Price "bucked ideas up" to land first title for 2 years
GERWYN PRICE admits he “bucked his ideas up” to play through injury and win his first European Tour title.
The Iceman took his first event win in over two years despite battling through the pain barrier after a serious op on a ruptured Achilles tendon - which saw him end up with a FOOT LONG scar.
Price won the International Darts Open beating Simon Whitlock 8-3 in the final in Riesa, Germany on Sunday night - reeling off six successive legs to defeat the Wizard of Oz.
He admitted: “I'm thrilled to win in front of this unbelievable crowd.
“Simon got off to a good lead but I bucked my ideas up and played my best darts of the tournament at the end of the final.
“The injury doesn't bother me, I'm still playing well and I turn up to every tournament expecting to win because it's pointless being there otherwise.
“When you play in front of crowds like this you want to play the best you can and thankfully I did.”
Whitlock, now back up to World No7, admitted: “Well done to Gerwyn, he was the better player in the final.
“Making the final is fantastic, I'm proud to be here and play in front of this fantastic crowd. I just love playing darts!”
Price began his run to glory in East Germany with a 6-3 defeat of Scot John Henderson on Saturday before surviving three match darts in his 6-5 win over Daryl Gurney to progress to the quarter-finals.
There, the former UK Open finalist posted an impressive 101.63 average to see off Ryan Searle 6-2 and held his nerve in the semi-final, edging out Steve West 7-6 in a thrilling contest.
The final began with an early break of throw for Whitlock before Price broke straight back with a 14-dart leg and then held throw for a 2-1 lead.
Whitlock held and then found double 12 with his last dart in hand to regain the lead at 3-2, but that was as good as it got for the Australian who was blown away by six stunning legs from Price.
The turning point in the match came in the eighth leg as Whitlock missed two darts at double 18 to go level before Price punished with a 72 checkout in two darts to go 5-3 up.
From there, the World No12 romped to the finish line, ending the match with a clinical 53.85% checkout success rate as he picked up the title.
By Phil Lanning (@lannomedia)