FINISHING second to Peter Wright at the Coral UK Open has given Gwent darts ace Gerwyn Price a huge confidence boost.

Price reached his first major final in Minehead before losing 11-6 to the colourful Scot.

PDC world number 17 Price, who turns 32 today, fought back from 7-2 down to trail 8-6, but Wright pulled clear again to claim the £70,000 top prize.

“It was my first TV final and it means a lot to me,” said Markham's Price. “I was a bit nervous up there, but Peter played brilliantly all weekend and he was the deserved winner.

“It’s given me a lot of confidence and it’s good to have a good run. Sometimes on the stage I try too hard and try to put too much effort in and put too much pressure on myself.

“Against Justin (Pipe) I played really well and it stemmed from there. I think if I played half as well as I did against Justin and Paul Hogan in the final maybe I’d have had a better chance.

“There was one turning point where Peter took out 86 and I was on 83, and maybe at the break if I was 8-7 down it’s a different game, but at 9-6 in a first to 11 it’s tough to claw back.”

Price, who took home a cheque for £32,000, beat Pipe, David Pallett and Hogan to reach the last eight at the Butlins Minehead Resort in Somerset.

The Welshman then snatched a dramatic victory over Ian White with a 160 checkout, before edging past Alan Norris 11-9 in the semi-finals.

Finishes of 110 and 104 helped Wright into an early 3-0 lead in the final.

He extended that to 7-2 but Price claimed four of the next five legs to rally and reduce the gap to 8-6.

However, a key 86 checkout from Wright proved crucial as he went three clear.

The world number three then clinched the title by winning the next two legs, including an 85 checkout on the bull to seal an 11-6 triumph.

Meanwhile, Price will make his debut on the PDC World Series of Darts circuit this year after the fields for the opening three events in Dubai, Shanghai and Las Vegas were confirmed.