Dobey Claims Second Title of 2026 as Humphries' Struggles Persist

Luke Humphries' recent slump continued with a disappointing last-16 exit at the Players Championship 9 in Wigan, while Chris Dobey dominated the competition to secure his second title of 2026. Following a quarter-final loss to Jonny Clayton just four days prior, which put his Premier League finals hopes in jeopardy, Humphries was unable to bounce back and fell 6-4 to Andrew Gilding. Gilding then went on to defeat Beau Greaves 6-3, after the 22-year-old made history by becoming the first woman to reach a ProTour quarter-final with victories over Raymond van Barneveld and Premier League leader Clayton. However, Gilding's run was halted by eventual champion Dobey, who convincingly beat Luke Woodhouse 6-1 and Richard Veenstra 6-3 before overcoming Justin Hood 8-4 in the final to claim the £15,000 prize. Dobey initially trailed Hood but then won six of the next seven legs to take control. With a 105.28 average, Dobey outperformed Hood's 102.91 average and expressed his desire to win more titles, stating, 'It's hard to win just one of these, so to win ten is a great feeling.' Dobey aims to replicate this success on TV and in European Tour events, emphasizing the importance of consistency. The tournament in Wigan also saw a nine-darter by Thomas Lovely in his round three loss to Woodhouse. The road to the final included notable matches such as Tom Bissell's 6-4 win over Krzysztof Ratajski and Connor Scutt's 6-3 victory over Steve Lennon. Dobey's journey to the title was marked by impressive performances, including a 7-1 semi-final win over Andrew Gilding. With the Premier League Darts finals approaching, Luke Humphries will be defending his title, and fans can catch the action every Thursday on Sky Sports.