 2016, 2017), 4x European champion (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017), 5x Masters (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019), 5x Players Championship Finals ( 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019), 4x World Series of Darts (2015, 2016, 2017, 2019), Champions League of Darts (2019), 3x World Cup (2014, 2017, 2018) & over 80 other PDC titles
• 2020 season so far: Eight events played, no titles but two runs to Players Championship finals

DARYL GURNEY

• Nickname: SuperChin
• Date of Birth: 22/03/1986
• Nationality: Northern Irish
• World Ranking: 7
• Walk-on music: Sweet Caroline, Neil Diamond
• Career highlights: World Grand Prix champion (2017), Players Championship Finals (2019), three non-televised PDC titles
• 2020 season so far: Seven events played, but hasn't gone beyond the last 16 in any of them before this weekend.

1845: The head-to-head record for the second semi-final is unsurprisingly lopsided in one man's favour overall, but Daryl Gurney has landed several significant blows over the past couple of seasons.

• Overall H2H: 22-6, 1 draw
• Televised Meetings: 11-4, 1 draw
  7-1: 2020 Premier League (Groups)
  8-3: 2019 Melbourne Masters (Final)
  5-8: 2019 Brisbane Masters (QF)
  10-7: 2019 Premier League (SF)
  5-8: 2019 Premier League (Groups)
  5-7: 2019 Premier League (Groups)
  9-11: 2018 Players Championship Finals (Final)
  4-1: 2018 World Grand Prix (SF)
  10-7: 2018 Champions League (Groups)
  8-4: 2018 Shanghai Masters (QF)
  6-6: 2018 Premier League (Groups)
  7-2: 2018 Premier League (Groups)
  11-8: 2017 World Series of Darts Finals (SF)
  8-6: 2017 US Masters (Final)
  5-1: 2016 World Championship (QF)
  11-2: 2015 Players Championship Finals (SF)
• Other Stage Meetings: 7-1
• Meetings Since Start of 2019: 4-3
• Meetings Since Start of 2020: 1-0

It was here on this very stage at the Players Championship Finals of 2018 when Gurney heroically beat MVG to win his second major title which also snapped a 13-match losing run against him. Since then he's won three of their seven meetings - including a famous Premier League regular season double last year.

1830: Now time for those all-important head-to-head records, starting with the first semi-final between Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton.

• Overall H2H: 7-5
• Televised Meetings: 0-2
  2-6: 2017 Players Championship Finals (Last 32)
  1-3: 2016 World Championship (Last 64)
• Other Stage Meetings: 1-2
  6-1: 2020 German Darts Championship (Last 16)
  8-5: 2018 Austrian Darts Championship (Final)
  6-3: 2017 European Darts Trophy (Last 32)
• Meetings Since Start of 2019: 4-0
• Meetings Since Start of 2020: 0-0

Jonny Clayton won his first career stage tournament in the PDC when defeating Price in the 2018 Austrian Darts Championship while he's also never lost to his fellow Welshman on TV. That said, those two televised meetings came at a time where Price was still climbing the ladder and it wasn't clear who would become the dominant force. Now the landscape has changed, with the two-time Grand Slam of Darts champion winning their last four meetings.

1820: To say Daryl Gurney's route has resembled a rollercoaster is something of an understatement...

• Rd 4: 10-9 Keegan Brown
  (Av: 98.6, 180s: 7, Doubles: 10/24, 100+ Outs: 2, High Out: 105)
• Rd 5: 10-9 v William O'Connor
  (Av: 94.9, 180s: 7, Doubles: 10/31, 100+ Outs: 0, High Out: 74)
• Rd 6: 10-6 v Peter Wright
  (Av: 99.33, 180s: 4, Doubles: 10/21, 100+ Outs: 3, High Out: 148)
• QF: 10-9 Jelle Klaasen
  (Av: 95.3, 180s: 8, Doubles: 10/27, 100+ Outs: 1, High Out: 113)

The Northern Irishman, who may not have attracted too much interest at 40/1 pre-tournament due to his underwhelming start to the season, came back from 9-7 and 7-1 down against Keegan Brown and William O'Connor respectively in the first two rounds - surviving three match darts in each - before brilliantly battling past Peter Wright. He was again taken to the wire by Jelle Klaasen but his fighting spirit came to the fore.

1815: Moving onto the second semi-final, Michael van Gerwen will be expected to come through based on 75% of his route to the last four...

• Rd 4: 10-8 Nathan Aspinall
  (Av: 105.48, 180s: 6, Doubles: 10/23, 100+ Outs: 2, High Out: 150)
• Rd 5: 10-9 Jason Lowe
  (Av: 95.63, 180s: 4, Doubles: 10/27, 100+ Outs: 2, High Out: 170)
• Rd 6: 10-4 James Wade
  (Av: 108.93, 180s: 6, Doubles: 10/14, 100+ Outs: 3, High Out: 116)
• QF: 10-4 Rob Cross
  (Av: 110.81, 180s: 4, Doubles: 10/21, 100+ Outs: 1, High Out: 127)

The world number one needed a superb performance to end Nathan Aspinall's short-lived title defence on Friday night and although he survived a huge scare against relative unknown Jason Lowe the following afternoon, he unleashed devastating displays to see off both James Wade and Rob Cross.

1810: Price's opponent is fellow Welshman Jonny Clayton and nobody needs telling what the highlight of his first run to a televised semi-final is!

Jonny Clayton

• Rd 4: 10-7 Scott Waites
  (Av: 103.6, 180s: 6, Doubles: 10/26, 100+ Outs: 2, High Out: 156)
• Rd 5: 10-4 v Joe Cullen
  (Av: 101.6, 180s: 8, Doubles: 10/24, 100+ Outs: 2, High Out: 129)
• Rd 6: 10-8 v Chris Dobey
  (Av: 99.23, 180s: 9, Doubles: 10/23, 100+ Outs: 2, High Out: 141)
• QF: 10-9 Jamie Hughes
  (Av: 91.38, 180s: 3, Doubles: 10/23, 100+ Outs: 2, High Out: 101)

The Ferret landed the UK Open's first nine-darter since 2016 during his superb victory over Chris Dobey while previously he'd posted impressive 100+ averages against Scott Waites and Joe Cullen. He needed to rely on Jamie Hughes blowing eight match darts in a deciding leg this afternoon and will need to raise his game considerably to give Price a run for his money.

1805: Let's first take a look at how Gerwyn Price reached his fifth successive major ranking semi-final...

Gerwyn Price

• Rd 4: 10-3 Danny Noppert
  (Av: 104.23, 180s: 2, Doubles: 10/14, 100+ Outs: 1, High Out: 126)
• Rd 5: 10-3 v Ricky Evans
  (Av: 98.6, 180s: 4, Doubles: 10/25, 100+ Outs: 1, High Out: 136)
• Rd 6: 10-9 Gabriel Clemens
  (Av: 102.87, 180s: 5, Doubles: 10/20, 100+ Outs: 1, High Out: 114)
• QF: 10-5 Dimitri van den Bergh
  (Av: 102.15, 180s: 4, Doubles: 10/17, 100+ Outs: 3, High Out: 144)