World Series of Darts: Keegan Brown hits 'one of the best checkouts' to dump out Gerwyn Price
Keegan Brown produced the upset of the night at the World Series of Darts finals as he stunned two-time champion Gerwyn Price.
Brown landed three ton-plus finishes to move through to his first televised quarter-final since 2014.
Trailing 2-0, former World Youth Champion Brown opened his account with a clinical 111 combination, before taking out 101 and 85 on the bullseye to establish an unlikely 5-3 lead.
The Welshman hit back in leg nine, but after missing double 16 to force a decider, he was left shell-shocked as Brown conjured up a sublime 164 finish to celebrate one of the biggest wins of his career.
“To beat Gezzy in front of this fantastic crowd, I’m absolutely buzzing,” claimed Brown, who now faces Aspinall for a place in the semi-finals.
“I thought I’d blown it, and then the 164 checkout went in as sweet as a nut. It’s one of the best checkouts I’ve ever hit.
“I am doing something that I love doing, and long may it continue. I’m just going to keep grinding away.”
KEEGAN BROWNS STUNS GERWYN PRICE 😱🤯
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) September 16, 2023
Absolutely breathtaking from Keegan Brown as he stuns Gerwyn Price with an incredible 164 to win it!!
Who would have predicted that?? 😳
📺 https://t.co/GiC4g8Ylpo | #WSFinals R2 pic.twitter.com/H7JQc7rp5U
Earlier in the night, top seed Rob Cross was the first player to win through to the quarter-finals in Amsterdam, wrapping up a convincing 6-3 success against 2021 champion Jonny Clayton.
Cross - a winner of back-to-back World Series titles in Hamilton and Wollongong last month - raced into a 3-0 lead with a 110 average, and he maintained that three-leg buffer to seal his place in the last eight.
Cross’ reward is a last eight showdown against Luke Humphries, who marked his World Series of Darts Finals debut with a sensational display to deny an in-form Krzysztof Ratajski.
Humphries averaged 106.74, landed four 180s and converted 50% of his attempts at double to cap off an imperious performance, defying a 129 skin-saver from Ratajski in leg eight to prevail.
In the evening's finale, Dimitri Van den Bergh crashed in five 180s in his 6-1 demolition of Ricky Evans, averaging 97 to create a tie against home favourite Van Gerwen on Sunday afternoon.
Meanwhile, two-time finalist Wright battled his way through to the quarter-finals, recovering from a sluggish start to overcome New Zealand’s Haupai Puha and set up a clash against Van Barneveld.
The remaining eight players will return for Finals Day on Sunday, which will feature the quarter-finals in the afternoon, followed by the semi-finals and final in a bumper evening session.
Photo Credit: Kelly Deckers/PDC