Luke Humphries' recent slump continued with a disappointing last-16 exit at the Players Championship 9 in Wigan, where Chris Dobey claimed his second title of 2026 with an impressive victory. Following a quarter-final loss to Jonny Clayton just four days prior, which jeopardized his Premier League finals prospects, Humphries was defeated 6-4 by Andrew Gilding. Gilding proceeded to beat Beau Greaves 6-3 after the 22-year-old made history by becoming the first woman to reach a PDC ProTour quarter-final. However, Gilding's run was halted by eventual champion Dobey in the semi-finals, who went on to secure the £15,000 prize by overcoming Justin Hood 8-4 in the final.
Dobey, who consistently maintained a high average throughout the tournament, including a 105.28 average in the final, expressed his desire to build on this success and secure more titles. The Northumberland native aims to translate his form to TV events and European Tour titles, emphasizing the importance of consistency.
The tournament also witnessed a notable nine-darter by Thomas Lovely in his round three loss to Luke Woodhouse.