Ross Smith captured his second PDC major title in Amsterdam on Sunday night, overwhelming Gerwyn Price 11-5 to win the World Series of Darts Finals with a barrage of maximums and clinical finishing.
A final that flipped at five-all
Price looked poised when he levelled at 5-5 with an 11-darter featuring two 180s. Smith returned from the interval and struck a 123 checkout on the bull while Price waited on a finish. Moments later, after Price narrowly missed the bull for 164, Smith stepped up and took out 127 on double eight.
Eleven maximums and a 103.89 average
He fired 11 maximums and closed with a match average of 103.89. Price, a former world champion with seven majors, saw his checkout percentage sink to 26 as the pressure told.
The title ends a four-year wait since Smith’s breakthrough at the 2022 European Championship. It also marks his fifth trophy of a quietly outstanding season.
Price punished on the outer ring
The Welshman started sharply, taking out 66 after a 180 to edge ahead early. Smith answered with an 11-darter and a last-dart double nine, but Price stayed in touch until that 5-5 watermark.
“I was absolute rubbish in that final but don’t take anything away from Ross,” Price said afterwards. “He was brilliant and took his opportunities.”
One game at a time
“I always say in my interviews that I take each game as it comes. They are all finals and I give it my all. That is working for me at the moment,” he told reporters.
