Gerwyn Price beat Michael van Gerwen 6-3 to win night two of the Premier League in Antwerp, where Luke Littler’s early struggles continued.
Welshman Price held off van Gerwen — who had knocked Littler out in the semifinals — despite two monster checkouts of 167 and 160 from the Dutchman to level the final at 2-2.
Price recovered to lead 5-2 but then spurned two match darts as van Gerwen — who took the opening night win in Newcastle — responded again to break back before Price closed out on tops in the next.
“I started off really slow and edgy really,” Price said on Sky Sports. “Losing my first game last week, you want to get off to a good start.
“I thought I played decent in the second game and thought I played really well in the final as well, but I was up against it. I know I am playing well, but you have to do it on the big stage, and it doesn’t always happen.
“I think I am playing some of the best stuff I have played but I am just not winning tournaments.”
The victory in Belgium moves Price up into second place in the Premier League table, three points behind early leader van Gerwen with Littler in fifth place.
In the semi-finals, van Gerwen had dug in to see off Littler 6-4 and Price came through in a deciding leg against Wales World Cup teammate Jonny Clayton — during which the match referee warned the crowd against whistling while the players were throwing.
Littler — who had battled back to see off world No. 2 Luke Humphries 6-5 in the thrilling opening match of the evening — found himself trailing 3-4 to the Dutchman before levelling up as both players struggled to hold their throw.
Van Gerwen then closed out another crucial break to take the ninth leg after Littler — beaten in his first match on night one in Newcastle by Gian van Veen — missed three darts at double six before sealing victory on the back of a fourth maximum and then finished off on double 16.
Earlier at the AFAS Dome, Humphries had looked on course to put defeat in the World Masters final behind him when moving 4-1 ahead as Littler — who had been reportedly laid low by a virus — appeared out of sorts.
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Littler, though, dug in to claw his way back to 4-4 and then after both players missed a shot at match darts in the deciding leg, the world champion took out double 15 to seal a comeback win.
In the other quarterfinals, van Gerwen comfortably saw off Josh Rock 6-2, with a high checkout of 120, before Clayton recovered from 4-0 down to beat Stephen Bunting 6-4 and Price edged out World Championship runner-up Van Veen in a last-leg decider.
