Luke Humphries' slump continues after a disappointing last-16 exit at the Players Championship 9 in Wigan, while Chris Dobey secured his second title of 2026 with a convincing victory. Humphries' hopes of reaching the Premier League finals hang in the balance following a quarter-final defeat to Jonny Clayton, and he was unable to bounce back with a 6-4 loss to Andrew Gilding. Gilding's impressive run included a 6-3 win over Beau Greaves, who made history as the first woman to reach a PDC ProTour quarter-final. However, Gilding's campaign was ended by eventual champion Dobey, who stormed to a 7-1 semi-final win before overcoming Justin Hood 8-4 in the final to claim the £15,000 prize.
Dobey's consistent form saw him produce impressive ton-plus averages throughout the tournament, including a 105.28 average in the final, which proved too much for Hood's spirited challenge. "My goal is to win more titles and perform consistently," said Dobey. "I'm eager to replicate this success on TV and in European Tour events, and I'm confident in my ability to do so." The tournament also saw Thomas Lovely achieve a perfect leg of darts in his round three defeat to Luke Woodhouse.
With the Premier League Darts schedule underway, all eyes are on the defending champion Luke Humphries as he looks to retain his title, with the action available to stream on Sky Sports and NOW.