For the third time this Premier League season, Gian van Veen reached a nightly final, and for the third time, he fell short. In Belfast, Stephen Bunting secured his first victory of the campaign with a 6-2 win over the Dutchman, who is growing increasingly frustrated with his pattern of final losses.
Van Veen's path to the final was marked by composure and quality. He overcame home favorite Josh Rock, who hit a nine-darter while trailing 5-1, and then edged Gerwyn Price 6-5 in the semifinals after Price had eliminated Michael van Gerwen earlier. However, in the final, Bunting—who had not won a match this season until Thursday night—proved too sharp, adding Van Veen to victories over Luke Humphries and Jonny Clayton.
Afterward, Van Veen expressed his disappointment via video link with Viaplay: "The quarterfinal was fine, the semifinal was good and then you think in the final: now it has to happen, and then it’s again—feels to me—dramatic." He added, "People know that I keep losing finals lately. Then you get Bunting and you play so poorly... I hoped it was a one-off, but now it’s becoming a pattern and you don’t want that. You just need to win one. Then hopefully it’s done."
Bunting's win earned him £10,000 and five points, while Van Veen took three points, putting him on nine points overall—good for second place behind leader Jonny Clayton, who has eleven. Van Veen acknowledged his form is strong but emphasized the need to clear the final hurdle: "If you keep doing this, you’ll be in the O2 Arena soon enough, but it’s about time I win a final." He will get another chance next week in Cardiff, where as number two in the standings, he faces Clayton.
