"Then I just saw it on top of the wire and thought, 'Oh no'" - So close yet so far: Robert Owen reacts to wiring double for nine-darter

Robert Owen was as close as you can get to pinning his first ever big stage nine-darter. The Welshman wired double 12 in what would have been the moment of the day at the European Darts Open, but he did leave the oche with a smile on his face following a terrific 6-5 win over Andrew Gilding.

'Goldfinger' was hopeful of getting in some last-minute World Matchplay practice. He was the favourite with Owen looking to capitalise on this chance on the European Tour. It was a second venture in 2026 following his second round run in Graz, defeating Joe Cullen 6-5 in that first round tie.

In a similar turn of events, Owen produced a very solid level, averaging 97,89 which included a spell-binding late flurry that saw him pip Gilding at the finishing line in Leverkusen.

Gilding's clinical finishing kept him in the hunt for glory. He broke back as Owen relinquished a break advantage. At 3-3, the main talking point occurred. Owen went back-to-back with 180's, storming clear against the throw as 141 points were in between him and the perfect leg. The trebles were found as he glanced towards the double 12 so often the final target for a nine-dart leg and came extremelyclose to pinning the target. He almost lost the leg with Gilding missing the bull for a 121, but Owen was able to get it done in 11 darts to break.

Gilding showed some class in the next leg, taking out 120 to break back and get level. The quality on display was very high as both players tried to get their noses in front. Owen had the throw going into the final leg, and made the most of it, With Gilding stranded on 248, 'Stack Attack' took out 102 on double 16 for a hugely important and eye-catching win.

Following the match, that nine-dart attempt was the headline as Owen explained his thoughts throughout. "I didn't even think about it," he saidfl. "As soon as I hit the 180, then another 180, I was so involved in the game that, yeah, the nine-darter is there, but you don't really think about it too much.

"Treble 20, treble 19, and then I threw the last dart and thought, 'That's it, it's there.' Then I just saw it on top of the wire and thought, "Oh no." But there we are, I won the leg, so that's the most important thing."

Pinning the nine would not have been new ground for Owen having had prior experience pinning perfection away from the TV cameras. "I've hit two on the PDC Tour," he explained. "I had one on stream against Richard House and one against Joe Cullen.

"I actually hit one in an exhibition not so long ago, a couple of months ago. It was the very first game I played in the exhibition, so it set the tone. I hit nine-darters quite regularly when I'm practising, but to me that's not real because it's not match practice, you know what I mean? But yeah, I'm just happy doing this, and that's all that counts really."

This win could be hugely pivotal for Owen. He is battling to keep his Tour Card, currently sitting in 64th in post PDC World Darts Championship Order of Merit. He is looking very good to be featuring at Ally Pally at the end of the year due to him being in 14th in the race to the World Championship. However, wins on the European Tour add even more money to his ranking and boosts him further clear of that perilous cut-off. He will take on Damon Heta in the second round in Leverkusen.