Dobey Dominates Players Championship as Humphries' Struggles Persist

Luke Humphries' slump continues after a disappointing last-16 exit at the Players Championship 9 in Wigan, where Chris Dobey claimed his second title of 2026. Following a quarter-final loss to Jonny Clayton in Brighton just four days prior, Humphries was defeated 6-4 by Andrew Gilding. Gilding then overcame Beau Greaves 6-3, who made history as the first woman to reach a PDC ProTour quarter-final after beating Raymond van Barneveld and Premier League leader Clayton. However, Gilding's run ended with a 7-1 semi-final loss to Dobey, who went on to thrash Luke Woodhouse 6-1 and Richard Veenstra 6-3 before securing the £15,000 prize with an 8-4 victory over Justin Hood in the final. Dobey recovered from a slow start, winning six of the next seven legs to take control. He consistently produced high averages throughout the tournament, including a 105.28 average in the final, which surpassed Hood's 102.91 average. 'The way I've been playing this year, I'm hoping to win more titles,' Dobey said. 'It's tough to win just one, so to win ten is an incredible feeling. He put up a great fight with some excellent shots, but I played well all day and I'm thrilled with another win.' Dobey aims to translate his form to TV and European Tour events, stating, 'I just want to start doing it on TV and picking up some European Tour titles. I know I can do it; it's about being consistent.' The tournament in Wigan also saw a nine-darter by Thomas Lovely in his round three loss to Woodhouse. Other notable results include Tom Bissell's 6-4 win over Krzysztof Ratajski and Connor Scutt's 6-3 victory over Steve Lennon. The semi-finals saw Justin Hood defeat Connor Scutt 7-3, while Chris Dobey overwhelmed Andrew Gilding 7-1. The final match ended with Chris Dobey winning 8-4 against Justin Hood. As the Premier League Darts approaches, Luke Humphries will defend his title, with the action available to stream on Sky Sports every Thursday until May.