Stephen Bunting has finally broken his Premier League Darts duck, securing his first win of the 2025 campaign in Berlin on Thursday night.
The Bullet defeated Nathan Aspinall to end a frustrating run of eight consecutive losses in this year's competition.
It was a moment of sweet relief for the world number five, who has been rooted to the bottom of the Premier League standings throughout the tournament.
The Bullet raised the roof in Berlin with both his walk-on and performance at the oche as he secured victory against Aspinall.
Stephen Bunting finally ended his Premier League hoodoo
PA
It was a decisive D8 finish that made all the difference as Bunting ended his losing streak on the biggest stage.
Glen Durrant, commentating for Sky Sports, noted: "The smile on his face, the engagement with the crowd - his head and his shoulders have been down a little bit, almost like he was feeling a little embarrassed."
Bunting's struggles in the Premier League date back to his first appearance in the competition a decade ago.
"The Premier League 10 years ago sort of killed me," Bunting revealed. "When I got dropped, it was such a bitter pill to swallow."
His 2015 relegation clearly left deep scars, despite his belief that he didn't deserve to be dropped after finishing eighth.
Prior to tonight's breakthrough, Bunting had lost all eight fixtures of his 2025 Premier League campaign.
The turnaround in Bunting's career has been attributed to his work with hypnotherapist Chris O'Connor.
The 39-year-old revealed that coping mechanisms developed during these sessions have provided the foundation for his emergence as one of the world's best players.
This mental fortitude has helped Bunting rebuild his career following the disappointment of his Premier League relegation in 2015.
Nathan Aspinall was beaten by Stephen Bunting in Berlin
PA
The hypnotherapy appears to have given him the resilience to compete at the highest level once again.
Despite his winless run, Bunting had remained confident that success was imminent.
"I honestly cannot wait to get my first win," he had said before the Berlin event. "I know it [the floodgates] will [open]."
Bunting's confidence was bolstered by strong performances on the ProTour, where he averaged 103 across five games at Tuesday's Players Championship 10.
LATEST SPORTS NEWS:
- Jose Mourinho's maddest moments after Fenerbahce boss grabbed nose of rival manager with ban set to follow
- Luke Littler beats Phil Taylor in official first-ever 'match-up' - though not how you might think
- Premier League icon, 65, learning to walk again after rare condition left him paralysed from waist down
Bunting is off the mark! 🙌#PLDarts | @sbunting180 pic.twitter.com/YtyCJxbG7O
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) April 3, 2025
"I've been happy with my performances; my scoring has been good," he noted.
Fans quickly took to social media to celebrate Bunting's long-awaited victory.
"Made up for Bunting. Only took him two months to win a match but he got there in the end," wrote one supporter.
Another posted: "Buzzing for Bunting there. Deserved that. He's not been playing poorly either!"
"Great performance from Bunting to silence the haters," shared a third fan.
The victory was particularly sweet for his German supporters, with Bunting having previously noted: "The fanbase I've got here in Germany is great."