Michael van Gerwen and Andrew Gilding were the winners at Players Championship 15 and 16, held in Leicester on Tuesday and Wednesday. Van Gerwen claimed his first ProTour title since around October 2024, while Gilding secured his first ever ProTour title – a remarkable achievement for a former major champion. Both were popular winners, but questions remain over whether van Gerwen can build on this success.
Van Gerwen produced one of his best sustained spells of brilliance, highlighted by a stunning 122.34 average in the semi-final against Martin Schindler, who averaged 108.78 and did not get a dart at double. MVG went on to defeat Dirk van Duijvenbode 8-5 in an all-Dutch final. However, the very next day he suffered a surprise defeat to Joe Hunt, the Challenge Tour leader, highlighting the inconsistency that has plagued him. As one commentator noted, 'it is very high highs and very low lows.'
Andrew Gilding, meanwhile, finally broke his ProTour duck after 442 tournament appearances. The 55-year-old UK Open champion defeated Jonny Clayton in the final with a 99 average in a clinical display. Gilding's win cements his spot in Blackpool for the World Matchplay in July, where he has a quarter-final to defend. He now finds himself in an excellent position across all rankings and qualification races for the remainder of the season.
The standard of play at Players Championship 15 was extraordinarily high, with an overall tournament average of more than 93 and 45 averages over 100 – one of the strongest floor tournaments in recent memory, despite many top names skipping the event. German players also impressed: Martin Schindler reached the semi-finals of PC15, Niko Springer made the semi-finals of PC16, and Gabriel Clemens reached the quarter-finals on Wednesday. However, Ricardo Pietreczko struggled with averages of 76 and 66.
The debate continues over whether van Gerwen's title is a one-off or a sign of a return to form. With a Premier League playoff spot not yet guaranteed, he needs to replicate his Leicester form on the big stage. As one pundit put it, 'the only question now is whether this title will allow us to see this version of Mighty Mike more regularly again in the future.'
