MICHAEL VAN GERWEN took victory in the inaugural Dubai Duty Free Darts Masters with a thrilling 11-7 win over Raymond van Barneveld in an all-Dutch final at the Dubai Tennis Stadium on Friday night.
The world number two completed an incredible week of success by following up his McCoy's Premier League Darts and European Darts Open triumphs by becoming the first winner of the $250,000 Dubai Duty Free Darts Masters.
Van Gerwen was in sensational form once more, firstly following up Thursday's quarter-final victory over Wes Newton with a high-quality 11-9 defeat of Andy Hamilton in the semi-finals.
The lead changed hands four times throughout a fine contest, with Hamilton being 4-2 and 9-8 up before van Gerwen took the game's final three legs to book his place in the decider.
The 24-year-old then produced a sublime performance in the final, taking out finishes of 170 and 164 to better three ton-plus efforts from van Barneveld as he claimed the trophy.
Van Barneveld gave as good as he got in the final's early legs, opening with a 120 finish and replying to van Gerwen's 170 - as the youngster moved 3-1 up - with a 124 checkout on double 11.
Van Barneveld hit back to 5-4 before van Gerwen took out 114, only for the five-time World Champion to finish 96 and 121, on the bull, to level the contest at six-all.
Van Gerwen, though, finished a killer 164 in the 13th leg and took out tops in the next two to move 9-6 up, before a sensational 11-darter took him to the brink of victory, and though double eight kept van Barneveld's hopes briefly alive, his rival landed double 12 to complete a sensational triumph.
"It's a very special win for me and I'm so happy to win this," said van Gerwen. "It's been an amazing week for me and it's great that this trophy is mine from the first time we've played in Dubai.
"I think I played my best game in the final and I was very pleased with that. Raymond was hanging in the game with a couple of good finishes, but I was very confident and after I went 9-6 up I knew I was going to win.
"It was my first time coming to Dubai so I didn't know what to expect, but it was an amazing tournament and the crowd were great.
"I'd like to thank the sponsors, Dubai Duty Free, and the PDC for making this happen, and I hope I can defend this title next year!"
The victory saw van Gerwen avenge his loss to van Barneveld in last November's Grand Slam of Darts final, and he added: "There was a little payback there because Raymond beat me in the Grand Slam, but I always enjoy playing him and it was a great final.
"I think, with all the conditions, I played very well and put in some great averages and hit the 170 finish and 164 finish at good moments in the final so that was important to make me the champion."
Van Barneveld had produced some fine performances throughout the event, particularly in his wins over Adrian Lewis and James Wade as he reached the final, seeing off the latter 11-5 in Friday's last four.
He took out 126 in the semi-final's opening leg, and although Wade shared the opening six legs, van Barneveld took command with key checkouts of 96 and 86 as he moved 7-3 up.
Wade threatened a comeback by winning the next two, but van Barneveld punished misses from the world number three as he took four in a row to move into the decider.
"I'm absolutely privileged to be here in Dubai," said van Barneveld. "When the draw was made on Wednesday, I was thinking that it could be an all-Dutch final and it happened, but it was a crazy match.
"Michael had some fantastic shots - the 170 and the 164 - and there's not a lot you can do about that. He started almost every leg with a 140 or a 180 and he never seemed to miss.
"He's just a fantastic player, the future World Champion. He's the guy everyone wants to beat but it didn't happen, and he's by far the best player in the world at the moment.
"I played some really good darts here, but to beat the best players, like Phil Taylor or Michael, then you have to play phenomenal darts. I was enjoying the final from behind Michael, and I think the crowd enjoyed a great tournament too."
Following the success of the inaugural Dubai Duty Free Darts Masters, PDC Chairman Barry Hearn confirmed ahead of the final that the tournament would return to Dubai in 2014 as part of the PDC's planned expansion of the World Series of Darts.
"I'm delighted with the success of this tournament and we'd be crazy not to come back!" said Hearn. "We're looking forward to building on this because the crowd have created a fantastic atmosphere.
"We've had over 5,000 fans visit the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium for the tournament and millions watching around the world, and I'm sure we can sell out next year's event!"
Click here for Dubai Duty Free Darts Masters Photo Gallery
Click here for Michael van Gerwen video interview
Click here for Raymond van Barneveld video interview
Dubai Duty Free Darts Masters
Friday May 24
Semi-Finals
James Wade 5-11 Raymond van Barneveld
Michael van Gerwen 11-9 Andy Hamilton
Final
Michael van Gerwen 11-7 Raymond van Barneveld
Prize Fund
WInner $65,000
Runner-Up $40,000
Semi-Final Losers $30,000
Quarter-Final Losers $20,000
Click here for Dubai Duty Free Darts Masters Photo Gallery
Match Information
James Wade v Raymond van Barneveld
0-0 - Raymond van Barneveld won the bull and will throw first.
0-1 - van Barneveld opens with two 140s and finishes 126 on the bull to take the opener in 12 darts.
1-1 - Wade hits back to level, initially missing tops for a 142 finish before van Barneveld is unable to capitalise, missing the bull for a 170 finish and two further darts at double 16 to allow the left-hander back on double ten.
2-1 - Wade takes the game's first break of throw on double ten.
