Chris Dobey doubled his 2024 title tally with a thrilling 8-6 victory over Cameron Menzies in Thursday’s Players Championship 19 final in Milton Keynes.
Dobey joined Luke Littler and Damon Heta in becoming the third player to win multiple Players Championship titles this year, producing some scintillating displays in the latter stages to pocket the £15,000 top prize.
The 34-year-old registered a trio of ton-topping averages on his way to victory at the Marshall Arena, one of which came in a captivating showdown against Menzies.
The pair traded four consecutive 14-dart holds in a high-quality start to the final, before Menzies stole a march to lead 4-2, kicking off leg six with back-to-back 180s.
However, the Scot was left to rue missed opportunities midway through the tie, and Dobey turned the tide by winning five of the next six legs – including a 146 checkout in leg 12 – to lead 7-5.
Dobey handed Menzies an unexpected reprieve by missing four match darts in the following leg, although the Scot then returned the favour in a dramatic climax, as Dobey converted a clinical 80 kill to triumph.
“Cammy is up there with some of the biggest scorers in the game,” reflected the former Masters champion, who averaged 100.47 to clinch his fifth PDC title.
“I was on the receiving end of that scoring yesterday, so it was nice to get a little bit of payback today!
“I’ve known Cammy for many years now. I’ve known his potential and how good he is for a long time, and I’m not surprised he’s coming here and doing what he’s doing.”
Dobey dealt with Niels Zonneveld, Rowby-John Rodriguez and Luke Woodhouse to kick off his campaign, before averaging 107 in claiming a deciding-leg victory against a typically tenacious James Wade.
The former Masters champion then averaged 105 in a 6-1 thrashing of Mensur Suljovic in the quarter-finals, which he backed up with a 7-3 success against Daryl Gurney to reach his third ProTour final of 2024.
“It was a tough field today, so I’m delighted to be winning titles again,” continued Dobey, currently ranked 13th on the PDC Order of Merit.
“I was practising with Joe Cullen yesterday and I said: ‘The way I’m playing, I feel like I can win one of these two [events].’
“I need to push on and get into the top ten now. Not being in the Premier League this year gave me the kick up the backside I needed, and it’s brought my floor game on.”
Menzies – a semi-finalist in Players Championship 18 on Wednesday – broke new ground in Milton Keynes, winning through a trio of deciding-leg tussles to progress to his maiden PDC ProTour final.
The 35-year-old has been one of the sport’s outstanding performers over recent months, and he reaffirmed his credentials by seeing off the likes of Gian van Veen and Stephen Bunting to scoop the £10,000 runner-up prize.
Menzies averaged 108 to Van Veen’s 111 in anastonishing third round clash, and he also averaged over a ton to see off Ricky Evans and Martin Lukeman, before denying Thibault Tricole in an epic semi-final.
French trailblazer Tricole missed a match dart at tops to defeat Menzies, having accounted for the likes of Ritchie Edhouse and German number two Gabriel Clemens in his breakthrough run to the last four.
Gurney dumped out Dutch duo Wessel Nijman and Danny Noppert in reaching the same stage, after Noppert impressed by featuring in his second quarter-final in as many days.
Noppert was joined in the last eight by Northern Ireland’s Nathan Rafferty, who overcame Joe Cullen and Michael van Gerwen in progressing to his first ProTour quarter-final of 2024.
Austria’s World Cup runner-up Suljovic saw off Krzysztof Ratajski and Dimitri Van den Bergh before succumbing to Dobey in the last eight, while Martin Lukeman toppled Simon Whitlock and Ross Smith to mark a welcome return to form.
The 2024 PDC ProTour season continues with Players Championship 20-21 on September 17-18, with coverage set to be broadcast live through PDCTV and bookmakers’ websites worldwide.
This will be preceded by the ET13 Tour Card Holder Qualifier and the Jack’s World Series Finals Tour Card Holder Qualifier, both of which will take place on Friday August 23 at the Marshall Arena.
2024 Players Championship 19
Marshall Arena, Milton Keynes
Thursday August 22
Last 16
Mensur Suljovic 6-3 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Chris Dobey 6-5 James Wade
Daryl Gurney 6-5 Matthew Dennant
Danny Noppert 6-4 Martijn Dragt
Martin Lukeman 6-3 Ross Smith
Cameron Menzies 6-4 Stephen Bunting
Thibault Tricole 6-5 Gabriel Clemens
Nathan Rafferty 6-4 Jeffrey Sparidaans
Quarter-Finals
Chris Dobey 6-1 Mensur Suljovic
Daryl Gurney 6-2 Danny Noppert
Cameron Menzies 6-5 Martin Lukeman
Thibault Tricole 6-3 Nathan Rafferty
Semi-Finals
Chris Dobey 7-3 Daryl Gurney
Cameron Menzies 7-6 Thibault Tricole
Final
Chris Dobey 8-6 Cameron Menzies
ENDS
