Gerwyn Price began his hunt for another title win at the New Zealand Darts Masters with a big 6-1 victory over Simon Whitlock. With an average of 97.21, 'The Iceman' put in one of the best performances of the first round.
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Whitlock got off to a promising start with a 104 finish in the first leg, taking a break lead. The Wizard failed to catch on and saw Price come alongside with a 92 finish and a 149 check-out. After that, Price was able to grab three legs in a row in six innings, increasing the lead to 5-1. The Welshman closed the match with a 13-darter.
Afterwards, Price issued a brief comment on the PDC website. "I felt comfortable up there," the Welshman revealed after his first game.
The current world number four was also very positive about the New Zealand fans. "The crowd were supporting me right from the beginning, which is good, and they were brilliant. I'm here to do a job and hopefully win this tournament."
On Saturday morning, Price returns to action at the New Zealand Darts Masters in Hamilton. There he will battle Danny Noppert for a spot in the semifinals.
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He contributes to DartsNews.com, where he covers professional darts through news, match reports, analysis, and live coverage across the PDC calendar and major tournaments.
A key part of his work is on-site reporting from leading events. Kieran has covered the PDC World Darts Championship in person, reporting daily from the venue and providing first-hand insight from the tournament. During his coverage, he has conducted interviews with leading players including Luke Littler, Luke Humphries, and Gerwyn Price.
He is also one of the leading voices of the English-language Dartsnews Podcast, contributing regular analysis and discussion on developments across the professional darts circuit.
In his reporting, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles when new, verified information becomes available.
PRICE COMFORTABLY THROUGH!
Gerwyn Price strings together six straight legs to beat Simon Whitlock 6-1 to reach finals day in Hamilton.
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