The Masters: Bunting beats Van Gerwen to win first major PDC title

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Final

Bunting 11-7 Van Gerwen

Bunting started the match well in his own leg. He didn't get into trouble and threw out double 14. Van Gerwen opened his leg with a maximum score. He, too, did not get into trouble in his leg, as 86 went out in two arrows via triple 18 and double 16.

Bunting then got on 121, but missed double 18. He was allowed to come back as Van Gerwen was still in the 200. Double 8 made it 2-1. Van Gerwen then didn't get into trouble either and 16 out.

The fifth leg also went with the darts as Bunting threw 81 out via bullseye.

Bunting deals first blow

Van Gerwen got off to a good start and did not give Bunting a chance for the break in leg 6 either. Bunting waited for 76, but Van Gerwen threw out 56 via double 10: 3-3.

Bunting started his leg with 41, but recovered with a 140 and 180 and eventually left 80. That went out in two arrows, leaving no chance of breaks and a 4-3 lead for Bunting.

The Englishman opened with 180 and 134 in the Dutchman's leg and so eventually came the first chance for the break. Bunting had 88 left and threw it out in two arrows: 5-3.

Van Gerwen was able to grab the rebreak, but did not throw the doubles. Bunting left 83 and threw out via bullseye to move to 6-3. Van Gerwen did make it 6-4 as 60 went out in two arrows.

Van Gerwen breaks back

Van Gerwen grabbed the break back after the break. 92 went out handsomely before throwing double 18 twice. The Dutchman levelled the score again as 60 went out in two arrows: 6-6.

Bunting got over the blow and threw out a handsome 68 via tops, as Van Gerwen was on 35. Van Gerwen was on 90, but did not throw out. Bunting had 121 left and had a small chance at the break.

He threw bullseye and triple 13, but double 16 went awry. Van Gerwen threw out 25 via double 8 to level the score again: 7-7.

Bunting threw 177 at a very important moment and left 40, where Van Gerwen had 126 left. Bunting threw out tops and was 8-7 ahead.

Bunting finishes great

Bunting had a chance to hit hard and throw out 61, but double 16 did not go in. Van Gerwen failed to throw out 62 and so Bunting was allowed to come back for double 16.

After missing four times, the fifth time it did hit and it was 9-7. Bunting started with a maximum score and did the same the next turn. Six perfect darts and so he was allowed to dock for a nine darter. The seventh perfect dart also hit, but the eighth did not go in. He left 60 and threw it out in two darts: 10-7.

Match point for 'the Bullet'. He threw a 180 in Van Gerwen's leg and took the lead. He got six arrows for 121 and needed it, as 56 remained after three arrows. Bunting threw it out in two arrows and won his first ever major at the PDC.

Semi-finals

Bunting 11-1 Aspinall

Bunting started the match well. There was a lot of pressure on the 70 he left as Aspinall was on 83. In two arrows, via triple 18 and double 8, he threw it out without effort and made it 1-0. Aspinall threw out via the same double 25 to make it 1-1.

Bunting had another finish under pressure in his leg. He had 106 left, where Aspinall was waiting on 20, but even that 106 went out. Bunting dealt the first real blow in the match. 18 went out via double 9 to grab the break. He cashed it in by throwing out 116: 4-1 at the break.

Bunting finishes fantastic

Aspinall started the sixth leg scoring well and had 80 left. He missed tops and so Bunting was able to grab a double break by throwing out 117, but he missed tops. Aspinall failed to get 20 out and so Bunting was allowed to come back for double 10 and threw it out: 5-1.

Throwing 171 left Bunting with 94 and that also went out in two arrows. That made it 6-1 very quickly. He continued to finish great as 118 also went out the next leg via double 19: 7-1.

Only in the ninth leg came the first maximum score, Aspinall threw it. It was not enough for a break as Bunting threw out double 10 to take seven legs in a row already.

Bunting threw 140 twice in Aspinall's leg and left 87. That too went out via double 5 and so Bunting did not miss a finish under 100. So it was as much as 9-1 at the break.

In the 11th leg, Bunting opened with a 180, also his first of the match. He first missed a chance at an easy finish with 32 left, but Aspinall was still on 180. Via double 8, he made it 10-1 and on match point. Also in Aspinall's leg, Bunting opened with a 180 and then threw 140. 81 then also went out in two arrows to make it 11-1.

Van Gerwen 11-2 Van den Bergh

Van Gerwen had a chance to break even from 82, but missed tops. Van den Bergh failed to throw out 112 and so the Dutchman came back for 40. The third arrow went into double 10 and so the break was even. Van Gerwen had a chance to make it 2-0 from 68, but missed double 16.

