Dobey Claims Players Championship 9 as Humphries Stumbles

Luke Humphries’ poor run of form continued at Players Championship 9 in Wigan as he bowed out in the last 16, while Chris Dobey enjoyed a dominant weekend to claim the title.

Humphries, still smarting from a quarter-final defeat to Jonny Clayton in Brighton four days earlier that dented his hopes of reaching the Premier League finals, was beaten 6-4 by Andrew Gilding. Gilding then produced another surprise by defeating Beau Greaves 6-3 — Greaves having earlier beaten Raymond van Barneveld and Premier League leader Clayton to become the first woman in PDC history to reach a ProTour quarter-final.

Dobey, 35 and from Northumberland, produced one of his finest weeks on the ProTour. He beat Luke Woodhouse 6-1 in the last 16, overcame Richard Veenstra 6-3 in the quarters and dismantled Gilding 7-1 in the semis. In the final he recovered from losing the first two legs to Justin Hood to win 8-4, taking six of the next seven legs and securing the £15,000 top prize.

Dobey averaged over 100 throughout the event and posted a 105.28 average in the final; Hood was no slouch either, averaging 102.91. The victory was Dobey’s second title of 2026 and his tenth Players Championship triumph overall. Reflecting on the win he said he wants to build on this form, start converting performances on TV and add European Tour titles — consistency is the key, he added.

Wigan also provided a showpiece moment when Thomas Lovely hit a nine-darter in round three, a perfect leg that came in his defeat to Luke Woodhouse.

Chris Dobey 8-4 Justin Hood

Humphries’ early exit will raise questions about his form as the season progresses, while Dobey’s clinical week underlines him as a player to watch as the tour moves on.