Luke Littler secured victory at the Saudi Arabia Darts Masters yesterday, defeating Michael van Gerwen in the final to pocket the £30,000 top prize, before later saying he was 'gutted'.
The triumph represents the Warrington teenager's first tournament success since claiming the World Championship title earlier this month.
The world No 1, who celebrates his 19th birthday today, bounced back impressively following an early exit at the Bahrain Masters.
Despite the win, Littler confessed he wasn't completely satisfied with how the tournament unfolded.
TRENDING
Stories
Videos
Your Say
Van Gerwen found himself trailing 4-0 early in the final, a deficit that proved too difficult to overcome against the in-form teenager.
The Dutchman posted an average of 101.79 during the match but managed only two maximum 180s compared to Littler's six.
The 36-year-old acknowledged his opponent's dominance throughout the competition.
Luke Littler secured victory at the Saudi Arabia Darts Masters yesterday, defeating Michael van Gerwen in the final to pocket the £30,000 top prize, before later saying he was 'gutted'
|GETTY
Littler revealed his disappointment stemmed from the absence of a nine-darter throughout the entire event.
Saudi organisers had introduced a novel bonus structure, offering £75,000 to any player who achieved the perfect leg, with an additional £75,000 available for hitting the bullseye with a tenth dart.
Littler admitted the prize money weighed heavily on competitors' minds during every match.
LATEST SPORTS NEWS:
Five things to know about Luke Littler | PA"Obviously it's on everyone's minds," he said.
"All the players know what's up for grabs so if you get the first treble and then miss, you are gutted."
The teenager expressed hope that the feat might be accomplished in future editions of the tournament.
"But hopefully we can come back next year and someone can hit a nine-darter," he added.
The unclaimed bonus meant players left a potential £150,000 on the table during the Saudi competition.
Littler revealed plans to mark his birthday with a short break in Dubai alongside his family and girlfriend Faith Millar.
Luke Littler and Michael van Gerwen were all smiles after their match in Saudi Arabia
|GETTY
"Obviously, I'm celebrating my birthday tomorrow," he said. "I'm going over to Dubai with my family and girlfriend to have three days off."
The three-day trip offers the teenage sensation a chance to relax before returning to competitive action.
Van Gerwen, meanwhile, offered a gracious assessment of his defeat despite the frustrating start to the final.
"Being 4-0 down at the beginning of the game didn't really help me but I always keep fighting," the Dutchman said.
The former world champion praised his young rival's performance across the tournament.
"Fair play to him. He had a fantastic tournament. Sometimes you have to take it on the chin and move on," Van Gerwen added.