Gerwyn Price powered to a tenth European Tour title of his career, defeating Ross Smith 8-6 to seize the Elten Safety Shoes European Darts Grand Prix in Sindelfingen.
Price became just the second player after Michael van Gerwen to reach double figures for trophies won on the European Tour, averaging 99.87 across the tournament to secure glory at the Glaspalast on Sunday.
The former World Champion began his campaign by crashing in five 180s to down Dave Chisnall 6-4, before producing a sparkling display against Chris Dobey to win by the same scoreline with a 105.96 average.
The Welsh number two then survived a match dart in the quarter-finals to pip Martin Schindler in a last-leg shootout with another ton-plus average, and followed this up by enacting revenge on Wessel Nijman’s European Darts Trophy win by defeating the Dutchman 7-4 to reach the final.
Price - competing in his second European Tour final in just two appearances on the circuit this year - burst into a 3-0 lead, before Smith rallied with four consecutive legs of his own to snatch the lead.
The three-time Grand Slam winner then struck back with a 130 outshot in a 12-darter, before capitalising on Smith missing five darts at double to lead 6-5, to break throw and regain the initiative.
Despite Smith taking a 12-darter of his own to reduce the deficit to 7-6, Price saw out the contest with a 14-dart hold to claim a remarkable tenth career title and first at the Glaspalast.
“I’ve been in the PDC for 12 years now, so less than one a year on average isn’t very good!” quipped Price, after becoming the second player after Van Gerwen to reach double digits for European Tour titles.
“I was 3-0 up, then 4-3 down, and Ross started smashing the trebles in for fun. I was hanging on and hoping I got more opportunities, and I did.
“Thankfully I won this one, and hopefully it will give me a bit of confidence going forward.
“I was just struggling to get over the winning line. I lost in the last European Tour final that I played in.
“I never used to have this support, but I’m cherishing every moment I get on stage - it’s brilliant for me and long may it continue!”
Smith - a finalist at the Glaspalast two years ago - agonisingly fell at the final hurdle once again, as a maiden European Tour title continues to elude him.
Nevertheless, the 37-year-old produced a string of stellar displays in Sindelfingen, beginning with an impressive performance against Cameron Menzies which included six 180s and a 60% outer-ring success rate to down the Scot 6-3.
The former European Champion then averaged north of 98 to edge past Josh Rock in a last-leg decider, before seeing past German Darts Grand Prix winner Nathan Aspinall 6-4 despite his opponent missing just one attempt at a double throughout the contest.
Smith then defied a five-point superior average from Krzysztof Ratajski to triumph 7-5 and reach a European Tour final for the third consecutive year, although he fell short once again at the hands of Price.
“I’m absolutely gutted, but fair play to Gezzy, the better man won,” confessed a gracious Smith, who has lost all four European Tour finals that he has played in.
“It’s fine margins. You’re playing the best players in the world - if you don’t hit your doubles, you’re going to get punished.
“The crowd was absolutely amazing. Thank you for turning up all weekend, you were brilliant.
“It is what it is. I’ll crack on with the next one.”
Ratajski reached back-to-back European Tour semi-finals for the first time in his career, accounting for Michael Hurtz, Mike De Decker, Joe Cullen and Danny Noppert in four characteristically steady performances across the weekend.
Wessel Nijman’s imperious start to 2026 continued, reaching his sixth ProTour semi-final in just 13 appearances in 2026. This run to the final four included victories over Ian White and Ryan Searle, averaging north of 104 in dispatching the latter.
The Dutchman also took the scalps of Premier League duo Stephen Bunting and then Van Gerwen to reach the semi-finals, with his quarter-final triumph being a career-first win over his senior compatriot.
Noppert featured in his third-consecutive European Tour quarter-final after toppling Oskar Lukasiak and Niko Springer, whilst Aspinall could not repeat his feats in Munich despite reaching the last eight once again.
Van Gerwen and Schindler rounded out the quarter-finalists, with the latter impressively dispatching Jonny Clayton 6-1 in the last 16 to reach his first European Tour Finals Night of 2026.
The PDC ProTour season will resume with a Players Championship double-header in Milton Keynes from April 27-28, with the 2026 Winamax European Tour next returning at the Austrian Darts Open in Graz from May 8-10.
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European Darts Grand Prix Results
Round Three
Krzysztof Ratajski 2-6 Joe Cullen
Danny Noppert 6-4 Niko Springer
Nathan Aspinall 6-3 James Wade
Ross Smith 6-5 Josh Rock
Michael van Gerwen 6-5 Jermaine Wattimena
Wessel Nijman 6-3 Stephen Bunting
Martin Schindler 6-1 Jonny Clayton
Gerwyn Price 6-4 Chris Dobey
Quarter-Finals
Krzysztof Ratajski 6-5 Danny Noppert
Ross Smith 6-4 Nathan Aspinall
Wessel Nijman 6-2 Michael van Gerwen
Gerwyn Price 6-5 Martin Schindler
Semi-Finals
Ross Smith 7-5 Krzysztof Ratajski
Gerwyn Price 7-4 Wessel Nijman
Final
Gerwyn Price 8-6 Ross Smith
