Rampant Josh Rock registers first PDC ranking title at Players Championship 28
Josh Rock clinched his first PDC ranking title at Players Championship 28 with a stunning 8-5 victory over Luke Humphries in the final.
The 21-year-old sensation was a beaten finalist in Thursday’s Players Championship 25 but went one better to add his name to the ProTour roll of honour at the Barnsley Metrodome.
Rock defied ten maximums from Humphries in a pulsating final, averaging 108 and winning all eight legs in 15 darts or under to secure the £12,000 top prize.
The Northern Irish star established a 2-0 lead before Humphries hit back to restore parity, though Rock regained his two-leg advantage in a crucial eighth leg, converting a 68 finish after the top seed had squandered three darts at doubles.
Humphries replied with a superb 11-darter and took out 109 to reduce the arrears to 6-5 after Rock had fired back with an 85 checkout on the bull moments earlier.
However, the youngster remained unfazed, moving to the cusp of victory with a 70 checkout, before pinning tops to wrap up a landmark victory.
“My life has been massively transformed,” admitted Rock, a winner of five Development Tour titles this year. “In the last two weeks I’ve probably been the happiest I have been since I’ve been playing darts. I have been very relaxed all weekend.
“If you can win one of these titles – there were 128 players in this room and I was number one today.
” I know I can go on that stage [Alexandra Palace] and become World Champion. It won’t be easy, but I’ll give it a right go.”
The triumph sees Rock climb a further eight places to 66th on the main Order of Merit, having come through Qualifying School in January to earn a Tour Card.
Rock was in imperious form throughout the day, boasting a tournament average in excess of 103 after registering five ton-plus averages in seven matches.
The World Youth Championship finalist opened up with a 106 average in a 6-4 success against Andy Boulton, before easing past Pete Burgoyne to set up a showdown against Canada’s Jeff Smith.
Rock fired in back-to-back 11-darters to complete a 6-1 demolition of Smith with a 107 average, and after cruising past Jim Williams in the last 16, he averaged 106 to dispatch two-time World Champion Adrian Lewis 6-1 in the Last Eight.
The 21-year-old renewed his rivalry with Friday’s winner Damon Heta in a repeat of their semi-final clash on Thursday, and it was an identical outcome, with Rock running out a resounding 7-3 winner.
Humphries – who was bidding to win his sixth title of 2022 – posted a sensational 110 average in his first round win over Andy Boulton, and the former UK Open runner-up also posted five 100+ averages during the event.
The 27-year-old battled past Jose Justicia and Niels Zonneveld to book his place in the Last 16, and a comprehensive 6-1 victory over Chris Dobey continued his progress.
Humphries averaged 102 to overcome a resurgent Max Hopp in the quarter-finals, and he defeated another German star in the Last Four – closing out a 7-2 winner over Ricardo Pietreczko – who was featuring in his first ProTour semi-final.
Pietreczko defeated Saturday’s semi-finalist Ryan Meikle, compatriot Gabriel Clemens and Ross Smith to register his best showing in a PDC ranking event.
Heta maintained his scintillating form to reach another Semi-Final, fresh from his Players Championship 26 triumph on Friday.
The Australian averaged 111 in a 6-3 win over Thomas Lovely, 106 to cruise past Kenny Neyens, and an incredible 114 average catapulted him to a spectacular whitewash win over Dirk van Duijvenbode in the Quarter-Finals.
Van Duijvenbode came out on top in a remarkable last 16 tie against Jonny Clayton, and the Dutchman was joined in the Quarter-Finals by Lewis, Ross Smith and a resurgent Hopp – featuring in his first ProTour Quarter-Final of the year.
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Players Championship 28 Results
Sunday October 23
First Round
Luke Humphries 6-1 Maik Kuivenhoven
Jose Justicia 6-4 Geert Nentjes
Jurjen van der Velde 6-1 Ricky Evans
Niels Zonneveld 6-3 Martijn Kleermaker
Chris Dobey 6-2 Damian Mol
Mervyn King 6-3 Scott Mitchell
Stephen Bunting 6-0 John Henderson
