Gerwyn Price riled opponent Gary Anderson on his way to becoming Wales’ first major PDC title winner after triumphing 16-13 in a feisty Grand Slam of Darts final in Wolverhampton.
Anderson, who surrendered an 11-8 lead in the match, clashed verbally with Price on several occasions after becoming annoyed with what he perceived as the Welshman’s slow play and over-exuberant celebrations and even pushed his opponent at one point.
Price was unapologetic after his victory and the two men did not share a traditional handshake at the end of the match. “He can’t handle playing me,” the Welshman said of Anderson.
Anderson, a two-time world champion, had beaten Dutch superstar Michael van Gerwen on his way to the final after also facing accusations of bad sportsmanship amid claims that he had repeatedly broken wind during his 10-2 win over Wesley Harms on Thursday.
Price got the better of the Scot in an ill-tempered final, however, and was greeted with loud boos from the crowd at Aldersley Leisure Village as he lifted the Eric Bristow Trophy.
“This trophy means a lot to me, it's the first ever one named after Eric so nobody can take that away from me,” Price added. “I go down in history now, happy days.
“Sometimes the crowd is with you, sometimes it's against you. If it's against you, you have to feed off that. This week, maybe two or three times, they were against me, [but] it makes me play better. So next time, boo a little bit more.
“I'm loving it playing on that stage against the best players in the world. Five, six years ago I was a rugby player, and now I'm pinching money from the professionals' pockets.”
Victory capped a dream few days for Price, who married his long-term partner last weekend, and the Welshman revelled in the psychological edge he believes he found over Anderson.
“I'm throwing my darts, he needs to wait for his turn,” Price insisted. “He doesn't like it when it's a little bit up him, so unlucky.
“I knew when he beat Michael [Van Gerwen] that I was going to beat him. Simple.
“He can't handle playing me. He just moans every time that I'm doing this, doing that. Concentrate on your own game.”
