Dutch Masters: Rob Cross wins final 8-5 against Stephen Bunting
2025-01-26
Category: sports

Rob Cross won the Dutch Masters with a battling victory over Stephen Bunting in the final.Early on in the match Cross was in control, racing to a 5-2 lead, but Bunting worked his way back to 5-5 with some much-improved darts.Cross, who was never behind in the final, then moved ahead - winning the next three legs to claim an 8-5 victory.It was Cross' fifth World Series title and his first in Europe."I think it's about time I won in the Netherlands," Cross, the 2018 world champion, said. "Massive credit to Stephen but I'm just grateful I won. It's been a great weekend."Bunting, who won the Bahrain Masters last week, added: "If you'd have said to me at the start of the tournament that I'd be in the final I'd have taken it. Credit to Rob, I'm playing the best darts of my life and I'm disappointed not to win."Earlier on Saturday world champion Luke Littler, who turned 18 on Tuesday, was knocked out in the semi-finals by Bunting 7-6 despite a 107.59 average.