BRANSGORE ace Scott Mitchell showed no hangover from his dramatic Grand Slam of Darts exit as he bounced back with a bang to win the BDO’s Czech Open.

The Dorset star saw off a field of more than 800 competitors to record the 20th ranking title of his career, beating Welshman Martin Phillips 6-3 in the final.

Mitchell, who agonisingly crashed out of the Grand Slam with a 5-4 group defeat to Stephen Bunting last week, said he felt “refreshed” having spent a couple of days away from the oche in the build-up to the event in Prague.

The 47-year-old told the Daily Echo: “I felt totally more relaxed at the weekend. I felt I had nothing to prove.

“The disappointment of last week and losing to Stephen meant I was a little apprehensive when I went.

“I have to be honest, I had a couple of days where I didn’t touch a dart when I came back from the Grand Slam because I didn’t feel like throwing.

“But then I was really keen to get going again on Saturday. It was really nice to just put the darts down for a couple of days to feel refreshed.

“The rest did me good and my game showed it. I beat some really good players by some really good amounts.”

Mitchell’s path to glory at the BDO tournament was a difficult one.

He overcame Michael Unterbuchner 4-1 in the last 16 after the German had recorded a nine-darter during his previous round.

That win booked Mitchell’s place in the quarter-final where he beat two-time Lakeside World champion Scott Waites 4-1.

And despite riding his luck in a 5-4 semi-final win over Holland’s Derk Telnekes, Mitchell held his nerve in the final to claim the crown.

“I was really pleased to come through a run of games like that but it is what you have to do to win these things,” he added.

“Every tournament you win, you have to ride your luck somewhere. Derk had three darts to knock me out and he missed them.

“I rode my luck in that game. Maybe I should have lost it but then you think your name is on the trophy when you have that bit of luck.”