Gerwyn Price, known as ‘The Iceman’, delivered a dominant performance to claim his first title of 2026 at the Players Championship, sweeping aside Andrew Gilding 8-1 in the final. This event also witnessed two incredible 9-dart finishes: Max Hopp achieved perfection in his third-round match, and, in a historic first for a woman on the Pro Tour, Beau Greaves hit a flawless leg against Mensur Suljovic, marking a significant milestone in professional darts.
Price’s Unstoppable March to Victory
After a strong run of form in recent weeks, it was only a matter of time before Gerwyn Price secured his first title of the 2026 season. ‘The Iceman’ lived up to his nickname, carving through the competition with an average of 102.82 for the day.
Price’s path to the final was nothing short of commanding:
- He dispatched Cristo Reyes (6-1), Maik Kuivenhoven (6-1), Lukas Wenig (6-2), and Scott Waites (6-1) in the early rounds.
- His averages during these matches were consistently high: 101.85, 107.85, 94.75, 109.48, and 108.59.
- In the quarter-finals, Kevin Doets offered the most resistance, taking four legs off the Welshman.
- The semi-final saw Price restore Welsh bragging rights with a 7-4 victory over Jonny Clayton.
The final against Andrew Gilding was a swift affair. Price quickly took the first three legs, only allowing Gilding one leg with an 84-finish. Price then closed out the match with darts of 15, 15, 19, 12 (including a 153 checkout), and 17, securing his 22nd career Pro Tour title with an emphatic 8-1 win.
Gilding’s Journey to the Final
Andrew Gilding, while not as flashy, steadily progressed through the tournament. He overcame Scott Williams (6-4), Leon Weber (6-4), and Martijn Dragt (6-2) in his initial matches. He hit his stride in the Last 16 against Kim Huybrechts, achieving his first triple-digit average. Gilding then edged out yesterday’s winner, Ross Smith, in a deciding leg in the quarter-finals, and similarly defeated Thibault Tricole over the full distance in the semi-finals to reach the final showdown with Price.
Historic Perfection: Two 9-Darters Light Up the Pro Tour
The tournament was also marked by two incredible moments of perfection, with two players achieving the coveted 9-dart finish.
Max Hopp’s Brilliant 9-Darter
German darting talent Max Hopp, often considered the country’s best current Tour Card holder, showcased his impressive form. He started strong by defeating Krzysztof Ratajski in a tense deciding leg, then comfortably beat Adam Warner 6-1. In his Board Final against France’s Thibault Tricole, Hopp delivered a stunning 9-dart finish in the fifth leg. Despite this incredible feat and a 100+ average, Tricole ultimately advanced with a 6-4 victory, narrowly outperforming Hopp by five points.
Beau Greaves Makes History with a 9-Darter
In a truly landmark moment, England’s Beau Greaves made history by becoming the first woman ever to hit a 9-dart finish on the PDC Pro Tour. This incredible achievement occurred in the third leg of her second-round match against Austrian veteran Mensur Suljovic. Greaves executed the conventional 180-180-T20-T19-D12 route to perfection. She went on to win the match against Suljovic in a deciding leg, after ‘The Gentle’ missed his own match darts. Greaves’ impressive run eventually ended in the Board Final, where she lost 6-3 to David Sharp.
Other Notable Performances from the Field
Several other players delivered strong performances throughout the day:
- Lukas Wenig also secured prize money for the sixth Players Championship of the year, navigating a tricky first-round match against Mickey Mansell and a decisive leg against Cor Dekker, before falling to eventual winner Gerwyn Price.
- Martin Schindler started strong, defeating Dimitri van den Bergh 6-3 and Brendan Dolan 6-1 with a nearly 104 average, reminiscent of his form from last year. However, he struggled with crucial doubles in the third round.
- Arno Merk, who famously beat two-time World Champion Peter Wright at the PDC World Championship, continued his giant-killing form by overcoming five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld 6-4.
- Leon Weber survived a scare against Connor Scutt, winning in a decider, and pushed Andrew Gilding close in the second round.
- New Scottish Tour Card holder David Sharp reached his first quarter-final on the Pro Tour.
- Youngest Tour Card holder, Yorick Hofkens, earned his first prize money, winning a nervous deciding leg against Matthias Ehlers before narrowly losing to Daryl Gurney.
- Maximilian Czerwinski also claimed his first prize money of the season, surviving five match darts against Adam Paxton before falling to a strong Chris Dobey.
- Swiss player Stefan Bellmont broke a streak of four winless events, securing a first-round victory before losing in the second round.
- Yesterday’s German Last 16 participants, Ricardo Pietreczko and Niko Springer, did not reach the prize money stages. Pietreczko lost a decider despite a 170 finish, while Springer suffered a 0-6 defeat.
- Gabriel Clemens showed flashes of brilliance, including a 10-darter, but ultimately lost to Scott Waites.
- Dominik Grüllich, Kai Gotthardt, and Marvin Kraft also missed out on prize money, with Gotthardt narrowly missing match darts in a decider.
- Matthias Ehlers remains the only German on the Pro Tour yet to secure a victory.
Tournament Details: Format, Prize Money & How to Watch
Tournament Format
The matches were played in a legs format:
- Matches up to the Semi-Finals: Best of 11 Legs
- Semi-Finals: Best of 13 Legs
- Final: Best of 15 Legs
Prize Money Breakdown
A total of £150,000 was distributed across the event:
- Winner: £15,000
- Runner-Up: £10,000
- Semi-Finalists: £6,500
- Quarter-Finalists: £4,000
- Last 16: £3,000
- Last 32: £2,000
- Last 64: £1,250
How to Follow the Action
PDC Pro Tour events, including Players Championships, are generally not broadcast on traditional television channels. However, fans can follow the action live:
- Official PDC.TV Livestream: Four boards are streamed live, with one board often featuring German commentary.
- DartConnect Livescorer: All matches across all boards can be tracked in real-time via the DartConnect website.
Source: Based on an article from dartn.de.
