Luke Humphries' form dip persisted as he bowed out in the last‑16 of the Players Championship 9 in Wigan, losing 6‑4 to Andrew Gilding. The defeat came just four days after Humphries' quarter‑final loss to Jonny Clayton in Brighton, a result that had already put his Premier League final hopes in doubt.
Gilding, the 22‑year‑old who earlier knocked out Raymond van Barneveld and Premier League leader Clayton, continued his breakthrough by beating Beau Greaves 6‑3, becoming the first woman to reach a PDC ProTour quarter‑final. His run ended with a 7‑1 semi‑final loss to eventual champion Chris Dobey.
Dobey secured his second title of 2026 with an 8‑4 victory over Justin Hood, collecting the £15,000 prize. En route he dispatched Luke Woodhouse 6‑1 in the last‑16 and Richard Veenstra 6‑3 in the quarters. The Englishman posted ton‑plus averages throughout, culminating in a 105.28 average in the final, just ahead of Hood's 102.91. "The way I've been playing throughout the year, I'm hoping to pick up more titles," Dobey said. "It's hard just to win one of these, so to win ten is a great feeling… I just want to start doing it on TV and picking up some European Tour titles."
Wigan also witnessed a nine‑dart finish when Thomas Lovely produced a perfect leg in his third‑round loss to Woodhouse.
It is surprising that Chris Dobey's dominance was not reflected in a massive margin; his 105.28 average was only a narrow edge over Justin Hood's 102.91, yet Dobey secured a comfortable 8‑4 win. The slim statistical gap suggests that Dobey's consistency, rather than occasional brilliance, was the decisive factor.
Dobey's ability to maintain ton‑plus averages across four consecutive matches – 6‑1 over Woodhouse, 6‑3 over Veenstra, 7‑1 over Gilding and 8‑4 in the final – signals a rising level of steadiness that could translate into deeper runs on televised European Tour events, a goal he explicitly mentioned. Meanwhile, Andrew Gilding's historic quarter‑final appearance for women's darts, after beating Beau Greaves, highlights the expanding competitiveness of the PDC circuit.
For Nigerian darts enthusiasts, Gilding's breakthrough offers a compelling narrative of under‑dog success that may inspire greater local interest and participation. While no Nigerian player featured, the visibility of such milestones can boost viewership and encourage aspiring players in Nigeria to follow the sport more closely.
Looking ahead, Dobey's ambition to claim TV titles will be tested at the next Players Championship, while Humphries must reverse his recent slump if he hopes to keep his Premier League aspirations alive.
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