Dimitri Van den Bergh Clinches the 2024 UK Open in Dramatic Final

At Butlin’s Minehead, anticipation reached its peak for the final showdown of the 2024 Ladbrokes UK Open. From 158 contenders who entered the tournament on Friday afternoon, only two remained standing: reigning world champion Luke Humphries and former World Matchplay champion Dmitri Van den Bergh.

In this race to 11 legs, Humphries sought to add another feather to his cap, a fifth major PDC ranking event title in just five months. Meanwhile, the Belgian Van den Bergh aimed to reclaim the glory he last tasted in 2020, with his eyes set on his first major title since then.

While Humphries had previously achieved this milestone in 2021, reaching the final only to be thwarted by James Wade, this marked Van den Bergh's fourth major televised final, having claimed victory in just one prior.

Humphries kicked off the game with frustration, missing a chance to break Van den Bergh's throw in the opener. Despite the opportunity slipping, the Belgian capitalised and claimed the first leg. In a stunning display of skill, Van den Bergh swiftly followed up with a remarkable 124 finish, sealing the second leg with a bullseye shot, extending his lead to 2-0.

Maintaining his momentum, Van den Bergh secured a crucial hold of throw in the third leg, further widening the gap to 3-0. With a potential upset looming, Humphries managed to grab his first leg before Van den Bergh confidently held his throw again, leading 4-1 as they entered the first break. The Belgian's flawless performance in the opening legs seemed almost unbeatable.

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Humphries managed to hold his throw in the sixth leg but struggled to apply pressure on Van den Bergh's throw, as the Belgian's consistent scoring extended his lead to 5-2. Demonstrating remarkable composure on the big stage, Van den Bergh broke the reigning world champion's throw for the second time, securing a commanding four-leg advantage.

The Belgian's dominance persisted as he confidently held his throw once again, further widening the gap. The world champion narrowly avoided conceding another leg after missing a crucial setup, but he managed to salvage a leg. However, the challenge ahead remained daunting for Humphries as Van den Bergh maintained his firm grip on the match.§

For Humphries to mount a comeback, he needed to drastically elevate his performance and find his rhythm against the formidable Belgian opponent. Following the second interval, Humphries finally managed to break Van den Bergh's throw, offering a glimmer of hope for a potential turnaround. Despite a promising start to the 12th leg with six perfect darts from Humphries, Van den Bergh countered with a stunning 130 checkout, potentially sealing his first-ever UK Open title.

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A missed dart at double 20 to complete a 160 checkout, almost added further fuel to Humphries’ angered fire, however, Van den Bergh missed a dart at double himself, to allow Humphries to claw one more leg back. After holding his throw again, he narrowed the gap to just two legs, the closest it had been since the second leg.

Humphries then secured his third consecutive leg, sealing it with a stunning 116 checkout, injecting new life into the match and bringing him within reach of completing a remarkable comeback.

In a pivotal turn of events, the pressure shifted to the Belgian as he faced the risk of losing the match for the first time in the final. Humphries demonstrated remarkable determination and skill, rallying to tie the game at 8-8, defying expectations of an impending defeat.

Despite Humphries' resurgence, Van den Bergh regrouped and reclaimed the lead with a stunning two-dart 97 finish after losing the previous four legs. His composed execution of a 76 finish positioned him on the brink of claiming the coveted trophy.

A tense moment then ensued in the 19th leg as Van den Bergh paused, eliciting anticipation from Humphries and the audience, creating a brief silence on the oche as he gathered his composure.

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Van den Bergh's missed opportunities, totalling five match darts, could have been pivotal, especially when Humphries countered with an impressive 68 finish off the bullseye to narrow the gap once more. 

In yet another crucial moment, a sixth missed dart in the subsequent leg proved costly for Van den Bergh as Humphries capitalised, forcing the game into a tense one-leg shootout. Despite holding a commanding lead, Van den Bergh would have been disappointed to let the opportunity slip, especially with darts in hand to claim the prestigious title.