Jermaine Wattimena scoops third ProTour title at Players Championship 27
Jermaine Wattimena secured his third ProTour title at Players Championship 27 in Leicester on Tuesday with an 8-6 victory over Kevin Doets in the final.
Wattimena prevailed in all-Dutch final to scoop the £15,000 top prize at the Mattioli Arena, having also accounted for world number one Luke Littler along the way.
The former European Championship runner-up overcame Stephen Rosney and Martin Lukeman to kickstart his run to glory, before edging out Daryl Gurney to continue his progress.
Wattimena then backed up a 102 average against Carl Sneyd with a dramatic 6-5 quarter-final victory against Littler, sealed with a clutch 115 checkout on tops in the deciding leg.
The 38-year-old produced further heroics in his semi-final showdown against Luke Woodhouse, reeling off six straight legs from 4-1 down, aided by an astonishing flurry of five ton-plus finishes.
Wattimena fired in checkouts of 136, 135, 115, 127 and 128 to complete the comeback, before winning six straight legs against Doets to power into a commanding 6-2 lead.
Doets responded by winning four of the next five legs to threaten an improbable turnaround, only for Wattimena to fire in a brilliant 11-darter and return to the winner’s enclosure.
“I played really well today, but I think some games I made difficult for myself,” admitted Wattimena, who reclaims a place in the world’s top 16 at the expense of Ross Smith.
“There’s more expectation now because you know you can win some ProTours. I just made a European Tour final, so hopefully I’m getting there.
“I’ve been to America on holiday but I played a lot of darts there, and this was my first ProTour with my new darts from Winmau, so I’m very happy!”
Wattimena’s first career victory over Littler also generated major headlines, and the Dutchman insists that landmark win gave him the impetus to secure his first title of 2026.
“I always play really well against Luke to be honest,” added Wattimena, who was involved in an epic encounter against the World Champion in last year’s World Matchplay.
“Even when I lose I play well, and that 115 finish against Luke gave me big confidence.
“I didn’t realise I hit five ton-plus finishes in the semi-final because you’re busy with the game, but I’m very happy with this win.”
Doets, featuring in his third ranking final of the season, was below his blistering best in Leicester, despite claiming the scalps of Rob Cross, Cameron Menzies and top seed Wessel Nijman.
Nijman – a six-time winner on the Players Championship circuit in 2026 – averaged almost 110 in his brutal Last 16 demolition of Bradley Brooks, while averaging over 102 in his quarter-final success against Kim Huybrechts.
Woodhouse completed the semi-final line-up, denying Dirk van Duijvenbode in a last-leg thriller in the Last 16, before averaging north of 101 in his quarter-final victory over Mickey Mansell.
Mansell was joined in the quarter-finals by Menzies, Huybrechts and Littler – who made his eagerly anticipated return to Players Championship action.
The 19-year-old is bidding to make a late surge and qualify for November’s Players Championship Finals, and he finds himself £22,250 adrift of the cut-off with seven events remaining.
Littler swept aside Archie Self, Arno Merk and William O’Connor before whitewashing Chris Dobey in the Last 16, yet his title challenge was eventually halted by an inspired Wattimena.
Luke Humphries and Michael van Gerwen also returned to competitive action in Leicester, although the pair were condemned to shock first round exits at the hands of Cam Crabtree and Nick Kenny respectively.
Nathan Aspinall was another high-profile name in action, and the Stockport star landed a sensational nine-darter in the first leg of his opening round tie against Thibault Tricole, before eventually bowing out to Mansell in the Last 32.
Players Championship 27 Results
Tuesday August 25
First Round
Wessel Nijman 6-1 Lukas Wenig
Jack Tweddell 6-5 Tavis Dudeney
Ritchie Edhouse 6-4 Maik Kuivenhoven
Darryl Pilgrim 6-3 Dennie Olde Kalter
Niels Zonneveld 6-2 Niall Culleton
Stefaan Henderyck 6-5 Rob Owen
