Luke Humphries' recent slump continued with a disappointing last-16 exit at the Players Championship 9 in Wigan, while Chris Dobey claimed his second title of 2026 with a convincing victory. Despite a strong start, Humphries was defeated 6-4 by Andrew Gilding, just four days after a quarter-final loss to Jonny Clayton in Brighton.
Gilding then overcame Beau Greaves, who made history as the first woman to reach a PDC ProTour quarter-final, before being eliminated by Dobey in the semi-finals. The eventual winner, Dobey, produced a series of impressive performances, including a 105.28 average in the final against Justin Hood, to secure the £15,000 prize.
Dobey expressed his desire to build on this success, stating, '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.' With his sights set on TV and European Tour titles, Dobey is confident in his ability to perform consistently. The tournament also witnessed a nine-darter by Thomas Lovely in his round three defeat to Luke Woodhouse.