Gerwyn Price Produces Record-Breaking Display at Bahrain Masters.
Luke Littler’s Bahrain Masters campaign came to an end on Friday, courtesy of a record-breaking display from Gerwyn Price in the quarter-finals. The Welshman recorded a 6-2 win over Littler, who was the defending champion in Bahrain.
The Ice Man was dominant throughout and thoroughly deserved his place in the final four.
Price recorded a staggering three-dart average of 115.31, the highest in Bahrain Darts Masters history, to dump out the teen sensation.
The Markham star also fended off a valiant fightback from Peter Wright to close out a 7-4 victory in the semi-finals, but fell short in the final where he lost 8-4 to Stephen Bunting.
Stephen Bunting claimed his first World Series of Darts title with a brilliant 8-4 triumph over Gerwyn Price in the Bahrain Darts Masters final on Friday.
The World Championship semi-finalist set a new tournament record average in his quarter-final victory over Dobey, averaging 111.33 to sweep aside his fellow debutant in six straight legs.
That record was very short lived however, as just 23 minutes and four seconds later, Price averaged a staggering 115.31 to defeat reigning champion and newly-crowned World Champion Luke Littler 6-2.
The former Lakeside Champion later capped off a stunning campaign with a convincing win over Price in just his second World Series final - over a decade since his first in Sydney back in 2014.
The Liverpudlian seized the early initiative in Friday’s final, punishing missed doubles from Price to lead 3-1, before extending his cushion with a clinical 85 outshot on the bull in leg five.
Price responded in kind, landing an identical finish on the bull to break straight back, before unleashing a huge roar after landing double ten to reduce the deficit to 4-3 at the interval.
“Stephen has been playing fantastic darts in the last 12 to 18 months,” reflected a gracious Price, also the runner-up to Michael Smith back in 2022.
“I missed a couple of opportunities and Stephen took out some big checkouts which obviously put me under pressure.
“I was always chasing the game, but the Premier League is just around the corner, so I think I’ll get him back!”
Price enjoyed a return to form in his run to the World Championship quarter-finals on January 1, and he was pleased to build on his Alexandra Palace exploits in Bahrain.
“I know my game is going in the right direction. I am getting back to my best,” declared the 2021 World Champion.
“I am practising well, but sometimes you get up on stage and it doesn’t happen, and that was the case in the final.
“People can write us off, but I always come back fighting stronger than ever.
“It’s nice to make another final, but I wanted that trophy. I’ve lost in the semi-finals, I’ve lost in the final twice, but I will get it next time!"
In the evening’s other quarter-final tie, Humphries converted a brilliant 123 finish to edge out Nathan Aspinall in a deciding-leg contest, following up an earlier 160 checkout to triumph in a thriller.
Following the PDC's successful third trip to Bahrain, the World Series of Darts now heads to the Netherlands for the TOTO Dutch Darts Masters in Den Bosch on January 24-25, as Michael van Gerwen bids to retain the title on home soil
2025 Bahrain Darts Masters
Friday January 17
Quarter-Finals
Luke Humphries 6-5 Nathan Aspinall
Stephen Bunting 6-0 Chris Dobey
Gerwyn Price 6-2 Luke Littler
Peter Wright 6-4 Paolo Nebrida
Semi-Finals
Stephen Bunting 7-6 Luke Humphries
Gerwyn Price 7-4 Peter Wright
Final
Stephen Bunting 8-4 Gerwyn Price
Photos credited to BIC
