Stephen Bunting Secures Belfast Premier League Victory Amid Luke Littler's Ongoing Struggles
Stephen Bunting produced a commanding performance to claim victory on night four of the Premier League in Belfast, defeating Gian van Veen 6-2 in the final. The triumph marked a significant turnaround for 'The Bullet', who had not won any of his previous matches in this year's showpiece tournament.
Bunting's Resurgence and Littler's Setback
Bunting's path to the final saw him overcome defending champion Luke Humphries in the quarter-finals before delivering a stunning 6-0 whitewash against Jonny Clayton in the semi-finals. In the championship match, Bunting seized control with an early break and extended his lead to 5-1 before sealing the win on double top.
"Losing seven or eight matches on the spin last year really helped me to be honest," Bunting reflected in his on-stage interview with Sky Sports. "It gave me a lot of experience in this field. When you are playing in the Premier League, it is against the best of the best. I am overjoyed to be honest – this has got to rank up there with one of the best wins of my career."
Meanwhile, world champion Luke Littler's difficulties continued as he slipped to a 6-3 defeat against Clayton in the opening quarter-final. Littler, who had won just one match in the first three weeks of the tournament, was outplayed by Clayton, who landed a monster 156 checkout to establish an early 3-0 lead.
Rock's Nine-Dart Finish and Van Veen's Run
The evening also featured a moment of pure drama as Northern Irishman Josh Rock sparked wild celebrations from his home crowd by hitting a perfect nine-dart finish in the seventh leg of his 6-2 defeat to Gian van Veen. Despite the historic achievement, Rock remains without a victory in the tournament.
"I honestly don't care if I never hit a nine-darter in my life again – to have it in Belfast has just made my life a dream come true," said Rock, who was presented with a custom-made set of 18-carat gold darts, valued at £30,000, by tournament sponsors BetMGM.
Van Veen, who had reached the previous two nightly finals in his debut campaign, comfortably defeated Rock despite the nine-dart finish and then edged past Gerwyn Price in a close semi-final that went the distance. However, he could not overcome Bunting's dominance in the final.
Tournament Standings and Other Matches
In the updated Premier League table, Jonny Clayton maintains his position at the top with 11 points, holding a two-point advantage over Gian van Veen. Stephen Bunting's victory moves him up to fifth place, surpassing both Luke Littler and Luke Humphries, while Josh Rock remains at the bottom.
In other quarter-final action, Gerwyn Price staged a remarkable comeback to defeat Michael van Gerwen in a last-leg decider. The Dutchman, who missed the previous event in Glasgow due to illness, had appeared in control when leading 5-3 before Price fought back to secure the win.
Littler's frustration was evident during his match as he gestured to the Belfast crowd to calm down after taking the eighth leg with a 112 finish. However, Clayton closed out the victory with a 168 checkout and then pinned double four after Littler failed to clear up from 124.
The Belfast event underscored the unpredictable nature of the Premier League, with Bunting's resurgence contrasting sharply with Littler's ongoing challenges and Rock's bittersweet nine-dart moment.
