Northern Ireland's Josh Rock secured his first European Tour title in nearly two years with an 8-6 victory over Kevin Doets at the Austrian Darts Open. The 25-year-old from Broughshane clinched the £35,000 top prize and the iconic green jacket, quipping, "I'm just happy that two Northern Irishmen got a green jacket this year."

Rock's path to glory included five straight wins in Graz, starting with a 7-3 semifinal win over Daryl Gurney and a tense 14-dart final leg against Doets. He survived three match darts against Niko Springer earlier in the tournament and edged out Patrik Kovacs in the quarter-finals. Reflecting on his journey, Rock said, "I made my first final here in 2023 and was determined to win it this year after losing to Martin Schindler last year."

Doets, a Dutch powerhouse, pushed Rock to the brink with an 11-darter and a 170 checkout, leveling the final at 6-6. However, Rock's 78 checkout and clutch performance sealed his comeback. He acknowledged Doets' dominance this season, stating, "Kevin's been unbelievable, proving it by winning his first ProTour title."

The win cements Rock's resurgence and intensifies the rivalry with Doets, who remains a rising star. With the European Tour's competitive landscape heating up, Rock's triumph signals his return as a title contender.