Ryan Joyce 6-3 Jimmy van Schie
Bradley Brooks 6-2 Marvin Kraft
Jeffrey Sparidaans 6-5 Danny Noppert
David Sharp 6-5 Mike De Decker
Kim Huybrechts 6-4 Daniel Klose
James Hurrell 6-5 Michael Smith
Cam Crabtree 6-3 Luke Humphries
Martijn Dragt 6-3 Brendan Dolan
Jack Aldridge 6-4 Sebastian Bialecki
Tommy Lishman 6-4 Connor Scutt
Kevin Doets 6-2 Yorick Hofkens
Chris Landman 6-1 Tom Bissell
Richard Veenstra 6-3 Benjamin Pratnemer
Wesley Plaisier 6-4 Leon Weber
Rob Cross 6-2 Christopher Wickenden
Owen Bates 6-4 Ryan Meikle
Martin Schindler 6-3 Darius Labanauskas
Harry Ward 6-2 Kai Gotthardt
Krzysztof Ratajski 6-3 Rusty-Jake Rodriguez
Callan Rydz 6-1 Rhys Griffin
Peter Wright 6-2 Cristo Reyes
Gabriel Clemens 6-5 Viktor Tingstrom
Niko Springer 6-5 Marvin van Velzen
Joe Hunt 6-3 Stephen Burton
Cameron Menzies 6-2 Sietse Lap
Ricardo Pietreczko 6-3 Tytus Kanik
Luke Woodhouse 6-1 Filip Bereza
Oskar Lukasiak 6-2 Jim Long
Tom Sykes 6-5 Beau Greaves
Derek Coulson 6-3 Samuel Price
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-4 Tyler Thorpe
Tommy Morris 6-3 Thomas Lovely
Joe Cullen 6-3 Jeffrey de Zwaan
Alan Soutar 6-2 Daniel Ayres
Nathan Aspinall 6-1 Thibault Tricole – *Aspinall hits a nine-darter*
Adam Paxton 6-5 Madars Razma
Adam Lipscombe 6-4 Karel Sedlacek
Mickey Mansell 6-5 Mervyn King
Ryan Searle 6-4 Adam Leek
Justin Hood 6-4 Shane McGuirk
Dave Chisnall 6-4 Christian Kist
Adam Gawlas 6-2 Ian White
Chris Dobey 6-4 Ricky Evans
Stefan Bellmont 6-3 Steve Lennon
Greg Ritchie 6-3 Jeffrey De Graaf
Keane Barry 6-5 Henry Coates
William O’Connor 6-3 Cor Dekker
Jurjen van der Velde 6-4 Nathan Potter
Luke Littler 6-2 Archie Self
Arno Merk 6-1 Scott Williams
Jermaine Wattimena 6-3 Stephen Rosney
Martin Lukeman 6-3 Adam Warner
Daryl Gurney 6-1 Andy Boulton
Charlie Manby 6-3 Scott Waites
Carl Sneyd 6-5 Andrew Gilding
Alexander Merkx 6-4 Mario Vandenbogaerde
Nick Kenny 6-5 Michael van Gerwen
Raymond van Barneveld 6-5 Dominik Gruellich
Second Round
Wessel Nijman 6-4 Jack Tweddell
Darryl Pilgrim 6-1 Ritchie Edhouse
Niels Zonneveld 6-1 Stefaan Henderyck
Bradley Brooks 6-3 Ryan Joyce
Jeffrey Sparidaans 6-1 David Sharp
Kim Huybrechts 6-1 James Hurrell
Martijn Dragt 6-4 Cam Crabtree
Jack Aldridge 6-3 Tommy Lishman
Kevin Doets 6-3 Chris Landman
Wesley Plaisier 6-4 Richard Veenstra
Rob Cross 6-4 Owen Bates
Martin Schindler 6-1 Harry Ward
Krzysztof Ratajski 6-2 Callan Rydz
Peter Wright 6-5 Gabriel Clemens
Joe Hunt 6-5 Niko Springer
Cameron Menzies 6-3 Ricardo Pietreczko
Luke Woodhouse 6-2 Oskar Lukasiak
Tom Sykes 6-3 Derek Coulson
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-2 Tommy Morris
Joe Cullen 6-3 Alan Soutar
Nathan Aspinall 6-1 Adam Paxton
Mickey Mansell 6-0 Adam Lipscombe
Ryan Searle 6-5 Justin Hood
Adam Gawlas 6-5 Dave Chisnall
Chris Dobey 6-1 Stefan Bellmont
Keane Barry 6-1 Greg Ritchie
William O’Connor 6-0 Jurjen van der Velde
Luke Littler 6-3 Arno Merk
Jermaine Wattimena 6-4 Martin Lukeman
Daryl Gurney 6-4 Charlie Manby
Carl Sneyd 6-4 Alexander Merkx
Nick Kenny 6-4 Raymond van Barneveld
Last 32
Wessel Nijman 6-1 Darryl Pilgrim
Bradley Brooks 6-1 Niels Zonneveld
Kim Huybrechts 6-3 Jeffrey Sparidaans
Martijn Dragt 6-4 Jack Aldridge
Kevin Doets 6-4 Wesley Plaisier
Rob Cross 6-5 Martin Schindler
Krzysztof Ratajski 6-5 Peter Wright
Cameron Menzies 6-4 Joe Hunt
Luke Woodhouse 6-1 Tom Sykes
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-4 Joe Cullen
Mickey Mansell 6-3 Nathan Aspinall
Ryan Searle 6-5 Adam Gawlas
Chris Dobey 6-5 Keane Barry
Luke Littler 6-3 William O’Connor
Jermaine Wattimena 6-5 Daryl Gurney
Carl Sneyd 6-4 Nick Kenny
Last 16
Wessel Nijman 6-1 Bradley Brooks
Kim Huybrechts 6-2 Martijn Dragt
Kevin Doets 6-3 Rob Cross
Cameron Menzies 6-1 Krzysztof Ratajski
Luke Woodhouse 6-5 Dirk van Duijvenbode
Mickey Mansell 6-5 Ryan Searle
Luke Littler 6-0 Chris Dobey
Jermaine Wattimena 6-4 Carl Sneyd
Quarter-Finals
Wessel Nijman 6-3 Kim Huybrechts
Kevin Doets 6-2 Cameron Menzies
Luke Woodhouse 6-2 Mickey Mansell
Jermaine Wattimena 6-5 Luke Littler
Semi-Finals
Kevin Doets 7-5 Wessel Nijman
Jermaine Wattimena 7-4 Luke Woodhouse
Final
Jermaine Wattimena 8-6 Kevin Doets
