Stephen Bunting has woken up on Monday morning as a PDC major champion for the first time, after defeating Michael van Gerwen in the Cazoo Masters Final in Milton Keynes.
Bunting, who was a BDO world champion before defecting to the PDC ten years ago, came out on top by a score of 11-7 in Sunday night's final. In doing so, he picked up a rare win against MVG, with the Dutchman having won 22 of their previous 26 meetings.
As Bunting celebrated victory on the stage, he was joined by his son Toby and the presence of the youngster didn't go unnoticed by Van Gerwen, despite the disappointment of defeat.
As he walked away with his runner-up prize, Toby caught the eye of the three-time world champion, and he made sure to return to the centre of the stage to shake the young man's hand.
Darts fans have praised MVG's actions online, while sharing their delight at Bunting finally breaking his PDC duck.
BUNTING HAS FINALLY DONE IT! 🏆
STEPHEN BUNTING DEFEATS MICHAEL VAN GERWEN TO WIN HIS FIRST EVER PDC TELEVISED TITLE!
IT'S TIME TO GO BUNTING MENTAL! pic.twitter.com/umVO7RJ3jJ— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) February 4, 2024
Stephen Bunting wins first PDC major
The 38-year-old is a real fans' favourite and he appeared emotional in his post-match interview, in which he said the following:
“I’m lost for words. To do it front of a crowd that were chanting my name from the minute I stepped foot in Milton Keynes means so much to me.
I’m really happy. This just shows my hard work is paying off, and it’s a great start to the season. Hopefully I can push on from this.
“My main aim when I moved over from the BDO was to win big titles, but you’re playing the best of the best, and you’re going to be pushed all the way.
“Michael is a multiple World Champion. He’s a fantastic player. I’ve beaten Luke Humphries this weekend, and I’ve beaten Peter Wright and Nathan Aspinall - all Premier League players.
“That is where I want to get my game back to so let’s see what happens in the future, but I really think I deserve this trophy.”
It wasn’t a dream. Honestly woke up every hour through the night to keep checking the trophy was still there.
So proud of my performances this weekend. I would just like to thank all the fans, my family, management and all my sponsors. Without you guys this would never be… pic.twitter.com/lmfnsAKTPd— Stephen Bunting (@sbunting180) February 5, 2024
Stephen Bunting celebrates victory
Bunting also delighted fans on Monday, with a picture of himself lying in bed with his trophy, a pose that has become a favourite of sports stars following major successes.
With the 2024 darts year still in its infancy, there's still plenty of time for Bunting to add to his collection over the next 12 months.
See Also: Wayne Mardle Criticises Michael Van Gerwen For Luke Littler Comments