Van den Bergh had 57 standing and needed to throw it out, but failed. Van Gerwen came back for double 16 to make it 2-0. Van Gerwen had the chance for a double break, but failed to throw out 40. Van den Bergh only failed to finish 47 as well, allowing Van Gerwen to come back for 10. Via double 5 it became 3-0.

Van Gerwen threw his second 180 in the fourth leg and finished with 70 to take a 4-0 lead. Van Gerwen also scored a maximum in the fifth leg and reached 5-0 via 52.

Van den Bergh cannot make a fist

Van den Bergh opened with a 180 in Van Gerwen's leg, but failed to win the leg. The Dutchman had 80 left and threw it out via tops. Van Gerwen then also opened with a 180 in the Belgian's leg, ending up with 20 left. That went out via double 10 to make it 7-0 already.

Van Gerwen had 130 left in his own leg, but missed the bullseye. Van den Bergh had 122 left but did not get an arrow on the break and so Van Gerwen was allowed to come back for single 9 double 8 and that went out for an 8-0 lead. Van Gerwen failed to throw out 124 via bullseye and so Van den Bergh won his first leg. Tops went out for an 8-1 lead.

Van den Bergh had one chance at the break via 82, but missed tops. Van Gerwen threw out 52 to make it 9-1. Van Gerwen eventually won 11-2. Van den Bergh threw another leg via 94. But Van Gerwen threw out 65 in the 12th leg and 148 to win the match.

Quarter-finals

Bunting 10-2 Wright

Bunting got off to a rock-solid start with three 140s to easily move into a 1-0 lead via double 8. Wright again played lousy, but kept his own leg.

In 19 arrows, double 14 went out to make it 1-1. Wright was throwing an average of 70 at the start of the match. Bunting again had little resistance in the third leg. Wright was still on 255 when he went for double 8. He hit the double 8 to make it 2-1.

Bunting then opened with the first 180 in 'Snakebite''s leg. Bunting quickly got on a finish. He had 32 left and got three break darts as Wright failed to finish 124.

The break came with his first arrow and Bunting opened with a 180. He was on 81 after nine arrows and hit tops in 12. So it was 4-1 for Bunting at the first break.

Bunting presses on

After the break, Wright continued to throw poorly again. Bunting took advantage and took the second break via tops. Bunting threw an average of over 105, where Wright threw 75. Bunting threw the first barrel-plus finish of the match in the seventh leg. 104 went out via double 16 to make it 6-1 for 'the Bullet' already.

Wright had three chances at double 8 in his own leg, but missed everything. Bunting had 122 left and threw it out: 7-1. Bunting threw his fourth 180 in the ninth leg, but Wright had a finish first with 121 left. That did not go out and so Bunting was allowed to dock for 53, but missed tops twice.

Wright got three darts on 36, but again missed a full handful. Bunting also failed to finish 20, allowing Wright to come back for 9, which went out via double 4 to take a 7-2 break.

Wright was able to cash in on the break from 78 but missed tops. Bunting had 121 left and threw it out via bullseye, triple 13 and double 16: 8-2.

Lowest average

Bunting continued happily after the second break. Double 16 was thrown out to make it 9-2 and thus on match point. Wright continued to play poorly and had no chance. Bunting was allowed to finish the match from 92, but did not get a matchdart.

Wright did not get 123 out and so Bunting was allowed to stand for 32. That went out via double 16 and so it became a massacre. Wright threw 83.30 average, throwing his lowest ever average at the Masters.

Aspinall 10-9 Gurney

Aspinall started the match well. He started by himself and almost threw out 140, but he threw double 10 on the inside. Gurney was still far away and so Aspinall was allowed to come back with double 5, which went out and so it was 1-0. Aspinall had an immediate chance at the break on tops, but missed. Gurney had 58 left and hit in two arrows: 1-1.

Aspinall threw the first 180 in the third leg and then almost threw out 133. Double 8 was only missed, but he was allowed to come back as Gurney failed to throw out 170. Aspinall made it 2-1 via double 8. Gurney made the first real mistake by not throwing out 36, Aspinall took advantage by throwing out tops: 3-1. He cashed in on the break by throwing out 74 via double 16: 4-1 at the first break.

The first two legs in the second went with the darts. That continued when Gurney had 65 left in the eighth leg. Via single bull and tops it was 5-3. Aspinall threw out 49 in the ninth leg to make it 6-3. Gurney threw the fourth 180 of the match in the tenth leg and left Aspinall far behind. Via double 6 it became 6-4.

Aspinall messes up on the doubles

In the third, Gurney got his first break arrow via 102 on tops, but missed. Aspinal had 16 left but did not throw out. Gurney was allowed to come back for tops and grabbed the break: 6-5.