Simon Whitlock 6-4 Ross Montgomery
Alan Soutar 6-5 Danny Noppert
Florian Hempel 6-1 Adam Hunt
Brendan Dolan 6-3 Tony Martinez
Max Hopp 6-4 Steve West
Ted Evetts 6-4 Ryan Searle
Cameron Menzies 6-2 Matthew Edgar
Eddie Lovely 6-4 Rowby Rodriguez
Richie Burnett 6-3 Danny Jansen
William O’Connor 6-4 Peter Wright
Luc Peters 6-1 Peter Hudson
Ricardo Pietreczko 6-4 Ryan Meikle
John O’Shea 6-2 Mario Vandenbogaerde
Martin Schindler 6-1 Jeffrey De Zwaan
Danny Baggish 6-3 Brett Claydon
Gabriel Clemens 6-1 Stu Wilson
Christian Kist 6-1 Nick Fullwell
Michael Smith 6-1 Steve Lennon
Radek Szaganski 6-4 Ritchie Edhouse
Scott Williams 6-5 Kevin Doets
Ross Smith 6-5 Gary Anderson
Gian van Veen 6-1 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Kevin Burness 6-5 Matt Campbell
Madars Razma 6-2 Keegan Brown
Steve Beaton 6-3 Jules van Dongen
Damon Heta 6-0 Jim McEwan
Thomas Lovely 6-5 Jamie Hughes
Vincent van der Voort 6-2 Ryan Joyce
Raymond van Barneveld 6-2 Jack Main
Wesley Plaisier 6-5 Andrew Gilding
Jake Jones 6-5 Jason Heaver
Martin Lukeman 6-3 Keane Barry
Kenny Neyens 6-2 Mike De Decker
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-4 Boris Krcmar
Shaun Wilkinson 6-4 Karel Sedlacek
Callan Rydz 6-2 George Killington
Mickey Mansell 6-5 Connor Scutt
Jonny Clayton 6-3 Danny van Trijp
Nathan Rafferty 6-3 John Michael
Kim Huybrechts 6-1 Scott Waites
Darius Labanauskas 6-4 Jimmy Hendriks
Rob Cross 6-2 Brian Raman
Ron Meulenkamp 6-3 Devon Petersen
Jim Williams 6-5 Nathan Girvan
Jermaine Wattimena 6-1 James Wilson
Krzysztof Ratajski 6-2 Darren Webster
Jeff Smith 6-4 Adam Gawlas
Josh Rock 6-4 Andy Boulton
Pete Burgoyne 6-4 William Borland
Geert De Vos 6-2 Dave Chisnall
Berry van Peer 6-3 Steve Haggerty
James Wade 6-1 Jamie Clark
Mensur Suljovic 6-3 Rusty Rodriguez
Jose de Sousa 6-3 David Evans
Luke Woodhouse 6-1 Ian White
Adrian Lewis 6-1 Stephen Burton
Joe Murnan 6-4 Bradley Brooks
Second Round
Luke Humphries 6-3 Jose Justicia
Niels Zonneveld 6-5 Jurjen van der Velde
Chris Dobey 6-2 Mervyn King
Simon Whitlock 6-5 Stephen Bunting
Florian Hempel 6-4 Alan Soutar
Max Hopp 6-2 Brendan Dolan
Ted Evetts 6-2 Cameron Menzies
Eddie Lovely 6-1 Richie Burnett
Luc Peters 6-3 William O’Connor
Ricardo Pietreczko 6-2 John O’Shea
Martin Schindler 6-3 Danny Baggish
Gabriel Clemens 6-4 Christian Kist
Michael Smith 6-3 Radek Szaganski
Ross Smith 6-5 Scott Williams
Gian van Veen 6-0 Kevin Burness
Steve Beaton 6-4 Madars Razma
Damon Heta 6-3 Thomas Lovely
Vincent van der Voort 6-4 Raymond van Barneveld
Wesley Plaisier 6-2 Jake Jones
Kenny Neyens 6-2 Martin Lukeman
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-5 Shaun Wilkinson
Callan Rydz 6-4 Mickey Mansell
Jonny Clayton 6-4 Nathan Rafferty
Kim Huybrechts 6-5 Darius Labanauskas
Rob Cross 6-4 Ron Meulenkamp
Jim Williams 6-2 Jermaine Wattimena
Jeff Smith 6-2 Krzysztof Ratajski
Josh Rock 6-2 Pete Burgoyne
Berry van Peer 6-4 Geert De Vos
Mensur Suljovic 6-3 James Wade
Luke Woodhouse 6-1 Jose de Sousa
Adrian Lewis 6-5 Joe Murnan
Losers: £750
Last 32
Luke Humphries 6-4 Niels Zonneveld
Chris Dobey 6-1 Simon Whitlock
Max Hopp 6-1 Florian Hempel
Ted Evetts 6-2 Eddie Lovely
Ricardo Pietreczko 6-2 Luc Peters
Gabriel Clemens 6-4 Martin Schindler
Ross Smith 6-3 Michael Smith
Steve Beaton 6-4 Gian van Veen
Damon Heta 6-2 Vincent van der Voort
Kenny Neyens 6-3 Wesley Plaisier
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-3 Callan Rydz
Jonny Clayton 6-2 Kim Huybrechts
Jim Williams 6-3 Rob Cross
Josh Rock 6-1 Jeff Smith
Berry van Peer 6-3 Mensur Suljovic
Adrian Lewis 6-5 Luke Woodhouse
Losers: £1,250
Last 16
Luke Humphries 6-1 Chris Dobey
Max Hopp 6-3 Ted Evetts
Ricardo Pietreczko 6-4 Gabriel Clemens
Ross Smith 6-3 Steve Beaton
Damon Heta 6-1 Kenny Neyens
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-5 Jonny Clayton
Josh Rock 6-3 Jim Williams
Adrian Lewis 6-2 Berry van Peer
Losers: £2,000
Quarter-Finals
Luke Humphries 6-3 Max Hopp
Ricardo Pietreczko 6-1 Ross Smith
Damon Heta 6-0 Dirk van Duijvenbode
Josh Rock 6-1 Adrian Lewis
Losers: £3,000
Semi-Finals
Luke Humphries 7-2 Ricardo Pietreczko
Josh Rock 7-3 Damon Heta
Losers: £4,000
Final
Josh Rock 8-5 Luke Humphries
Winner: £12,000
Runner-up: £8,000
