Chris Dobey won his first Premier League night of 2025 with a 6-2 win over Stephen Bunting on an evening of shocks in Rotterdam.
The all-English final was one few would have predicted, featuring the bottom two going into night 11.
Dobey was in his first final since a 6-1 opening-night loss to Luke Humphries, having overcome Nathan Aspinall 6-2 in the semi-finals.
The Northumberland-born player, 34, surged into a 5-1 lead against Bunting and sealed an impressive success with an average of 101.84 for his second career Premier League nightly win.
Dobey, sixth in the table, is now only three points off the four play-off places, while just five points separate third-placed Aspinall and Rob Cross in seventh.
“I believe I can still get into the top four. I’ve got a good chance next week if I keep this performance,” he said.
“I’m a fighter, I’ve come through big matches where I’ve been cruising and ended up losing to get back among the elite. I’m here to win, I’ll be here until the end.”
Bunting won two deciders to reach the final as he defeated Dutchman Michael van Gerwen and world champion Luke Littler.
In breezy conditions at the Ahoy Arena, Premier League champion Littler edged Rob Cross 6-5 in the quarter-finals, despite his opponent’s 110 average.
The 18-year-old – leading the league and seeking a record fifth nightly win of the year – opted for heavier darts, up three grams to 26g, in a bid to keep his arrows on track.
And he looked set for another last-leg win after fighting back from 5-2 down against Bunting, but missed double nine on a 138 checkout.