Gurney threw in his own arrow for the third time in the 12th leg and decided to replace his flight. Aspinall, meanwhile, missed six darts on double 16 but was allowed to come back for double 12. Those too went wrong and so Gurney was able to cash in on the break with 25. He did so via double 4: 6-6.

Aspinall did score well, but on 87 he again had two chances at the double, but double 18 also failed to hit. 164 did not go out for Gurney as he missed bullseye. But Aspinall again missed a handful of doubles. Gurney again hit double 4 to take the lead for the first time: 7-6.

Gurney cashed in on the break and threw out 100 via tops to make it 8-6. Aspinall had one arrow on tops on 74 but missed. Gurney did not throw 130 out as bullseye did not go in. Aspinall then threw double 10 to make it 8-7.

Aspinall fights his way back

Aspinall equalised by throwing out 98 in two arrows via double 19: 8-8. Aspinall found form all over again. In a leg where both men threw a 180, Aspinall got on a finish first. In three arrows 68 went out via double 4. Aspinall also threw 180 in Gurney's leg, but Gurney was allowed to tap in at 68 for 9-9.

That did not go out, but neither did 141 for Aspinall. Double 4 did go out for Gurney and so it was 9-9 and it came down to a deciding leg. Gurney opened with a 180, but followed with twice 58 and 59.

Aspinall had 103 and got a matchdart on tops. He missed it and so Gurney had a chance at 146. That did not go out and so Aspinall had three matchdarts on 20. Via double 5 he threw it out and won 10-9.

Van Gerwen 10-4 Chisnall

Chisnall opened well with a maximum score, but did lose his own leg. Van Gerwen threw out 65 in two arrows via single bull and bullseye.

In the next leg, Van Gerwen threw 180 himself and went out 101. Van Gerwen steamed on with his second break and threw out 56 in three arrows. He also threw out his own leg via tops and so it was soon 4-0.

Chisnall threw out 81 in the fifth leg and got on the board: 4-1. The score was flattered, as Chisnall threw 105.55 average against Van Gerwen's 102.94.

Van Gerwen continues to throw well

Chisnall opened right away with a break 82 to throw out the bullseye, but also surrendered his leg right back. Van Gerwen made it 5-2 via double 8.

He then picked up with a 180 to quickly build to a finish. 60 went out in two arrows via tops to make it 6-2. Chisnall kept his own leg by throwing out 47 to come back to 6-3.

Van Gerwen threw a good tenth leg, throwing out 82 via bullseye and double 16. He thus went into the break with a comfortable 7-3 lead.

In the third, Chisnall missed two arrows on tops and that cost him dearly. Van Gerwen took the break by hitting double 14: 8-3. Van Gerwen cashed in on the break. He hit 58 from double 10.

Chisnall threw two 180s in the 13th leg and won the leg easily. He eventually threw out double 16 to make it 9-4. Van Gerwen threw a good leg, which included a 180, and won the match 10-4.

Van den Bergh 10-7 Heta

Van den Bergh started the match and got into the lead. 68 did not go out yet, but Heta did not throw 118 either. Van den Bergh was allowed to come back on double 4 and took the lead. Van den Bergh failed to break as he failed to throw out 56. Heta only also failed to throw out 63 and so the Belgian got another chance. Again it went out via double 4 to make it 2-0.

Heta picked up a clever rebreak as he threw out 143 and came back to 2-1. He cashed in on the break by throwing out 32 to make it 2-2. Van den Bergh failed to throw out 84 and so Heta had the chance for the break, but missed double 18 and double 14. Van den Bergh threw out double 6 and went into the break with a 3-2 lead.

Many breaks

The Belgian came out of the break well, as he threw 114 from tops to take the break: 4-2. Heta also took the rebreak right away. He threw out 106. In the next leg he threw his third maximum score and took the initiative in his leg. Heta made it 4-4 from double 18 to cash in on his break.

Heta threw 180 twice in the ninth leg and left 60. He only missed two doubles and so Van den Bergh faced 128. Triple 18 was found twice, but double 10 was missed. That same double 10 also failed to find Heta with three darts. But Van den Bergh also failed to throw out 20. Heta took advantage by throwing double 5 to break again: 5-4.

He did not go into the break with a lead as he too gave his leg away. Van den Bergh threw via tops to make it 5-5.

Van den Bergh also struggled in the third. He missed double 4, but Heta failed to throw 71. Via double 1 Van den Bergh still won the leg. Heta also kept his leg by throwing out double 10: 6-6.

Van den Bergh won the thirteenth leg by throwing out 74. This gave him a 7-6 lead. Van denn Bergh took control as he grabbed the break on double 18 to lead 8-6.

He got to match point as he again threw out on double 1 to make it 9-6. Heta fought back by hitting 68 to make it 9-7. Heta almost made it 9-8 via 156, but missed double 18. Van den Bergh won the match by throwing tops: 10-7.