Luke Humphries clinched his third Players Championship crown of the season on the second day of competition in Leicester, defeating Brendan Dolan 8-6 in the final of PC28. The victory not only added another trophy to Humphries' résumé but also halted Luke Littler's quest for an unprecedented clean sweep of all major PDC titles this year. The Leicester showdown saw Humphries reclaim the world No.
2 spot in the PDC Order of Merit, overtaking Gian van Veen after a strong day of play. His win over Dolan marked his first Players Championship triumph since PC17 in May, which was also staged at the Mattioli Arena. The win was particularly satisfying for Humphries, who had only returned to competitive action a week earlier after a surprising first‑round loss to Cameron Menzies at the World Matchplay on July 20.
In the semi‑finals, Humphries dispatched Mike De Decker 7-4, having survived a nail‑biting 6-5 win over Danny Noppert two rounds earlier, where he survived six match darts. De Decker, a seasoned campaigner on the circuit, could not match Humphries' sharp scoring and clinical finishing. Meanwhile, Littler’s path to the final was cut short after he overcame Luke Littler 7-4 in his own semi‑final, denying the world No.
1 a potential blockbuster clash with Humphries. Littler, who had only made his second Players Championship appearance of the season, entered the event with a lofty ambition: to become the first player ever to capture every major PDC title in a single calendar year. He had already secured the World Championship, Masters, UK Open, Premier League, World Cup of Darts and World Matchplay, leaving the World Series, World Grand Prix, European Championship, Grand Slam of Darts and the Players Championship Finals as the remaining hurdles.
Littler’s season has been a tale of both brilliance and pressure. After missing the first 26 Players Championship events, he returned with a quarter‑final exit to eventual PC27 winner Jermaine Wattimena.
He then posted a solid run in Leicester, beating Stephen Rosney 6-4 in the opening round, surviving six match darts against world No. 107 Benjamin Pratnemer, and cruising past Martin Schindler, Andy Boulton and Krzysztof Ratajski to reach the last four. However, Dolan proved too strong in the semi‑final, ending Littler’s clean‑sweep hopes.
Littler currently sits 125th on the Order of Merit, a full £16,750 behind the 64th place needed to qualify for the finals in Minehead in November. With six Players Championship events still to play, he must not only compete but perform at a high level to close the gap.
The upcoming World Series event in Amsterdam (September 17‑20) will be another test; a win there would keep his dream alive, but the schedule is tight, with the next double‑header in Den Bosch arriving just two days later. Humphries, on the other hand, is enjoying a resurgence. After a 6-3 loss to Cam Crabtree in the opening round in Leicester, he found his form and won all seven of his subsequent matches, securing three titles this year (PC4, PC17 and now PC28). He sits 13th on the Order of Merit with £52,000 in earnings, effectively guaranteeing a spot at the Minehead finals.
Speaking after his triumph, Humphries admitted his preparation had been limited. "Honestly, it sounds crazy to be one of the best players in the world when I only came here for a bit of practice," he said. "I hadn’t played a match‑play event in two months, so I needed to get back into the rhythm.
I didn’t want to jump straight into the Euro Tour without any practice, so this event was a chance to get some legs on the board." He added that he had not expected to win a title given his lack of practice, but two solid days on the oche boosted his confidence. "I’m going to get back on the practice board at home as much as I can now and dedicate the rest of the year to being my best," Humphries explained. "I want to stay at No.
2 and push Luke – not just Luke, but everyone – because I’m determined to fight for that spot." Humphries will travel to Budapest for the Hungarian Darts Trophy this weekend, hoping to build on his recent form. "It’s good confidence because I didn’t play my best but still managed to win," he noted. "A lot of players haven’t been at their peak these past two days, including Luke. It’s been a funny week.
I just want to keep practicing and aim for a major win later in the year. I don’t want him to have the clean sweep – as much as fans would love that, I’d love to win a major and head into the World Championship with confidence." Reflecting on his return to the No.
2 ranking after briefly being overtaken by van Veen in early August, the 2024 world champion said, "That’s as good as it gets for now. I think I’m about two million behind Luke. The only way anyone can close that gap is by winning back‑to‑back World Championships, which will be tough.
He has been the best player over the last 18 months and deserves his No. 1 spot." The tournament’s later stages featured a series of impressive performances: - Last 16: Owen Bates 6-1 Justin Hood; Luke Humphries 6-5 Danny Noppert; Mike De Decker 6-3 Martijn Dragt; Kim Huybrechts 6-2 Jeffrey de Graaf; Luke Woodhouse 6-3 Daniel Ayres; Brendan Dolan 6-2 Karel Sedlacek; Luke Littler 6-3 Andy Boulton; Krzysztof Ratajski 6-2 Greg Ritchie. - Quarter‑finals: Humphries 6-4 Owen Bates; De Decker 6-5 Kim Huybrechts; Dolan 6-4 Luke Woodhouse; Littler 6-4 Ratajski. - Semi‑finals: Humphries 7-4 De Decker; Dolan 7-4 Littler.
- Final: Humphries 8-6 Dolan. Sky Sports will continue to be the primary broadcaster for darts in 2026, covering the World Grand Prix (September 28‑October 4), the Grand Slam of Darts (November 14‑22) and the World Darts Championship (December 10‑January 3). Fans can also stream darts and other top sports via NOW without a contract, while the Love the Darts podcast offers additional insights and analysis.