Luke Humphries' recent form woes continued unabated when he bowed out in the last‑16 stage of the Players Championship 9 in Wigan, falling 6‑4 to Andrew Gilding. This loss came just four days after Humphries suffered a quarter‑final defeat at the hands of Jonny Clayton in Brighton, a setback that had already cast doubt on his chances of qualifying for the Premier League finals.
In Wigan, Humphries was unable to find his rhythm, and Gilding capitalised, moving the match forward with a decisive finish. Gilding's own campaign was nothing short of historic.
After dispatching Humphries, he went on to defeat Beau Greaves 6‑3, a victory that followed his earlier triumphs over two of the sport's most prominent figures: Raymond van Barneveld and Premier League leader Jonny Clayton. By beating Clayton, Gilding became the first woman ever to reach a ProTour quarter‑final in PDC history, marking a milestone for gender representation in professional darts. Her run, however, was halted in the semi‑finals where she was outclassed 7‑1 by the eventual champion, Chris Dobey.
Dobey's path to the title was a showcase of dominant play. In the last‑16 he overwhelmed Luke Woodhouse with a 6‑1 victory, then proceeded to dispatch Richard Veenstra 6‑3 in the quarter‑finals. The final saw him face Justin Hood, a formidable opponent who had already proven his mettle by beating Connor Scutt 6‑0 in the quarter‑finals and then edging past Scutt 7‑3 in the semi‑finals. The championship match itself was a display of high‑quality darts: Dobey surged ahead after losing the first two legs, then claimed six of the next seven, ultimately sealing an 8‑4 win and the £15,000 winner's purse.
Statistically, Dobey was impressive throughout the tournament, posting averages well over 100 in each round. In the final he recorded a 105.28 three‑dart average, while Hood posted a respectable 102.91. Dobey reflected on his performance, saying, "The way I've been playing throughout the year, I'm hoping to pick up more titles.
It's hard just to win one of these, so to win ten is a great feeling." He added that his goal is to translate his success onto television and to capture European Tour titles, emphasizing that consistency is the key to achieving those ambitions. The Wigan event also featured a spectacular nine‑dart finish. Thomas Lovely produced a perfect leg in his third‑round match against Luke Woodhouse, adding a memorable highlight to an already eventful tournament. Below is a summary of the key results from the event: **Last‑16** - 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‑finals** - 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‑finals** - Justin Hood 7‑3 Connor Scutt - Chris Dobey 7‑1 Andrew Gilding **Final** - Chris Dobey 8‑4 Justin Hood Looking ahead, the Premier League Darts season is set to resume, with Humphries defending his title.
Fans can follow the weekly Thursday fixtures on Sky Sports until May, or stream the action via NOW. The tournament promises more drama, high‑scoring matches, and the chance for emerging talents to challenge established stars. As the season unfolds, all eyes will be on whether Humphries can reverse his recent slump and reclaim his place among the elite, while Dobey aims to build on his momentum and add further accolades to his growing résumé.