Bahrain Darts Masters 2026 Round-up | Michael van Gerwen comes out on top in a thrilling final against Dutch number one Gian van Veen

Michael van Gerwen has begun the 2026 World Series of Darts campaign with success in the Bahrain Darts Masters. He takes down the new Dutch number one Gian van Veen 8-6 in a thrilling final which followed a thrilling session of darts.

Van Gerwen was looking to get back to his best after an up and down 2025, with the highlight coming in the World Series of Darts Finals, in which he defeated Luke Littler in the final to end his major drought.

He took down a last year’s champion Stephen Bunting 6-4 before comfortably dispatching last year’s runner-up Gerwyn Price 7-2.

The Welshman had gone into the match just after defeating the world number one and two-time world champion Luke Littler 6-2 but was unable to do anything about the Dutchman. There was also a disappointing early exit for the world number two Luke Humphries, who lost five legs on the spin against Aspinall in the quarter-final stages.

Van Veen is coming off the back of a maiden PDC World Darts Championship final and goes into the match against van Gerwen as the Dutch number one. His quarter-final tie against Danny Noppert was interrupted by an electrical problem which saw all the lights go off. This did not faze van Veen, who came back and won the rest of the legs in a 6-1 trouncing of his World Cup partner.

He followed that with a convincing 7-4 victory over Nathan Aspinall. He turned on the afterburners towards the end of the match with a crucial break, before snuffing out any possible fightback from ‘The Asp’ to confirm his spot in the final.

Van Veen started the faster, streaking out in front in the first leg while van Gerwen straggled behind. A 180 left double 18, but he could not take it out. ‘Mighty Mike’ capitalised on this, taking out 130 on the bull to stride into a break advantage. He reverted to his favourite double 16 to double his advantage a leg later.

A second break and a third consecutive leg was done in scintillating fashion. After straying into the treble 5, he pinned treble 20 before reverting down the board to double 19. It should have been a 4-0 lead, but after three missed chances on double 16, ‘The Giant’ found the segment just north of that to clinch one of the breaks back. He moved within a single leg after finding a 12-darter, but then van Gerwen went on better, going out in 11 to solidify his advantage in this world class final.

Van Gerwen went into the interval averaging over 109 and continued his impressive form after it. Van Veen missed tops for a 160 and was punished by his opponent with an 83 checkout on double nine, letting out a huge roar.

This was backed with another hold and another roar, as he sailed into a 6-2 lead. This was instantly changed to 6-3 with a 16-darter. He pinned tops the first time of asking once more to get one of the breaks back needed if he wanted to lift this title.

A third consecutive leg moved van Veen within one after an off leg from van Gerwen, but a simply exceptional 103 checkout from the 2024 finalist saw him move within one from lifting the title.

It was so close. Both players were averaging almost exactly a ton, with the next leg pivotal. Experience would prevail, with van Gerwen racing ahead before taking out 66 in two to seal an incredible 17th World Series title, and first in Bahrain.