UK Open 2015: MVG sinks Snakebite in final

The pair had swapped heated words after last week’s Premier League draw in Exeter, but van Gerwen silenced his colourful rival with a commanding performance in Minehead.   

Wright, who toppled Phil Taylor in the quarter-finals, could not maintain his composed finishing as the world No 1 seized command with a string of legs.

Opening with a 180, van Gerwen soon added another maximum while forcing a break in the first leg.

Wright responded with an 88 finish, ending on the bull to trim the 2-1 deficit, while he found double 16 in the following leg to break back.

Heading into the interval with a 3-2 deficit, ‘Mighty Mike’ came roaring back, taking the next three legs with a spell of heavy scoring.

A sizzling 164-finish propelled van Gerwen into a 6-4 lead, while he fashioned a further break with a 56 checkout, winning six out of the last eight legs.

Wright spurned darts to break back and van Gerwen seized his reprieve, finding the double for a commanding 9-5 advantage.

He added the next leg following more wayward finishing from Wright and sealed victory with a 72 checkout.

Any animosity between the duo appeared to have been resolved as they embraced afterwards on the oche.

Van Gerwen edged out Andrew Gilding with a 10-8 win in the semi-finals and was delighted to claim the trophy for the first time.

“To win tournaments - that’s the best thing in life,” he told ITV4 “This is already my second major this year. I’ve never won this tournament before and I always wanted to win this one.

“Last year I was in the semi-final, but I’ve never got further than that. This means a lot to me."

UK Open 2015: Results

Preliminary Round
Ben Ward 5-2 Jason Lovett
Adam Huckvale 5-2 Rory Duffy
John Ferrell 5-3 Paul Dawkins
Mark Dudbridge 5-1 Lloyd Pennel
Jamie Robinson 5-1 Chris Packer
Connie Finnan 5-4 James McEwan
Mark Layton 5-2 Tommy Sanwell
Dave Prins 5-2 Simon Stevenson
Stuart White 5-4 Matthew Tedstone
Dave Ladley 5-1 Kevin Edwards
Stephen Hardy 5-3 Dean Sanders
Robbie Green 5-1 Graham Hall
Ian Moss 5-1 Adi Acott
Matt Padgett 5-2 Gerwyn Price
Dave Parletti 5-2 Bradley Williams
Nigel Daniels 5-4 Scott Dale
Paul Hogan 5-1 Lee Russell
Mick Todd 5-1 Kevin Smith
Steve Douglas 5-3 Mark Robinson

First Round
Devon Petersen 5-1 Matt Clark
Mike Zuydwijk 5-2 John Part
Keegan Brown 5-3 Mick Brooks
Alan Tabern 5-4 Adam Hunt
Wes Newton 5-2 Martyn Turner
Mark Layton 5-3 Dirk van Duijvenbode
Jay Foreman 5-1 Dave Ladley
Stuart Kellett 5-0 Robbie Green
Darren Johnson 5-0 Ricky Sudale
Lee Evans 5-2 Nick Fullwell
Mark Cox 5-1 Ben Ward
Paul Hogan 5-3 Derek Brand
Joey Ten Berge 5-1 Brett Claydon
Jermaine Wattimena 5-1 Johnny Clayton
Matt Padgett 5-3 Stuart White
John Ferrell 5-1 Alex Roy
Mark Barilli 5-2 Steve Hine
Colin Fowler 5-0 Steve West
Mike De Decker 5-1 Stephen Hardy
Dave Prins 5-3 Luke Woodhouse
Jason Wilson 5-3 Mark Jones
Josh Payne 5-3 Lionel Sams
Nigel Daniels 5-0 Mick Todd
Steve Douglas 5-2 John Bowles
James Richardson 5-4 Johnny Haines
Jon Jukes 5-2 Shaun Griffiths
Adam Huckvale 5-2 Gary O'Donnell
Ian Moss 5-3 Connie Finnan
Rob Smith 5-4 Peter Hudson
Jason Mold 5-4 Jamie Robinson
Arron Fairweather 5-1 Dave Parletti
David Pallett 5-2 Mark Dudbridge

