Chris Dobey confirmed his qualification for next month’s Grand Slam of Darts with a superb Players Championship 33 victory in Wigan on Wednesday.
Dobey defeated a resolute William O’Connor to clinch his third Players Championship title of the campaign, reeling off three consecutive legs to complete an 8-6 success at the Robin Park Leisure Centre.
The Bedlington star is now assured of his place at the upcoming Grand Slam of Darts, as he claims one of the two places on offer for the most prolific performers on the Players Championship circuit this year.
“This just goes to show if you stick in, you get the rewards,” insisted Dobey, who averaged 102.19 across his seven matches on Wednesday. “I’m buzzing because the Grand Slam is a big tournament. I’ve missed out in two of the last three years, so it’s good to be back.
“I’m happy with my game, I’m consistently playing well and picking up titles on the ProTour, and this is what I wanted a few years ago. Now I want to start winning TV titles. I cannot keep playing well on TV and not get anything for it, so I’m just going to dig in and keep believing.
“I want to be back with the top players in the world, playing them week in week out, and if I keep producing darts like this, I shouldn’t be too far away.”
Dobey began proceedings with comprehensive wins over and Greg Ritchie and Rob Owen, before producing a trio of sensational displays to storm into the semi-finals.
The 35-year-old averaged 108 and 107 in dispatching Jeffrey de Graaf and Damon Heta respectively, while a 111.29 average saw him demolish his close friend Nathan Aspinall in the quarter-finals.
Dobey continued his charge with a 7-2 drubbing of Wessel Nijman in the last four, although he was given a stern examination by O’Connor in their winner-takes-all showdown.
O’Connor levelled the contest with a clinical 118 on tops in leg six, while a spectacular 151 checkout powered him into a 6-5 lead, as he set his sights on a first ProTour title since 2019.
However, Dobey hit back with legs of 12 and 16 darts to seize the initiative, before converting a 64 combination on double four to triumph with a 99.72 average.
O’Connor overcame Robert Grundy, Michele Turetta and Andy Boulton to kickstart his charge, although he survived a scare in edging out quick-fire Dutchman Chris Landman in the last 16.
The Irishman then reeled off five consecutive legs from 3-1 down to topple French trailblazer Thibault Tricole in the last eight, which he backed up with a 7-2 thumping of Ryan Joyce.
Joyce’s run to the semi-finals featured wins over German duo Gabriel Clemens and Niko Springer, while he also fought back from 4-0 down to stun Richard Veenstra in the last 16.
Nijman also impressed in reaching the last four, overcoming his compatriot Raymond van Barneveld in Round Three, before whitewashing a below-par Gerwyn Price in the quarter-finals.
Nevertheless, Price boasts a £10,500 lead at the top of the Players Championship rankings, with only Heta and Ross Smith able to overhaul the Welshman in tomorrow’s final event.
Heta was one of two players to produce perfection on a high-quality day of action, landing a nine-darter in his opening round tie against George Killington.
That came just moments after Aspinall fired in a nine-darter during his clash against Ian White, having also produced a brace of nine-darters at Players Championship 31 earlier this month.
The PDC ProTour season will conclude with Players Championship 34 on Thursday, as the race to qualify for next month’s Players Championship Finals reaches a dramatic finale.
World number one Luke Humphries is amongst those aiming to confirm his spot at Butlin’s Minehead Resort, and the reigning champion currently finds himself £1,000 above the provisional qualification cut-off.
Thursday’s action also represents the final opportunity for players to secure World Darts Championship qualification via the ProTour rankings, with the top 40 non-qualified players from the ProTour rankings set to feature in this year’s Alexandra Palace extravaganza.
Players Championship 33 results
Last 16
- Ryan Joyce 6-5 Richard Veenstra
- Cam Crabtree 6-2 Cameron Menzies
- William O'Connor 6-5 Chris Landman
- Thibault Tricole 6-4 Peter Wright
- Gerwyn Price 6-1 Matt Campbell
- Wessel Nijman 6-2 Ricky Evans
- Nathan Aspinall 6-3 Luke Woodhouse
- Chris Dobey 6-3 Damon Heta
Quarter-Finals
- Ryan Joyce 6-1 Cam Crabtree
- William O'Connor 6-3 Thibault Tricole
- Wessel Nijman 6-0 Gerwyn Price
- Chris Dobey 6-2 Nathan Aspinall
Semi-Finals
- William O'Connor 7-2 Ryan Joyce
- Chris Dobey 7-2 Wessel Nijman
Final
- Chris Dobey 8-6 William O'Connor
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