Gurney claimed first blood against White with a brilliant 101 checkout only for the latter to respond with a 180 and a 84 checkout to make it 1-1.
The clutch finishing continued with a 130 checkout for Gurney followed by a 117 checkout for White as no player gave an inch in the early going.
But one missed dart at double 20 from Gurney allowed White to step in for double 16 to break and to go 3-2 up.
White surged clear following the interval with yet another break which was consolidated to make it 7-3.
The one way traffic continued after the next interval with White responding to a Gurney 180 with double 16 to make it 8-3.
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But as White looked to head towards the finishing line, Gurney looked to pounce. He stopped the rot with a 116 checkout to trail 8-4.
He clawed it back to 8-6 before White went one away at 9-6 but there was drama still as Gurney hit a skin-saving 121 checkout on the bull to make it 9-7 before 'Diamond' finally got over the line.
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of DartsNews.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy across professional darts coverage. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces, playing a central role in the development and daily operation of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has extensive experience in darts media and has been closely involved in coverage of the professional darts circuit for several years. Within the UK darts community, he is a recognised figure known for his consistent editorial output and ongoing reporting on major tournaments and developments across the PDC calendar.
In his current role, Samuel works closely with editors and writers to ensure content meets clear journalistic standards, with a focus on source verification, editorial consistency, and timely updates when new, confirmed information becomes available.
𝗪𝗛𝗜𝗧𝗘 𝗛𝗢𝗟𝗗𝗦 𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗡𝗘𝗥𝗩𝗘!
What a game to kick things off... Ian White wins a thriller as he beats Daryl Gurney 10-7 to book his spot in the Second Round.
Incredible finishing turned to pure tension, but what a game it made 👏