Chris Dobey produced a sensational display of scoring power to secure his third Players Championship title of the season, defeating surprise finalist Tommy Morris 8-4 in Thursday’s Players Championship 32 final in Den Bosch. The former Masters champion was in irresistible form throughout the day, claiming the £15,000 winner’s prize after registering the three highest averages of the tournament and showcasing his finishing prowess on the way to glory.
Dobey averaged 103.15 across his seven matches, with a scrappy opening-round encounter against Marvin Kraft proving the only real blemish on an otherwise outstanding campaign. The Bedlington star quickly found his rhythm, averaging 108.65 in a 6-0 whitewash of Owen Bates before recording consecutive 6-2 victories over Mickey Mansell and Bradley Brooks to reach the quarter-finals. There, Dobey raised his level once again, producing a superb 111.12 average to dismantle Krzysztof Ratajski 6-1 and book his place in the last four. A compelling semi-final against William O’Connor followed, with Dobey averaging 109.68 to overcome the Irishman and set up a meeting with Morris, who had enjoyed a remarkable run of his own.
Although Dobey’s scoring numbers dipped slightly in the final, he made a blistering start, winning three consecutive legs in just 41 darts to establish an early advantage. Morris responded to reduce the deficit to 5-3, but Dobey immediately restored his authority with back-to-back 14-dart legs before moving to the brink of victory. The Englishman then put the finishing touches on his triumph with a brilliant 12-darter in leg 12, sealing an 8-4 success with a 103 average and continuing his impressive run on the ProTour.
“I was saying yesterday that I just need a bit of consistency back,” Dobey admitted after claiming his third Players Championship crown of 2026, joining Wessel Nijman and Luke Humphries in reaching that tally this season. “I’ve changed darts. I’ve gone to a brand new barrel this week. I took them out of the wrapper at home the day before I travelled, and I’ve felt great and produced some good stuff. I’m just delighted to get another win after my recent performances on TV. I’ve had a few struggles, but my doubles were brilliant today and you can tell I’ve been working at home. I’m knuckling down and I’ll be working hard for the back end of the year. I know what I’ve got to defend at the World Championship, so I’m looking to dig deep and hopefully get up those rankings again.”
While Dobey stole the headlines, Morris emerged as one of the stories of the day after producing a string of impressive performances to reach his maiden PDC ranking final. The 34-year-old Challenge Tour player came close to joining an exclusive group of players to win a ProTour title without holding a Tour Card, following in the footsteps of Joe Murnan, Ratajski, Scott Williams, Wesley Plaisier and Henry Coates. Morris demonstrated his credentials by eliminating Dutch legend Michael van Gerwen and Wednesday’s champion Charlie Manby before sweeping aside Michael Smith in the quarter-finals. He then delivered one of his best displays of the afternoon against Williams, averaging almost 107 to secure his place in the final and put himself in a strong position to qualify for next month’s Players Championship Finals.
Williams continued his impressive revival on Dutch soil, recording three whitewash victories and defeating Wednesday’s finalist Maik Kuivenhoven on his way to the semi-finals. The Englishman, who finished runner-up at Players Championship 30 last month, was unable to find a way past Morris as the Challenge Tour star completed his remarkable run. O’Connor also enjoyed an impressive campaign, producing ton-plus averages to defeat Martin Schindler and Niels Zonneveld before edging past Karel Sedlacek in the quarter-finals with a superb 148 checkout. Sedlacek had earlier accounted for Dutch duo Raymond van Barneveld and Kevin Doets, while Ricardo Pietreczko continued his resurgence by reaching the last eight. Former World Champion Smith also exited at the quarter-final stage, with Ratajski producing two ton-plus averages before coming up against an unstoppable Dobey.
Away from the title race, Thursday’s action featured another remarkable achievement, with three nine-dart finishes recorded across the event. Tom Sykes produced perfection in his opening-round encounter against Cor Dekker, who was on the receiving end of a nine-darter for the second consecutive day. Brooks also struck a perfect leg in his first-round victory over Adam Gawlas, while Plaisier completed the hat-trick during his second-round clash against Damon Heta. The Dutchman’s nine-darter helped him secure a 6-4 victory and progress into the last 16, a run that could prove crucial in his bid to qualify for the World Darts Championship. Plaisier moved into the provisional qualification places after his performance on home soil, with five-time World Champion Van Barneveld currently occupying the final spot.
Attention now turns to Leicester, where the final Players Championship double-header of the season takes place next week at the Mattioli Arena. With qualification for both the Players Championship Finals and the World Darts Championship reaching its decisive stage, another crucial week awaits the stars of the ProTour.
2026 Players Championship 32 – Thursday October 29 – Maassport Den Bosch
Last 16: Ricardo Pietreczko 6-5 Wessel Nijman; Scott Williams 6-2 Darius Labanauskas; Tommy Morris 6-2 Charlie Manby; Michael Smith 6-3 Stephen Burton; Karel Sedlacek 6-3 Kevin Doets; William O’Connor 6-5 Niels Zonneveld; Chris Dobey 6-2 Bradley Brooks; Krzysztof Ratajski 6-1 Wesley Plaisier.
Quarter-Finals: Scott Williams 6-0 Ricardo Pietreczko; Tommy Morris 6-2 Michael Smith; William O’Connor 6-5 Karel Sedlacek; Chris Dobey 6-1 Krzysztof Ratajski.
Semi-Finals: Tommy Morris 7-3 Scott Williams; Chris Dobey 7-4 William O’Connor.
Final: Chris Dobey 8-4 Tommy Morris.
Nine-Darters: Tom Sykes (vs Cor Dekker, round one); Bradley Brooks (vs Adam Gawlas, round one); Wesley Plaisier (vs Damon Heta, round two).