2-2 - van Barneveld hits a 180, and punishes three missed doubles from Wade by posting tops.
2-3 - The Dutchman regains the lead by landing double ten.
3-3 - Wade, for the third time in the match, pins double ten to level the contest.
3-4 - van Barneveld hits a 180 to leave 139, and though he is unable to take out that combination, he returns to land double eight.
3-5 - The Dutch star takes out 96 on double eight to move two legs clear for the first time.
3-6 - van Barneveld finishes 86 on double 16 to win another leg.
3-7 - Wade misses a dart at tops to hit back, and van Barneveld lands tops for a 14-darter.
4-7 - van Barneveld misses double 18 to take out 96 and Wade lands tops to hit back.
5-7 - Double ten for Wade sees him continue his fightback.
5-8 - Wade lands his first 180, but misses five darts to win the leg as van Barneveld steps in on double six.
5-9 - Wade misses double 11 to finish 84, and a determined van Barneveld hits double ten.
5-10 - van Barneveld moves a leg away from victory with a fine 13-darter, hitting a 180 and tops.
5-11 - van Barneveld finishes 86 on double seven to seal a fine win and his place in the final.
Raymond van Barneveld: "It's fantastic to be in the final and this is a great opportunity for me now. In the first couple of legs it was tough and it was hard to be confident, but I wanted to enjoy myself and my darts came good. I was really happy with this win."
Michael van Gerwen v Andy Hamilton
0-0 - Michael van Gerwen wins the bull and will throw first
1-0 - Hamilton misses double 14 and double seven to break throw in the first leg, and van Gerwen lands tops to win the opening leg.
1-1 - Hamilton levels by finishing double four.
2-1 - van Gerwen hits a 180 as he edges back ahead.
2-2 - Hamilton takes the fourth leg to level once more.
2-3 - The Stoke ace breaks throw with a superb 112 checkout, ending on double 16.
2-4 - Hamilton posts double 16 to move two legs clear of the Dutchman.
3-4 - van Gerwen posts a 180 and finishes double 12 for a 13-darter to hit back.
4-4 - van Gerwen finishes double 12 for an 84 finish to break throw and level.
5-4 - van Gerwen adds another 180 as he moves ahead once again.
5-5 - Hamilton hits a 180 and takes out 66 to level the game.
6-5 - Double 12 for van Gerwen sees him edge back in front.
6-6 - Hamilton hits back with a 13-darter, landing tops.
7-6 - Double ten for van Gerwen sees him complete a 14-darter.
7-7 - The pair continue their battle, with van Gerwen landing a 180 only for Hamilton to finish 78 on double six.
8-7 - This time Hamilton lands the maximum and van Gerwen posts the double, returning from an earlier miss to post double five.
8-8 - Hamilton finishes 84 on the bull to level.
8-9 - Hamilton initially misses one dart at double top to break, but when van Gerwen misses two darts at tops he returns to post double five to break throw and move ahead.
9-9 - Hamilton is unable to finish 82, and van Gerwen breaks back immediately on double ten.
10-9 - van Gerwen posts tops to move a leg away from the final.
11-9 - Hamilton is unable to finish 103, and van Gerwen hits double 16 to secure his place in the decider in an all-Dutch final against Raymond van Barneveld.
Michael van Gerwen: "It was a brilliant game. We both played very well and I'm so happy that I won. The crowd is fantastic and it would be great to go on and win this now. I've got Raymond in the final and we know each other very well. It will be difficult because he's a five-time World Champion and he's playing well, but it's a new game in the final."
Final
Raymond van Barneveld v Michael van Gerwen
0-0 - Raymond van Barneveld won the bull and will throw first.
1-0 - van Barneveld settles any early nerves by taking the opening leg in 15 darts with a confident 120 checkout.
1-1 - van Gerwen finishes tops to level the final.
1-2 - van Barneveld misses double five for an 87 finish, and van Gerwen makes him pay with a sensational 170 checkout!
1-3 - van Gerwen holds throw to move two legs clear.
2-3 - Both players hit 180s, and van Barneveld takes out 124 on double 11 to hit back.
2-4 - van Gerwen hits a 180 and tops to win a fourth leg of the game.
3-4 - Double 12 for van Barneveld sees him respond.
3-5 - Double ten for van Gerwen restores his two-leg lead.
4-5 - van Gerwen misses the bullseye to finish another 170 checkout - allowing van Barneveld in on double top.
4-6 - van Gerwen hits a 180 and finishes 114 on tops to regain his two-leg cushion.
5-6 - van Barneveld finishes 96 on double eight to return from the break in winning fashion.
6-6 - van Barneveld takes out 121 on the bullseye to level the game with a break of throw.
6-7 - van Gerwen breaks back with a sensational 164 checkout!
6-8 - van Barneveld opens with a 180, but van Gerwen posts tops to move two legs clear.
6-9 - van Gerwen kicks off the leg with a 177 score, and finishes tops for a 13-darter to extend his cushion.
6-10 - van Gerwen opens with a fourth 180 of the game and adds two more 130-plus scores before pinning tops for an 11-darter.
7-10 - Double eight from van Barneveld sees him keep the game alive.
7-11 - van Gerwen's scoring takes him to a finish first, and he lands double 12 to win the Dubai Duty Free Darts Masters.