Stephen Bunting beats Gian van Veen 6-2 to win night four in Belfast
stephen bunting claimed victory on night four of the 2026 Premier League Darts in Belfast, defeating Gian van Veen 6-2 in the final to secure his first points of the campaign. The result carried extra weight after Josh Rock produced the competition’s first nine-darter of the season in front of a home crowd at the SSE Arena.
Final: Stephen Bunting 6-2 Gian van Veen
Bunting closed the night with a 6-2 win over Gian van Veen to lift the night-four title. For stephen bunting that win came after a sequence of knockout victories across the evening, giving him his opening points of the 2026 Premier League Darts season.
Semi-finals: Clayton 0-6 Bunting and Price 5-6 Van Veen
The semi-finals produced a contrast of scorelines. Jonny Clayton was whitewashed 0-6 by Bunting, while Nathaniel (Nate) or Price — listed in the evening’s results as Price — edged Gian van Veen 6-5, setting up the final between Bunting and Van Veen.
Quarter-finals: Littler 3-6 Clayton, Bunting 6-4 Humphries, Van Gerwen 5-6 Price, Van Veen 6-2 Rock
Earlier in the night the quarter-finals produced tight contests and notable eliminations. Luke Littler lost 3-6 to Jonny Clayton; Bunting beat Luke Humphries 6-4 to move through; Michael van Gerwen was narrowly defeated 5-6 by Price; and Gian van Veen overcame Josh Rock 6-2.
Josh Rock nails first Premier League nine-darter at the SSE Arena
Josh Rock, performing in front of a home Belfast crowd at the SSE Arena, produced the first Premier League nine-darter of the season. The landmark moment came on a night when Rock also lost a match 6-2 and remains at the bottom of the league table.
Player reaction and preparation: comments to Sky Sports
Speaking to Sky Sports after the final, Bunting framed his turnaround in personal and practical terms, telling broadcasters he had worked hard and benefited from support away from public scrutiny. He said he had stepped off social media, had a strong team around him and underwent hypnotherapy at 8am on the day of the event. Bunting also referenced family life, saying he has a one-year-old son at home and that the fans in Belfast had helped pull him through a difficult spell.
He spoke of coming "out of that dark cloud" and added: "These are the nights I play for. Thank you — you dragged me through tonight. " He also expressed belief in his place in the Premier League and confidence in his standard of play.
What this means for the table and the tour: next stop Utilita Arena, Cardiff on 5 March
The evening moved the standings as Bunting collected his first points of the 2026 Premier League Darts season, while Rock remained bottom following another 6-2 defeat despite achieving a nine-darter. Organizers have scheduled night five for 5 March at Cardiff's Utilita Arena, where the tour will reconvene.
A Sky Sports live blog intended to cover the night was temporarily unavailable during the event, though television coverage and on-site commentary continued. The SSE Arena crowd left with a clear impression: a fan favourite in Stephen Bunting had returned to winning form, and the night produced both high drama and decisive results across the card.
