Stephen Bunting clinches title in 2025 Bahrain Darts Masters at BIC

TDT | Manama

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Stephen Bunting from England was this evening crowned champion of the 2025 Bahrain Darts Masters at Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) in Sakhir.

Bunting, the World Number Five a former Masters Champion, secured the title after defeating World Number Nine and 2021 World Champion Gerwyn Price of Wales 8-4 in a hugely exciting final, played in front of a sold-out and energetic crowd that packed the BIC Dome.

Following the title-decider, which was played best-of-15 legs, Bunting was presented with the tournament’s glittering champion’s trophy, molded in the form of a palm tree.

BIC chief executive Shaikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa and CBX CEO Carlo Boutagy were on hand for the awarding.

Bunting has now joined recently crowned World Champion and last year’s victor in the Kingdom, Luke Littler, and Michael Smith as champions in the Bahrain Darts Masters.

In this evening’s exciting final, Bunting took a 4-1 lead, but Price won the next two legs and got back to within one. Bunting replied with back-to-back legs for a commanding 6-3 advantage, but Price stayed alive with the ensuing leg. But Bunting was not to be denied, taking the next two in style to close things out for his historic victory.

Bunting was first to secure his place in the title affair, edging past 2024 World Champion Luke Humphries 7-6 in a nail-biting semi-final encounter. In the other contest of the last four, Price defeated former two-time World Champion Peter Wright 7-4 in their best-of-13 meeting to book his place in the championship match.

Earlier this evening, in the best-of-11 legs quarter-finals, Bunting powered past fellow-Bahrain Darts Masters debutant Chris Dobey 6-0, and Price outclassed Littler 6-2. Humphries was a narrow 6-5 victor against Nathan Aspinall, while Wright ended the dream run of Asian representative Paolo Nebrida of the Philippines in a 6-4 triumph.

The Bahrain Darts Masters was organised by BIC and sports promoter CBX, and is supported by Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority. 

This year’s event marked the third edition of the prestigious competition, which this year was held as the first round of the 2025 PDC World Series of Darts.