Patrik Kovacs produced one of the biggest surprises on the opening day of the 2026 German Darts Grand Prix at the Zenith Arena in Munich, claiming his very first European Tour win with a stunning 6-3 victory over former Masters champion Joe Cullen. The 29-year-old Hungarian, who had failed to win a single match in his previous seven European Tour appearances, sealed the upset thanks to consecutive winning legs, delivering instant drama at the fourth Euro Tour event of the season.
Afterwards, a visibly emotional Kovacs reflected on his achievement in an on-stage interview, stating, "It's unbelievable! I tried to play my game. I was really nervous, it's incredible to win here." He acknowledged that Cullen wasn't at his best, adding, "Joe [Cullen] didn't play his best game, and I hit my doubles, I'm really happy." The win marked a personal milestone for Kovacs, who said, "It's the first time I have won a game on the European Tour, it was my dream to win a game here."
With this victory, Kovacs also made history by becoming the first Hungarian to win a match on the European Tour outside his home country. His reward for the upset is a meeting with former European champion Ross Smith, where he will again step to the oche as the underdog.
