Berry van Peer continued his blistering form to celebrate a sensational Winmau Challenge Tour double in Milton Keynes on Saturday.
Van Peer extended his lead at the top of the Challenge Tour Order of Merit with victory in Events 12 & 13 at the Marshall Arena, following on from his Event Ten triumph on Friday.
The resurgent Dutchman has enjoyed a terrific start to 2023, and he came through a 267-player field in Saturday’s double-header to make it three titles in the space of four events.
Van Peer produced a string of consistent displays in Event 12, winning a deciding-leg tie against Patrick Lynskey before easing past his compatriot Christian Kist to seal his semi-final spot.
The 26-year-old continued his progress with a resounding 5-1 win over Dragutin Horvat in the last four, which set up a showdown against former ProTour winner Harry Ward.
Ward overcame Alan Tabern, Jeremy van der Winkel and Matthew Dennant to reach the Event 12 decider, only for Van Peer to scoop the £2,500 top prize with a hard-fought 5-3 victory.
Van Peer extended his remarkable winning run to 16 matches with Event 13 success – his fourth Winmau Challenge Tour title of 2023.
However, he was forced to come through a trio of last-leg shoot-outs en route to glory, edging out Kurt Parry, James Howard Hughes and Robert Grundy to create a last four clash against Jelle Klaasen.
Van Peer ran out an emphatic 5-1 winner over Klaasen in their all-Dutch semi-final, and he capped off the perfect darting day by denying Scott Mitchell in the Event 13 showpiece.
Former Lakeside Championship winner Mitchell relinquished his PDC Tour Card in January, but he enjoyed a welcome return to form in Milton Keynes to claim the £1,000 runner-up prize.
Mitchell defied a ton-plus average to dump out Jack Main in a high-quality quarter-final, before reeling off four consecutive legs to sink Switzerland’s Marcel Walpen in the semi-finals.
The third weekend of 2023 Winmau Challenge Tour action will conclude with Event 14 on Sunday, as Van Peer eyes his fourth title in three days.
The top two players from the final 2023 Challenge Tour Order of Merit will secure a PDC Tour Card for 2024/25 and a place in the 2023/24 World Darts Championship.
Former World Youth Championship runner-up Van Peer boasts a £6,500 lead at the top of the Order of Merit, with his fellow countrymen Kist and Chris Landman cut adrift in second and third respectively.
Click here for match stats and results.
2023 Winmau Challenge Tour
Saturday May 6
Marshall Arena, Milton Keynes
Event 12
Quarter-Finals
Dragutin Horvat 5-4 Nathan Girvan
Berry van Peer 5-2 Christian Kist
Matthew Dennant 5-2 Dom Taylor
Harry Ward 5-3 Jeremy van der Winkel
Semi-Finals
Berry van Peer 5-1 Dragutin Horvat
Harry Ward 5-3 Matthew Dennant
Final
Berry van Peer 5-3 Harry Ward
Event 13
Quarter-Finals
Jelle Klaasen 5-2 Chris Landman
Berry van Peer 5-4 Robert Grundy
Scott Mitchell 5-4 Jack Main
Marcel Walpen 5-4 Stu Wilson
Semi-Finals
Berry van Peer 5-1 Jelle Klaasen
Scott Mitchell 5-3 Marcel Walpen
Final
Berry van Peer 5-3 Scott Mitchell