The remarkable depth of quality across the current PDC circuit was underlined again last weekend at the Austrian Darts Open. With Josh Rock winning this sixth European Tour event of 2026, the tally has now reached no fewer than 25 different players who have made at least one ProTour final this season.
That figure highlights just how fiercely competitive the 2026 darts year has been. After twenty ProTour events played — fourteen Players Championships and six European Tour events — there is scarcely any dominance from a single elite group. Almost every week new names reach finals, while established stars are regularly knocked out early.
Yet one player has set himself apart over recent months: Wessel Nijman. The 25-year-old Dutchman is enjoying a sensational season and can now, without dispute, be called the king of the ProTour. Nijman has already won as many ranking titles this year as the next three players on the roll of honour combined. The young Dutchman shows he should no longer be seen merely as a prospect, but as a genuine member of the sport’s elite. He will have to be taken seriously at the upcoming majors as well.
Behind Nijman, Gerwyn Price sits in second place. The Iceman has already won a Players Championship event and a European Tour event this year. He also reached another final on both circuits. The top three is completed by Chris Dobey, who has already won two Players Championships this year and lost another final on the same circuit.
A striking newcomer on this list is Kevin Doets. Until last week he had never reached a Pro Tour final, but the 28-year-old Dutchman changed that with a title at Players Championship 13 and a runners-up spot at the Austrian Darts Open. At the same time, the record number of different finalists mainly shows how fine the margins are these days within the PDC. One poor session or a few missed doubles can be enough to knock out a top favorite early. As a result, emerging players are getting more and more chances to break through. With a large part of the season still to come, the battle for ProTour titles promises to become even more exciting. The question now is not only who will win the majors, but above all whether anyone can disrupt the impressive consistency of Wessel Nijman.
