BUDAPEST — Gian van Veen delivered a finishing masterclass to whitewash home crowd favourite Nandor Major in the second round of the 2026 Hungarian Darts Trophy on Saturday evening. The Dutchman was in imperious form, leaving the Hungarian qualifier with no answer as the seeded stars began their campaigns in the Hungarian capital.
The evening session saw eight matches from 18:00 BST, with a host of big names entering the fray. Luke Humphries, Michael van Gerwen, Nathan Aspinall, Stephen Bunting, Jonny Clayton and Josh Rock all began their tournaments, while Joe Cullen looked to build on Friday's win. Hungarian qualifiers Laszlo Kadar and Nandor Major returned in front of the home crowd, but Major's night ended in disappointment against a rampant Van Veen.
Van Veen's clinical finishing was the talk of the arena as he swept aside Major without dropping a leg, a result that will send a warning to the rest of the field. The whitewash was a stark contrast to the earlier afternoon session, which saw Gary Anderson average over 105 and Rob Cross battle through as the reigning champion exited.
With the last 16 now taking shape, the tournament is wide open. Humphries and Van Gerwen will be among the favourites, but Van Veen's display suggests he is ready to challenge the established order. The Hungarian Darts Trophy continues through the weekend, with more drama expected as the competition heats up in Budapest.
