Nine-dart Chris Dobey lands third Players Championship title
Chris Dobey clinched the Players Championship 7 title with the aid of a nine-dart finish in Leicester on Monday.
Dobey became the seventh different winner in as many Players Championship events in 2024, running out an 8-4 winner over Josh Rock on a day which featured a trio of perfect legs.
The 33-year-old was one of three players to achieve perfection at the Mattioli Arena, before going on to register the second-highest average of his career in the semi-finals.
Earlier in the day, Dobey also landed a spectacular 170 checkout to triumph in a Second Round decider, and did not look back as he celebrated his fourth PDC title.
Dobey eased past Vincent van der Voort in his opener, before surviving match darts to end Mike De Decker’s hopes in an astonishing decider – sealing victory with the ‘big fish’ finish.
The Bedlington star then achieved perfection during his Third Round rout of Mickey Mansell, before averaging 106.7 to deny Kim Huybrechts in a high-quality Last 16 tie.
In the quarter-finals, Dobey accounted for Daryl Gurney – who also landed a nine-darter earlier in the day – and a stunning 109.6 average propelled him to a 7-3 success against Ross Smith in the semis.
This set up a showdown against former World Youth Champion Rock – who made a bright start to establish a 3-1 lead, despite a 108 checkout from Dobey in leg two.
However, the former Masters champion came roaring back to seal the £15,000 top prize, winning seven of the last eight legs to secure his third Players Championship title.
“I gave myself one task this year, which was to improve my floor game,” said Dobey, runner-up at Players Championship 4 in February.
“I think I’ve done that so far [this year]. I’m playing well, I’m going into games feeling confident, and if you’re confident, you can go a long way.
“I’ve just plodded on today. The first game against Vincent was a struggle, but after that I played consistently well, and I’m delighted to come out the winner.
“I finally broke into the top 16 after the World Championship and the aim is to stay there now. The hard work starts now, so dedication is the key.”
Rock was unable to end his 18-month wait for a ranking title, though the Northern Irishman reaffirmed his credentials with a series of sparkling displays.
The 22-year-old set the tone with a 108 average in his First Round thumping of Darren Beveridge, which he backed up with impressive wins over Scott Williams and World Matchplay champion Nathan Aspinall.
Rock continued his progress with hard-fought 6-4 wins over Ryan Searle and Thibault Tricole, while a mid-game burst saw him sweep aside Luke Woodhouse in the semi-finals.
Woodhouse maintained his bright start to 2024, while Ross Smith succumbed at the semi-final stage for a third consecutive Players Championship event.
The former European Champion won through deciding-leg ties against Masters champion Stephen Bunting and Premier League leader Luke Littler, only to crash out at the hands of an irrepressible Dobey.
It was also a landmark day for Thibault Tricole, who became the first French player to reach the quarter-finals of a PDC ranking event.
Tricole kicked off with victory over his World Cup partner Jacques Labre, while later dumping out Krzysztof Ratajski and Damon Heta en route to the Last Eight.
Ian White and Ryan Meikle also returned to form in Leicester, recording second round wins over Premier League duo Michael van Gerwen and Michael Smith to reach the quarter-finals.
Just days after celebrating his 60th birthday, Steve Beaton struck the day’s other nine-dart leg, albeit in a losing cause against James Hurrell in Round One.
Littler was the solitary Premier League star to progress beyond the Third Round, overturning a 5-4 deficit and surviving two match darts to edge out Luke Humphries and make it five wins in a row over the world number one.
Meanwhile, Gary Anderson suffered a shock First Round exit at the hands of Danish youngster Benjamin Drue Reus, while fellow former World Champions Peter Wright and Gerwyn Price also fell at the first hurdle.
Players Championship 7 Results
Monday April 8
First Round
Luke Humphries 6-3 Jurjen van der Velde
