Luke Woodhouse hits 9-darter to defeat Dirk van Duijvenbode

Luke Woodhouse opened the 2026 European Darts Championship in Dortmund with a historic performance, hitting a 9-darter during his opening match. The Englishman achieved the perfect leg in the third leg of the game, finishing with a 141 checkout via triple 20, triple 19, and double 12.

Woodhouse went on to defeat Dirk van Duijvenbode with a 6-3 victory. This marks the fifth time a 9-darter has been recorded in the history of the European Championship, and the first in six years.

Other notable results from the opening round included Stephen Bunting defeating Danny Noppert in a deciding leg, Cameron Menzies upsetting Niels Zonneveld 6-3, and Gerwyn Price securing a 6-2 win over Rob Cross.