On Friday in Prague, Beau Greaves secured the first-ever women’s victory in the history of the PDC European Tour. Having been narrowly beaten by Rob Cross a week earlier, she this time defeated Daryl Gurney 6-4 in the first round of the 2026 ČEZ Czech Darts Open. This is no longer just a fine performance, but a real milestone for the future.
The context makes the result all the more significant. Greaves was coming off a frustrating start to her European campaign in Hungary, where her average of 104.88 had not been enough against Cross. In Prague, she found a way to win a tougher match – one that was less fluid at the start, but far more significant in terms of gauging her progress on the PDC circuit.
Greaves upsets Gurney at the Czech Darts Open
According to the PDC’s official match report, Greaves initially found herself trailing 3–1 after Daryl Gurney hit a 144 checkout. It was a stark reminder: the Northern Irishman had already beaten her at the 2025/26 World Championship with that very same finish in the same match.
This time, Greaves did not let history repeat itself. She won three legs in succession with 14, 13 and 11 darts to take a 4-3 lead, before holding her nerve in a tense finish. Gurney drew level, but Greaves regained the throw at the perfect moment, then finished with a double 1 to turn the evening around.
| Tournament | ČEZ Czech Darts Open 2026 |
| Venue | PVA Expo, Prague |
| Match | Beau Greaves beats Daryl Gurney |
| Score | 6–4 |
| Next | Second round against Luke Humphries |
Why this victory really matters
The raw statistics don’t tell the whole story. Greaves didn’t just win an opening match: she became the first female player to win a match on the European Tour, fifteen years after the circuit was founded. For a player who is already a dominant force on the women’s circuit – a three-time Women’s World Matchplay champion – this is a different kind of affirmation. She achieved it against an established player, in a short-format match, whilst under the pressure of a recent victory in Budapest.
In comments reported by the PDC, Greaves admitted to having been nervous at the start, before explaining that the victory did her a world of good. This detail matters, because the issue isn’t just her standard of play. We were already aware of her standard. The question was whether she could turn those averages into victories on that stage, against players who are used to these tight finishes.
Sky Sports also emphasised the historic significance of this victory and the revenge taken against Gurney, who had beaten her at the World Championships. The narrative thus becomes more compelling: Greaves isn’t just ticking a symbolic box; she’s also settling a score from a previous clash that had eluded her on a major stage.
Humphries is hot on her heels
The draw adds another layer to the story. As we explained in our round-up of the 2026 Czech Darts Open draw, the winner of this match was set to face Luke Humphries. Greaves will therefore face one of the toughest tests in the draw straight away, taking on the defending champion in Prague and the world number two.
She said it herself: against Humphries, she’ll have to play better. That’s precisely what makes the rest of the tournament so interesting. The victory over Gurney has put Greaves firmly in the tournament, but the next match will determine just how far this breakthrough can go right now. For Prague, it’s already the highlight of Saturday’s action.
Things to watch out for now: Greaves’ ability to replicate this form against Humphries, but also the reaction of the draw around Luke Littler, who is set to kick off his campaign against Niko Springer. The Czech Darts Open has only just begun, and it’s already producing some thrilling moments.
