"It starts grating on your head and you begin thinking, 'Am I ever going to win one?'" - Ross Smith relieved to finally have broken European Tour duct

Ross Smith can finally call himself a European Tour winner. 'Smudger' defeated Ryan Searle 8-3 in the final of the International Darts Open to break new ground in triumphant fashion.

Smith started with a classy 72 outshot on double 16 before Searle threatened the 140, coming very close. However, Smith would soon get in his stride and sprinted away from the PDC World Darts Championship semi-finalist.

He broke to sail into a 3-1 lead, and never really looked back from there. Key missed darts at doubles at big checkouts cost Searle dearly, who was also hoping to get his maiden European Tour title, as Smith capitalised. Double 10 was the target he won the title to, throwing his darts to the ground as the realisation came in that he finally won on the European Tour.

After the match, he was relieved to have finally won his first one after so many attempts and close calls. 'Honestly, I’m just so happy to win one,'" he said. "It starts grating on your head and you begin thinking, “Am I ever going to win one?” But finally, yeah — honestly, I’m so, so happy."

He has ticked off all three categories of PDC titles, putting him among the elite in the sport as he dedicated his win to his parents. "I feel like I’ve won every section now — Players Championship events, a European Tour event and a major. Weirdly, I’ve probably done it all back to front, but yeah, this one’s for my mum and dad as well."

He was a man on a mission today, desperate to get the job done. Nothing was going to stop him in his tracks, not even a very talented Searle who did not conjure up the answers in the final.

"Honestly, it hurts. I kept telling myself — and I don’t want to say too much because Ryan is brilliant and a really good mate — but I’ve been there, and it bloody hurts, you know what I mean?" he recalled.

"You don’t want to keep feeling like that, so you push yourself and remind yourself that you never want to feel like that again. Ryan will win loads of these, he’s fantastic. Top guy as well. To be fair, he let me off a bit in the final there. I didn’t play fantastic, but Ryan didn’t quite get going. Trust me though, he’s brilliant."

It is just a week before the European Tour makes a return at the Baltic Sea Darts Open. Smith will be dearly hoping to make it two triumphs on the bounce as he breaks new ground in Riesa.