White goes close again in Graz!

Team Unicorn star Ian White continued his excellent run of form as he was by edged out by World no.1 Michael Van Gerwen 8-7 in the Austrian Darts Open final in Graz on Sunday night.

White took an early 3-1 lead as he followed up two 14-darters with a 138 checkout, only for Van Gerwen to win three in a row and move 4-3 up.

The pair then traded the next four legs before a 13-dart break of throw from Van Gerwen saw him open up a 7-5 lead and move to the brink of victory.

Legs of 14 and 15 darts from White saw him take the contest all the way, but Van Gerwen - with the advantage of throw - produced a brilliant 13-darter to secure yet another triumph.

White had followed up Saturday's win over Jamie Hughes with a big 6-1 win over Keegan Brown in round three, and landed a ten-darter during his quarter-final with Steve Beaton before sealing a 6-2 win with a 126 bullseye finish.

White then defeated stablemate James Wade 7-4 in the semi-finals, with the first eight legs being shared before the left-hander's miss at tops allowed him in for a key 11-darter before he pulled clear.

"It's been a good weekend again," said White. "I had my chance of winning it but you know what Michael's like, he'll take it out.

"We were both in the final last week and this week and I hope we can get a few more fights on the oche together in finals. It would be nice."

Wade's run to the semi-finals surpassed his quarter-final appearance in March's European Darts Open, as he defeated Premier League rivals Mensur Suljovic and Gerwyn Price on Sunday before coming unstuck against White, who has now made back-to-back finals on the European Tour and is closing in on a return to the World's Top 10.

The PDC European Tour continues next weekend with the European Darts Grand Prix from May 10-12 at the Glaspalast in Sindelfingen, where 48 players will be competing for £140,000 in prize money.