Jermaine Wattimena has clinched his third career PDC ranking title, winning Players Championship 27 in Leicester. In a spectacular display of skill and resilience, Wattimena overcame fellow Dutchman Kevin Doets 8-6 in a gripping final. His journey to victory was marked by a sensational quarter-final upset against world number one Luke Littler and an astonishing comeback in the semi-finals against Luke Woodhouse, where he hit five critical ton-plus checkouts. This win is Wattimena’s first title of 2026 and sees him return to the world’s Top 16.
Wattimena’s Road to Glory
Jermaine Wattimena’s path to the Players Championship 27 title was nothing short of dramatic. He began his campaign with strong performances, securing convincing wins against Stephen Rosney and Martin Lukeman. He then narrowly defeated Daryl Gurney to advance to the Last 16.
His momentum continued with a solid 6-4 victory over Carl Sneyd, averaging an impressive 102. However, the tournament truly ignited for Wattimena in the quarter-finals:
- Quarter-Final Shocker: Wattimena faced darts sensation Luke Littler, the reigning World Champion. In a tense, last-leg decider, Wattimena produced a clutch 115 checkout on Double 20 to secure a dramatic 6-5 victory, marking his first-ever win against Littler. This moment undoubtedly boosted his confidence significantly.
- Semi-Final Miracle: The drama continued in the semi-finals against Luke Woodhouse. Trailing 4-1, Wattimena unleashed an incredible comeback, reeling off six consecutive legs to win 7-4. This astonishing run was highlighted by an exceptional flurry of five ton-plus finishes: 136, 135, 115, 127, and 128.
The Grand Finale
Carrying the immense form and confidence from his semi-final heroics, Wattimena entered the final against Kevin Doets. He quickly established a commanding lead, winning six straight legs to go 6-2 up. Doets, however, showed remarkable resilience, fighting back to win four of the next five legs, narrowing the gap and threatening a spectacular final showdown.
But Wattimena held his nerve. With the pressure mounting, he delivered a brilliant 11-dart leg to seal an 8-6 victory, securing his first title of 2026 after three previous losses in finals.
Champion’s Reflections
After his triumphant return to the world’s Top 16, Wattimena was ecstatic, crediting his form and new equipment:
“I played really well today, but I think some games I made difficult for myself,” Wattimena stated. “There’s more expectation now because you know you can win some ProTours. I just made a European Tour final against [Krzysztof] Ratajski, so hopefully I’m getting there.”
He also highlighted the impact of his new darts: “I’ve been to America on holiday but I played a lot of darts there, and this was my first ProTour with my new darts from Winmau, so I’m very happy!”
Reflecting on his win against Littler, he added: “I always play really well against Luke to be honest… Even when I lose I play well, and that 115 finish against Luke gave me big confidence. I didn’t realise I hit five ton-plus finishes in the semi-final because you’re busy with the game, but I’m very happy with this win.”
Doets’ Impressive Run and Other Noteworthy Performances
Kevin Doets continued his best career season, reaching the final after winning Players Championship 13 earlier in the year and making six other semi-final appearances. Despite not being at his absolute peak in Leicester, he still defeated strong opponents like Rob Cross, Cameron Menzies, and the in-form Wessel Nijman.
Wessel Nijman, a standout player in 2026, demonstrated exceptional form throughout the tournament. He averaged almost 110 in a brutal 6-1 demolition of Bradley Brooks in the Last 16 and maintained an average over 102 in his 6-3 quarter-final success against Kim Huybrechts, before being narrowly ousted 7-5 by Doets in the semi-finals.
Other notable moments included:
- Early Exits for Big Names: Luke Humphries and Michael van Gerwen, returning after extended absences, both suffered first-round defeats to Cam Crabtree and Nick Kenny, respectively.
- Nathan Aspinall’s Nine-Darter: Nathan Aspinall achieved a perfect nine-dart leg in his opening round match against Thibault Tricole, though his run ended in the third round.
Luke Littler’s Players Championship Finals Quest
Reigning World Champion Luke Littler’s ambition to claim every major ranking title in a calendar year now hinges on his qualification for the Players Championship Finals in November. After skipping the first 26 Players Championship events of 2026, Littler’s appearance at PC27 earned him £6,000, placing him 141st on the one-year PDC Players Championship Order of Merit.
With the Top 64 qualifying for the Finals in Minehead, Littler currently trails 64th-place Mario Vandenbogaerde by £22,250. With only seven events remaining, including three more English events which Littler has expressed a desire to compete in, his best chance to significantly boost his ranking may come in the immediate future, with Players Championship 28 scheduled for the very next day.
Tournament Highlights: Key Results
Last 16
- Wessel Nijman 6-1 Bradley Brooks
- Kim Huybrechts 6-2 Martijn Dragt
- Kevin Doets 6-3 Rob Cross
- Cameron Menzies 6-1 Krzysztof Ratajski
- Luke Woodhouse 6-5 Dirk van Duijvenbode
- Mickey Mansell 6-5 Ryan Searle
- Luke Littler 6-0 Chris Dobey
- Jermaine Wattimena 6-4 Carl Sneyd
Quarter-Finals
- Wessel Nijman 6-3 Kim Huybrechts
- Kevin Doets 6-2 Cameron Menzies
- Luke Woodhouse 6-2 Mickey Mansell
- Jermaine Wattimena 6-5 Luke Littler
Semi-Finals
- Kevin Doets 7-5 Wessel Nijman
- Jermaine Wattimena 7-4 Luke Woodhouse
Final
- Jermaine Wattimena 8-6 Kevin Doets
Nine-Darter
Nathan Aspinall hit a perfect nine-dart leg in his first-round match against Thibault Tricole.
Source: Based on an article from Darts Planet TV.
