Darts: Ritchie Edhouse wins European Championship by beating Jermaine Wattimena
Ritchie ‘Madhouse’ Edhouse secured the biggest win of his career with an 11-3 defeat of Jermaine Wattimena to take the European Championship title.
The tournament featured 28 of the world’s top 32 players, but a series of shocks saw two outsiders in the final.
England’s world number 39 Edhouse seized his chance with a convincing victory over 40th-ranked Dutchman Wattimena in Dortmund.
“It’s unbelievable, it will change my life. Confidence breeds confidence and I’m now hungry for more,” said Edhouse, 41, after collecting the £120,000 first prize and his first major title.
Edhouse defeated two-time world champion Gary Anderson 10-5 in the quarter-finals while Wattimena stunned world number one Luke Humphries 10-4.
Rated a 250-1 outsider by bookmakers before the tournament, it was another shock victor after Mike de Decker won the World Grand Prix two weeks ago.
Edhouse trailed 3-2 in the final but rattled off nine successive legs and his average of 90.55 proved enough as victory was sealed with a 144 checkout.
He kicked off the tournament with a stunning 109.48 average in a 6-1 demolition of Gian van Veen.
The Basildon-born thrower overturned a 4-1 deficit to beat world number two Michael Smith in Saturday’s second round.
Edhouse now moves into the world’s top 32 for the first time, climbing ten places to a career-high of 29th while also securing qualification for November’s Grand Slam of Darts.
Wattimena also sealed his place in Wolverhampton, dumping out four TV title winners on his way to the final.