Gabriel Clemens 6-4 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Luke Littler 6-1 Keane Barry
Robbie Knops 6-4 Adam Hunt
Stephen Bunting 6-0 Joshua Richardson
Pascal Rupprecht 6-5 Martijn Dragt
Ross Smith 6-3 Mervyn King
William Borland 6-4 Nathan Rafferty
Benjamin Drue Reus 6-4 Gary Anderson
Chris Landman 6-0 Callan Rydz
Arron Monk 6-5 Raymond van Barneveld
Dom Taylor 6-5 Geert Nentjes
Michael Smith 6-4 Graham Usher
Ryan Meikle 6-2 Lee Evans
Andrew Gilding 6-5 Christian Perez
Jelle Klaasen 6-2 Josh Payne
Rob Cross 6-2 Owen Roelofs
Ritchie Edhouse 6-1 Paul Krohne
Jose De Sousa 6-4 Darryl Pilgrim
Jeffrey Sparidaans 6-2 Keegan Brown
Berry van Peer 6-1 Peter Wright
Robert Grundy 6-1 Lukas Wenig
Daryl Gurney 6-5 Stephen Burton
Jeffrey De Graaf 6-4 Niels Zonneveld
Kim Huybrechts 6-3 Gerwyn Price
Nick Kenny 6-5 Radek Szaganski
Jim Williams 6-4 James Wade
Tim Wolters 6-4 Callum Goffin
Danny Noppert 6-2 Boris Krcmar
Mickey Mansell 6-2 Rhys Griffin
Chris Dobey 6-1 Vincent van der Voort
Mike De Decker 6-2 Jitse Van der Wal
Dave Chisnall 6-3 Graham Hall
Mensur Suljovic 6-5 Leighton Bennett
Luke Woodhouse 6-0 Adam Warner
Owen Bates 6-2 Jeffrey De Zwaan
Ricardo Pietreczko 6-0 Adam Gawlas
Karel Sedlacek 6-0 Matt Campbell
Joe Cullen 6-4 Richard Veenstra
Ricky Evans 6-3 Jules van Dongen
Michael van Gerwen 6-3 Andy Baetens
Ian White 6-1 Steve Lennon
Daniel Klose 6-3 Martin Schindler
Patrick Geeraets 6-4 Jermaine Wattimena
Brett Claydon 6-5 Jonny Clayton
Robert Owen 6-1 Jamie Hughes
Rowby-John Rodriguez 6-3 Ryan Joyce
Michele Turetta 6-2 George Killington
Damon Heta 6-3 Martin Lukeman
Wessel Nijman 6-4 Andy Boulton
Brendan Dolan 6-5 Oskar Lukasiak
James Hurrell 6-3 Steve Beaton *Beaton hits a nine-darter*
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-3 Danny van Trijp
Kevin Doets 6-4 William O’Connor
Krzysztof Ratajski 6-5 Madars Razma
Thibault Tricole 6-3 Jacques Labre
Josh Rock 6-1 Darren Beveridge
Scott Williams 6-4 Stefan Bellmont
Nathan Aspinall 6-1 Mario Vandenbogaerde
Danny Lauby 6-1 Alan Soutar
Ryan Searle 6-5 Simon Whitlock
Dylan Slevin 6-5 Matthew Dennant
Gian van Veen 6-2 Haupai Puha
Maik Kuivenhoven 6-0 Aden Kirk
Last 64
Luke Humphries 6-4 Gabriel Clemens
Luke Littler 6-2 Robbie Knops
Stephen Bunting 6-3 Pascal Rupprecht
Ross Smith 6-0 William Borland
Chris Landman 6-0 Benjamin Drue Reus
Arron Monk 6-4 Dom Taylor
Ryan Meikle 6-4 Michael Smith
Jelle Klaasen 6-2 Andrew Gilding
Ritchie Edhouse 6-3 Rob Cross
Jose De Sousa 6-1 Jeffrey Sparidaans
Robert Grundy 6-2 Berry van Peer
Daryl Gurney 6-4 Jeffrey De Graaf – *Gurney hits a nine-darter*
Kim Huybrechts 6-2 Nick Kenny
Jim Williams 6-2 Tim Wolters
Mickey Mansell 6-4 Danny Noppert
Chris Dobey 6-5 Mike De Decker
Mensur Suljovic 6-5 Dave Chisnall
Luke Woodhouse 6-3 Owen Bates
Karel Sedlacek 6-4 Ricardo Pietreczko
Joe Cullen 6-3 Ricky Evans
Ian White 6-5 Michael van Gerwen
Daniel Klose 6-1 Patrick Geeraets
Brett Claydon 6-3 Robert Owen
Rowby-John Rodriguez 6-3 Michele Turetta
Damon Heta 6-0 Wessel Nijman
James Hurrell 6-5 Brendan Dolan
Kevin Doets 6-4 Dirk van Duijvenbode
Thibault Tricole 6-3 Krzysztof Ratajski
Josh Rock 6-3 Scott Williams
Nathan Aspinall 6-2 Danny Lauby
Ryan Searle 6-2 Dylan Slevin
Gian van Veen 6-1 Maik Kuivenhoven
Last 32
Luke Littler 6-5 Luke Humphries
Ross Smith 6-5 Stephen Bunting
Chris Landman 6-4 Arron Monk
Ryan Meikle 6-3 Jelle Klaasen
Ritchie Edhouse 6-0 Jose De Sousa
Daryl Gurney 6-0 Robert Grundy
Kim Huybrechts 6-5 Jim Williams
Chris Dobey 6-1 Mickey Mansell – *Dobey hits a nine-darter*
Luke Woodhouse 6-2 Mensur Suljovic
Karel Sedlacek 6-5 Joe Cullen
Ian White 6-4 Daniel Klose
Brett Claydon 6-3 Rowby-John Rodriguez
Damon Heta 6-4 James Hurrell
Thibault Tricole 6-3 Kevin Doets
Josh Rock 6-2 Nathan Aspinall
Ryan Searle 6-4 Gian van Veen
Last 16
Ross Smith 6-5 Luke Littler
Ryan Meikle 6-3 Chris Landman
Daryl Gurney 6-3 Ritchie Edhouse
Chris Dobey 6-3 Kim Huybrechts
Luke Woodhouse 6-3 Karel Sedlacek
Ian White 6-3 Brett Claydon
Thibault Tricole 6-5 Damon Heta
Josh Rock 6-4 Ryan Searle
Quarter-Finals
Ross Smith 6-4 Ryan Meikle
Chris Dobey 6-4 Daryl Gurney
Luke Woodhouse 6-3 Ian White
Josh Rock 6-4 Thibault Tricole
Semi-Finals
Chris Dobey 7-3 Ross Smith
Josh Rock 7-3 Luke Woodhouse
Final
Chris Dobey 8-4 Josh Rock
