Luke Woodhouse hits nine-darter in European Championship victory

Luke Woodhouse secured a place in the quarter-finals of the European Championship in Dortmund after defeating Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-3. During the match, Woodhouse electrified the crowd by hitting a nine-darter, checking out 141 on double twelve to take a 3-1 lead.

Woodhouse attributed his success to maintaining emotional neutrality and not allowing his opponent to regain momentum. He noted that while he has always possessed the talent, managing his reactions to missed darts has been a key part of his recent progression.

Other notable results from the tournament opening included Gerwyn Price advancing with a 99.26 average and Cameron Menzies defeating Niels Zonneveld 6-3. In a significant upset, Damon Heta overcame a 5-3 deficit to defeat James Wade 6-5 after Wade missed four matchdarts.