This past weekend in the Czech Republic, Dirk van Duijvenbode introduced a groundbreaking approach to achieving a 126 finish, marking a first in the history of the PDC.
The Dutchman caught everyone by surprise, as no player had previously attempted this particular route under the PDC banner. And it’s easy to see why: the strategy is far from conventional. Normally, when an opponent is on a finish, unconventional approaches are considered an absolute no-go. However, Van Duijvenbode had the luxury of taking aim while Cor Dekker still had over 200 points remaining.
This freedom allowed him to think outside the box. Typically, triple 19 is the preferred starting point, as a single 19 combined with a triple 19 guarantees a dart on the bull. Hitting two triple 19s, therefore, is rarely necessary, leaving double 6 as the finishing option. Another common route involves starting with triple 20—but missing into the single 20 on the first dart can make a finish impossible in that turn.
Van Duijvenbode, however, had a different plan—and executed it successfully. He became the first player to clear 126 in this unique way, leaving the commentator momentarily recalculating, though Aubergenius correctly identified the score. This remarkable feat was just the opening move in Van Duijvenbode’s 6-4 victory over Cor Dekker, the Norway-born Dutchman.