Michael Smith continues winning streak to hold off Gerwyn Price and claim first ever Bahrain Darts Masters | ‘I apologised to Price for booing’ | Darts News

Michael Smith will be in action when the Premier League roadshow heads to a venue near you! The SSE Arena in Belfast hosts the first of 17 individual venues from Thursday February 2 with the Play-Offs returning to The O2 in London on Thursday May 25

Michael Smith’s golden run of form continued as he claimed glory at the 2023 Bahrain Darts Masters, defeating Gerwyn Price 8-6 in Friday’s final.

While the eight PDC stars defeated the eight Asian representatives on Day One, it was world champion Smith who went on to scoop the £20,000 title and a third World Series triumph.

The success was also Smith’s third televised title in as many months, after the Grand Slam of Darts and World Championship victories which have catapulted him up to the top of the world rankings.

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Michael van Gerwen was one dart away from a nine-darter before Michael Smith completed the achievement in the World Championship final

Smith had shone in his first round win over Abdulnasser Yusuf on Thursday, but had to come from 3-1 down to defeat Dimitri Van den Bergh 6-4 in the quarter-finals and was also behind early on in his semi-final with Raymond van Barneveld.

The St Helens star showed his quality to battle back for a 7-5 win, and then overcame Price in an entertaining final.

The pair shared the opening four legs, which included Price landing six perfect darts in leg three, before Smith broke for the first time to lead 3-2.

The next two legs also went with throw before Smith posted legs of 11 and 13 darts in a burst to surge into a 7-3 advantage.

Price fired in an 11-darter and punished missed match darts from Smith in leg 12 as he hit back to trail just 7-6, but he was unable to finish on 97 to force a deciding leg, which allowed his rival in to post double five and finally seal glory.

After his win, Smith was quick to apologise to Price for the crowd booing him once again, but he admitted he was happy to get his third title under his belt so quickly after his World Championship victory.

“I was just saying to Gez (Gerwyn Price) then, if he watches that back, every time they were booing him I was just saying ‘please just let him play’,” said Smith.

“I don’t like to win like that, I really don’t, and you could see on the cameras I was saying ‘don’t, behave’.

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Watch how Wayne Mardle and Stuart Pyke reacted to the sensational leg between Michael van Gerwen and Michael Smith in the World Championship Final that culminated in a nine-darter for Bully Boy

“I want to apologise to Gez for what he want through then, but finally I have got my third.

“I am so happy to win now and you have to take the rough with the smooth. I am riding a nice wave that I am on and hopefully it continues.”

Price had defeated Jonny Clayton 6-4 in the quarter-finals, landing a superb 144 checkout during the all-Welsh contest, before seeing off Rob Cross 7-3 in the semis.

Van Barneveld produced an outstanding comeback from 5-1 down to defeat Luke Humphries 6-5 in their quarter-final tie, while Cross also won in a deciding leg against Peter Wright, who had hit back from 5-2 down to take their tie all the way.

The new Premier League Darts season will begin at the SSE Arena in Belfast on Thursday February 2, the first of 17 individual venues to host the 2023 Premier League, which will be staged on Thursday nights from February to May – live on Sky Sports!