Second Round
Kyle Anderson 5-4 Terry Temple
Kevin Painter 5-2 Jamie Bain
James Wilson 5-0 Mark Frost
William O'Connor 5-3 Dean Winstanley
Ryan Harrington 5-0 Matt Padgett
Stephen Bunting 5-2 Adam Huckvale
Christian Kist 5-3 Ian Moss
Josh Payne 5-4 Dave Prins
Benito van de Pas 5-2 Jeffrey De Zwaan
Wes Newton 5-3 Jon Jukes
Keegan Brown 5-3 Mike Zuydwijk
David Pallett 5-4 Andy Smith
Nathan Apsinall 5-1 Chris Dobey
Lee Evans 5-3 Ronny Huybrechts
Steve Douglas 5-4 Andy Boulton
Andy Jenkins 5-0 Nigel Daniels
Joe Cullen 5-1 Rob Smith
James Richardson 5-1 Dean Stewart
Joe Murnan 5-1 Stuart Kellett
Paul Hogan 5-3 Darren Johnson
Mark Barilli 5-1 Dennis Smith
Kevin McDine 5-4 Jermaine Wattimena
Aaron Turner 5-4 Jay Foreman
Ronnie Baxter 5-2 Arron Fairweather
Colin Fowler 5-3 Jason Wilson
Ricky Evans 5-3 Mark Layton
Jan Dekker 5-3 Mike De Decker
Jason Mold 5-4 Matthew Edgar
Nathan Derry 5-4 Alan Tabern
Devon Petersen 5-4 Mark Cox
John Ferrell 5-2 Darren Webster
Joey Ten Berge 5-2 Wayne Jones

Third Round
Raymond van Barneveld 9-3 Adrian Lewis
Phil Taylor 9-2 John Ferrell
Mervyn King 9-8 Gary Anderson
Michael van Gerwen 9-3 Paul Nicholson
Kim Huybrechts 9-7 Max Hopp
Peter Wright 9-5 Steve Beaton
Robert Thornton 9-5 Simon Whitlock
Stephen Bunting 9-8 Michael Smith
Paul Hogan 9-5 Benito van de Pas
David Pallett 9-4 Colin Fowler
Vincent van der Voort 9-4 Lee Evans
Jelle Klaasen 9-4 Brendan Dolan
John Henderson 9-7 Steve Douglas
Nathan Aspinall 9-4 James Richardson
Nathan Derry 9-2 Keegan Brown
James Wade 9-3 Joe Murnan
Mensur Suljovic 9-1 Joey Ten Berge
James Wilson 9-4 Ricky Evans
Josh Payne 9-6 Andy Jenkins
Kyle Anderson 9-6 Alan Norris
Andrew Gilding 9-0 Kevin Painter
Ronnie Baxter 9-2 Brian Woods
Andy Hamilton 9-8 Aaron Turner
Jamie Caven 9-3 Terry Jenkins
Eddie Dootson 9-6 Joe Cullen
Jan Dekker 9-5 Justin Pipe
William O'Connor 9-5 Mark Webster
Ian White 9-8 Christian Kist
Devon Petersen 9-8 Mark Barilli
Wes Newton 9-0 Jason Mold
Dave Chisnall 9-6 Ryan Harrington
Daryl Gurney 9-1 Kevin McDine

Saturday March 7

Fourth Round
Phil Taylor 9-3 David Pallett
Michael van Gerwen 9-4 Paul Hogan
Peter Wright 9-1 Raymond van Barneveld
Stephen Bunting 9-6 Dave Chisnall
James Wade 9-4 Nathan Aspinall
Eddie Dootson 9-8 Robert Thornton
Kim Huybrechts 9-8 Andy Hamilton
Vincent van der Voort 9-4 Wes Newton
Devon Petersen 9-6 Jamie Caven
Kyle Anderson 9-7 James Wilson
Mensur Suljovic 9-4 Josh Payne
Jan Dekker 9-4 Ronnie Baxter
William O'Connor 9-6 Ian White
John Henderson 9-8 Daryl Gurney
Andrew Gilding 9-5 Jelle Klaasen
Mervyn King 9-8 Nathan Derry

Fifth Round
Peter Wright 9-2 John Henderson
Michael van Gerwen 9-2 Kim Huybrechts
Phil Taylor 9-3 Vincent van der Voort
Mervyn King 9-8 Kyle Anderson
Mensur Suljovic 9-7 Jan Dekker
Devon Petersen 9-3 Eddie Dootson
Stephen Bunting 9-6 William O'Connor
Andrew Gilding 9-6 James Wade

Sunday March 8

Quarter-Finals
Stephen Bunting 10-6 Mervyn King
Michael van Gerwen 10-5 Devon Petersen
Andrew Gilding 10-8 Mensur Suljovic
Peter Wright 10-6 Phil Taylor

Semi-Finals
Peter Wright 10-0 Stephen Bunting
Michael van Gerwen 10-8 Andrew Gilding

Final
Michael van Gerwen 11-5 Peter Wright