Dobey Dominates Players Championship as Humphries' Slump Continues

Luke Humphries' recent form woes persisted with a disappointing last-16 exit at the Players Championship 9 in Wigan, while Chris Dobey celebrated his second title of 2026 with a commanding victory. Humphries, still reeling from a quarter-final loss to Jonny Clayton just four days prior, was unable to regain his footing and suffered a 6-4 defeat at the hands of Andrew Gilding. Gilding proceeded to overcome Beau Greaves 6-3, following her historic victories over Raymond van Barneveld and Premier League leader Clayton, which made her the first female player to reach a ProTour quarter-final. However, Gilding's impressive run came to an end with a 7-1 semi-final loss to eventual champion Dobey, who had previously dominated Luke Woodhouse 6-1 in the last-16 and Richard Veenstra 6-3 in the quarter-finals, before ultimately defeating Justin Hood 8-4 in the final to claim the £15,000 prize. Dobey, the 35-year-old from Northumberland, initially trailed Hood but then took control of the match by winning six of the next seven legs. Throughout the tournament, Dobey consistently delivered ton-plus averages, culminating in a 105.28 average in the final, which proved sufficient to overcome Hood's spirited challenge and 102.91 average. 'I'm hoping to secure more titles, given my performance this year,' Dobey said. 'Winning one of these events is challenging, so claiming ten is an incredible feeling. Stream Premier League Darts with NOW. View the Premier League Darts schedule and table. Watch the latest darts videos and highlights. Listen to the Love the Darts podcast. 'Hood put up a good fight with some exceptional shots at crucial times, but I played well throughout the day and I'm thrilled with another win. 'I want to translate this form to TV and start winning European Tour titles. I know I'm capable, it's just a matter of being consistent.' The tournament in Wigan witnessed a nine-darter, courtesy of Thomas Lovely, who achieved a perfect leg in his round three loss to Woodhouse. Last 16 results: Tom Bissell 6-4 Krzysztof Ratajski, Connor Scutt 6-3 Steve Lennon, Tom Sykes 6-3 Martijn Dragt, Justin Hood 6-3 Mensur Suljovic, Beau Greaves 6-4 Joe Hunt, Andrew Gilding 6-4 Luke Humphries, Chris Dobey 6-1 Luke Woodhouse, Richard Veenstra 6-5 Kevin Doets. Quarter-final results: Connor Scutt 6-4 Tom Bissell, Justin Hood 6-0 Tom Sykes, Andrew Gilding 6-3 Beau Greaves, Chris Dobey 6-3 Richard Veenstra. Semi-final results: Justin Hood 7-3 Connor Scutt, Chris Dobey 7-1 Andrew Gilding. Final result: Chris Dobey 8-4 Justin Hood. Who will emerge victorious in this year's Premier League Darts? Luke Humphries will be defending his title, and you can catch the action every Thursday until May on Sky Sports. Stream darts and other top sports with NOW.