By Olly Powell
Following the 2025 World Grand Prix final in Leicester, we looked at the past five finals, won by five different players, and how they’ve played out in this unique tournament format.
The only PDC event that uses the ‘double in, double out’ format, the Grand Prix provides plenty of opportunity for upsets alongside some miscellaneous darts with misses at the double slowing the typical high-paced level the world’s best put on display (as Luke Littler and Gerwyn Price demonstrated).
The final has now become best of 11 sets, something brought in place before last year’s event, so lets see how the previous five have played out following Luke Littler’s triumph in this years’ edition.
2020: Gerwyn Price 5-2 Dirk Van Duijvenbode
Gerwyn Price captured his only Grand Prix title to date in a one-off version of the event held at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry, with Covid-19 meaning no fans were able to attend.
‘The Iceman’ controlled a comfortable victory against debutant Van Duijvenbode, who not only reached his first ever televised final but became just the third man to reach the Grand Prix final on his first attempt, alongside Phil Taylor and Rod Harrington.
Price, who was world number one at the time, closed out the final with a 102 checkout and only needed an 88.19 average to win the match, the lowest in a Grand Prix final since 2012.
The big Dutchman had opportunities to push Price, with a missed dart at tops in the fifth set allowing his opponent to capitalise and take a 4-1 set lead.
The Welshman went on to claim the World Championship title just three months later, capping off what is widely considered the ‘peak’ era of Gerwyn Price.
2021: Jonny Clayton 5-1 Gerwyn Price
The reigning champion Gerwyn Price went the distance a year later, in the first edition of the World Grand Prix at the now-named Mattioli Arena in Leicester, however his Welsh compatriot Jonny Clayton emphatically squashed any chance of the title being retained.
The ferret showed off some of his very best stuff in a thrashing of Price to claim the 2021 title, with a 116-checkout sealing the victory.
A 92.47 average in a 5-1 loss from The Iceman can only speak to the heights Clayton managed in the match, incredibly capturing ‘the big fish’ followed by a 164 in consecutive legs in the third set, one with Clayton went on to win.
Price’s only set came in the fourth, with an 0-3 hole at that stage proving too much for the reigning champ to rescue.
The first all-Welsh major PDC final also signified Clayton’s first major ranking title, with previous victories in the Premier League, Masters and World Cup (alongside the man he beat) not contributing to rankings at the time.
2022: Michael Van Gerwen 5-3 Nathan Aspinall
It will come at no surprise that this wasn’t Mighty Mike’s first time laying his hands on the Grand Prix trophy.
Already a five-time winner, Van Gerwen stormed into a four-set advantage in the game to reclaim his first Grand Prix title in three years.
However, in keeping with his reputation, ‘The Asp’ Nathan Aspinall dug in and fought back with three straight sets to chase what would’ve been a second televised title following his UK Open victory in 2019.
Aspinall even had two darts at double to level the game up, before double six was the major number for Van Gerwen to collect his sixth World Grand Prix title.
2022 also saw the prize money increase for the event, with £600,000 on offer, £120,000 of which went to the Dutch champion.
2023: Luke Humphries 5-2 Gerwyn Price
The World Grand Prix in 2023 will always be the catalyst major event in the career of Luke Humphries.
Years of ‘almost’ performances from Cool Hand were finally put to bed in Leicester as he claimed his first of now eight major titles.
Humphries battled through a cagey but high-quality first five sets to lead 3-2, before kicking on and living up to the nickname by pinning double 12 and finally becoming a major honour winner.
It’s a celebration well-worth watching, as a player who’s become expected to contend for every title shows just what it means to see hard work pay off.
The Grand Prix title in October was only the beginning for Humphries, as he delivered on the biggest stage months later laying his hands on the most coveted prize at Alexandra Palace.
2024: Mike De Decker 6-4 Luke Humphries
The biggest surprise entry on the list, Mike De Decker defied the odds to beat the reigning champion and World Championship holder Luke Humphries and claim his first major title.
In the first year of the redesigned final format, De Decker left Cool Hand in a rut through sets two to five, storming into a 4-1 advantage in a first to six sets chase.
However, De Decker felt the heat of a champion, with Humphries pushing the match to all square on four sets, but the Belgian was more than good value for his victory with a staggering 16 180’s nailed.
Only the second Belgian to win a major PDC title, De Decker proved the successes of the World Grand Prix format, offering plenty of twists and turns and a massive impetus on momentum.