One of the world's top darts players stars in the Runcorn Darts League for Runcorn Linnets!
And Stephen Bunting is the toast of his APEC Taxis Stadium team-mates after yesterday nailing his first World Series title by winning the Bahrain Masters.
He scored an impressive eight sets to four victory over Gerwyn Price, the Welsh thrower who had knocked out the newly-crowned, Runcorn-born World Champion Luke Littler in the quarter-finals.
But despite his global fame, 39-year-old Stephen still plays locally.
In Runcorn, he represents Linnets in the top division of the Geoff Jones Darts League, which is named in memory of a stalwart former league secretary.
A team spokesman said: "He's a normal one of the lads when he can get down to play for us. Toby, his son, also plays.
"He's got friends in the Runcorn Linnets team and will always try to get down to play but his busy schedule limits his appearances."
Stephen is part of the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) scene and his progress in the last 12 months has seen him soar up their world rankings to fifth.
He is only the third winner of the Bahrain event, which in 2024 was won by Luke Littler.
En route to beating Welshman Price in the final, Stephen had whitewashed Chris Dobey 6-0 at the last-eight stage and another fellow Englishman, 2024 World Champion Luke Humphries 7-6 in the semis.
He'll be competing against both in the Premier League, which gets under way on Thursday, February 6th.
The Bahrain Masters saw Liverpool-born Stephen, who lives in St Helens, back in World Series action after an 11-year absence.
His success continues a fine run of form after becoming a second-time semi-finalist in the 2025 PDC World Championship - having first done so in 2021. He this time lost out to eventual winner Littler.
Nicknamed "The Bullet", Stephen already numbered the 2024 PDC Masters crown among his five titles run by the UK-based professional darts organisation, which is chaired by leading sports promoter Eddie Hearn.
The PDC was formed in 1992, a breakaway from the British Darts Organisation (BDO) creating what was originally known as the World Darts Council (WDC).
Stephen had been part of the BDO from 2002-2014, winning its World Championship in his final year after lifting the World Masters in 2012 and 2013.
Speaking to ITV after his Bahrain triumph in Sakhir, Stephen said: "I am lost for words. I am playing the best I have ever played, I am more consistent.
"Being world No. 5 is an incredible feeling and it has made me very strong to be honest."
Stephen's Runcorn Linnets team is one of two based at the APEC. The other is Linnets Chuckers in Section Five.
The club recently staged its first open darts tournament with the sport's Luke Littler-inspired boom seeing players of all ages and varying experience taking part.
The youngest participant was just seven years old. A 14-year-old reached the semis with the competition bringing a high standard of throwing throughout.
It was won by Beechwood player Callum Ward. Event organiser and Linnets fan, Paul Carr - a colleague of Littler in top-flight Runcorn League team Bogey Flickers - was runner-up.
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