World number one Michael van Gerwen captured the inaugural US Darts Masters with victory over Daryl Gurney in the final in Las Vegas.
The reigning world champion, who successfully retained the Shanghai Darts Masters last week, claimed his second World Series of Darts title of the year with an 8-6 win against Gurney on Saturday.
Van Gerwen had lost just one leg on his way to the final and began the decider in a similar fashion, taking a 2-0 lead with the aid of an opening leg 124 checkout.
Gurney, who was making his debut appearance in the World Series, then reeled off five of the next six legs to take a 5-3 lead.
But van Gerwen hit back with checkouts of 112, 92 and a match-winning 98 to run out an 8-6 winner.
“It’s so good to win the first US Darts Masters in Las Vegas,” van Gerwen said.
“The whole event has been superb. The fans, the players and the PDC have been brilliant, so I can’t wait to get back next year.”
Van Gerwen began the final day of the tournament with an 8-1 victory over Canada’s Dave Richardson, averaging 95.70 and hitting two maximums in a comfortable win over the North American Championship runner-up.
The Dutchman was in an even more ruthless mood in the semi-finals, averaging over 100 in an 8-0 thrashing of Welshman Gerwyn Price to set up a decider with Gurney.
Gurney’s route to his first televised final saw him beat world number three Peter Wright 8-7 in the quarter-finals, before he reeled off seven straight legs to knock out world number two Gary Anderson 8-4 in the semi-finals.
“He was too good for me today but I’m getting much closer,” Gurney said.
“This is where I want to be and I think I’ve done myself a lot of favours here.
“There are a lot of big events coming up and this will give me a lot of confidence.
“When I get to a final I really want to win, so I’m not happy to lose but I’ve played well today.”
US Darts Masters
Saturday July 15
Quarter-Finals
Gerwyn Price 8-4 Dawson Murschell
Michael van Gerwen 8-1 Dave Richardson
Gary Anderson 8-4 Raymond van Barneveld
Daryl Gurney 8-7 Peter Wright
Semi-Finals
Michael van Gerwen 8-0 Gerwyn Price
Daryl Gurney 8-4 Gary Anderson
Final
Michael van Gerwen 8-6 Daryl Gurney
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