By Alex Moss

18 JUNE 2017 • 10:11PM

Geert de Vos was crowned England Open champion for the first time after beating Mark McGeeney 9-5 in the final this evening.

The Belgian, who lost out to Stephen Bunting in the final four years ago, scooped the £5,000 top prize as he came through a field of close to 500 players to win the title at Bunn Leisure, in Selsey today.

The ninth seed’s route to glory began with victories over Anthony Allen (4-1), Colin Littlecott (4-2) and Ollie King (4-0), before a 4-2 triumph against Peter Allen set up a clash with last year’s England National Championship runner-up Dennis Harbour in the last 16.

A 4-2 win over Harbour sent de Vos through to the quarter-finals and the televised stages of the open event, where he checked out 130 on the bullseye to beat Kyle McKinstry 5-4.

The semi-finals proved to be a more comfortable task for de Vos, as he beat England National Championship winner Scott Mitchell’s conqueror Derk Telnekes 5-1, before seeing off McGeeney 9-5 in the decider.

Lorraine Winstanley picked up her first England Open ladies title after edging out recent World Trophy winner Aileen de Graaf 6-5 in the final.

Winstanley added to her triumphs in the HAL Masters and Welsh Open this year by adding a maiden England Open title to her collection of tournament victories so far in 2017.

Picture: England Darts Organisation

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