The Austrian Darts Open 2026 concluded this past weekend in Graz, with Josh Rock claiming top honours by defeating Kevin Doets in the final to add his first European Tour title in some time. Rock, one of only two Premier League players in attendance, averaged over a ton in both his semi-final and final, showcasing his quality despite a difficult debut Premier League season where he sits bottom of the table. The victory allows him to look ahead positively to defending his World Cup of Darts title alongside Daryl Gurney next month and aiming for a strong showing at the World Matchplay.
Kevin Doets enjoyed a remarkable week, having claimed his first PDC ranking title by winning Players Championship 13 on Monday before reaching his first European Tour final in Graz. Doets commented after the defeat that he wants to regularly compete in the Premier League and the biggest tournaments darts has to offer. Cristo Reyes also shone, hitting a nine-darter in his second-round win over Damon Heta and reaching his first Euro Tour quarterfinal since the 2017 Austrian Darts Open. The Spaniard, who regained his PDC Tour Card at the start of 2026, showed he is an unseeded player no top name will want to face.
The event was overshadowed by the absence of many top stars, sparking debate after Mensur Suljovic hit out at the PDC, saying too many players from the world's top 16 continue to skip European Tour events. With Luke Littler, Luke Humphries, Jonny Clayton, Gerwyn Price, Stephen Bunting, Gary Anderson and Nathan Aspinall all absent, seven players from the top 14 of the PDC Order of Merit were missing. Suljovic's comments came as Littler, Humphries, Aspinall and Price all played in non-ranking exhibitions over the weekend, including Bunting and Littler in Leicester. The PDC faces growing calls to consider making European Tour participation mandatory for a minimum number of events, similar to rules in tennis where players must compete in at least eight of the nine Masters events.
Rob Cross reached the semi-finals, leaving him in a favourable position in the race for the World Matchplay, while Andrew Gilding benefited from a quarterfinal showing. Damon Heta's poor form sees him on the cusp of dropping out, and Ryan Joyce could be sleep-walking away from a return to Blackpool. The Stadthalle Graz made an impressive debut as a venue, with a spacious layout that players praised, though the atmosphere was less intense due to large pillars dividing the hall. Martin Schindler and Niko Springer had successful weekends from a German perspective, while Franz Engerer performed brilliantly in his debut as Master of Ceremonies.
