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 secured his second title of the year. Following a quarter-final loss to Jonny Clayton just four days prior, which jeopardized his Premier League finals hopes, Humphries failed to bounce back, suffering a 6-4 defeat at the hands of Andrew Gilding. Gilding proceeded to overcome Beau Greaves 6-3 after the 22-year-old made history by becoming the first female player to reach a ProTour quarter-final, having previously beaten Raymond van Barneveld and Premier League leader Clayton. However, Gilding's run was halted by eventual champion Dobey in the semi-finals, with a 7-1 scoreline. Dobey dominated throughout the tournament, thrashing 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. Despite a slow start, Dobey regained control of the final, winning six of the next seven legs after losing the first two. His consistent performance, including a 105.28 average in the final, was enough to overcome Hood's spirited challenge, which included a 102.91 average. "My goal is to win more titles, considering my performance this year," Dobey stated. "Winning one is difficult, so winning ten is an incredible feeling. I'm eager to replicate this success on TV and in European Tour events, and I'm confident I can achieve it with consistency." The tournament in Wigan also witnessed a perfect leg of darts, courtesy of Thomas Lovely in his round three loss to Woodhouse. Results from the last 16 include Tom Bissell's 6-4 win over Krzysztof Ratajski, Connor Scutt's 6-3 victory over Steve Lennon, and Chris Dobey's 6-1 win over Luke Woodhouse. The quarter-finals saw Connor Scutt defeat Tom Bissell 6-4, while Justin Hood, Andrew Gilding, and Chris Dobey also advanced to the semi-finals. The semi-finals featured Justin Hood's 7-3 win over Connor Scutt and Chris Dobey's 7-1 victory over Andrew Gilding, setting the stage for the final. With Dobey's win, the focus now shifts to the Premier League Darts, where Luke Humphries will defend his title, and fans can catch the action every Thursday on Sky Sports.