Another volcanic session of tungsten warfare ripped through Somerset as the Players Championship Finals served up yet more carnage, with five former PDC major winners hurled violently overboard in a single, chaotic swoop. Minehead has never pretended to be gentle — but today, it was downright merciless.
Performance of the day? You could almost have predicted it before a dart was thrown. The reigning World Champion, Luke Littler, stormed the stage with the clinical cold-bloodedness of a teenage tyrant, dismantling an outstanding Ross Smith in a match that showcased both brilliance and brutality. Smudger was magnificent — ton-plus average, 50% on the doubles, immaculate timing.
Against 99.9% of the field, he walks off a winner. But against The Nuke, when he’s firing like a tungsten supernova? You become another statistic on the Littler rampage.
Just behind him in the performance rankings was a man playing darts so scorching they may need to install fire extinguishers around the oche — Jermaine Wattimena. The Dutch explosives expert produced a breathless 109 average in a dismantling of Ryan Joyce, the kind of red-hot form that screams TV title incoming.
Two floor titles already in the bag… but on this form, he’s beginning to look like a man ready to upgrade to something far shinier.
Gerwyn Price, the only Welshman still standing, played with menace after dropping the opening leg to rising Polish danger-man Sebastian Bialecki. The Iceman simply flicked the switch, hit the accelerator, and rattled off six straight legs to remind everyone that winter is still very much coming.
Josh Rock obliterated his stable-mate Scott Williams in the RBS Derby — a ruthless whitewash that left jaws scattered across the floor. Meanwhile, European Champion Gian van Veen saw his Minehead dream expire in a last-leg shootout against the methodical machine that is Krzysztof Ratajski, and now switches all focus to his looming World Youth Final against Beau Greaves.
The cull of former champions continued. James Wade edged 2021 winner Peter Wright in a tactical masterclass, and local hero Gary Anderson was heartbreakingly squeezed out by Ricardo Pietreczko.
That left Daryl Gurney — Superchin himself — standing alone as the last remaining former champion, after Stephen Bunting suffered a rare off-day and felt the sting of an early exit.
Joining Pikachu in Sunday’s fixture list is his German compatriot Martin Schindler, who outgunned Nick Kenny. Nathan Aspinall flattened Richard Veenstra without the Dutchman even chalking a single leg, while Chris Dobey endured the exact opposite — surviving match darts and clinging on by his fingernails in a thriller against Cam Crabtree.
Andrew Gilding, a man who knows exactly what Minehead glory tastes like, kept his dreams of a golden double alive by ousting local threat Justin Hood in a gripping encounter.
The outsiders kept swinging too — James Hurrell crushed Luke Woodhouse 6–1, while Portsmouth’s Adam Lipscombe continued his Somerset fairytale by comfortably dispatching Bradley Brooks.Ryan Searle pinched a last-leg decider against Callan Rydz, and Danny Noppert — ever ice-cool — wrapped up the night by strolling past Madars Razma, who only managed a solitary leg.
And now? The format expands.
The games get longer. The nerves get louder. Race to 10. No hiding. No shortcuts. No mercy incoming. Minehead is ready for another eruption.
Afternoon Session
Round Two (Main Stage)
Daryl Gurney 6-4 Stephen Bunting
James Wade 6-4 Peter Wright
Nathan Aspinall 6-0 Richard Veenstra
Gerwyn Price 6-1 Sebastian Bialecki
Luke Littler 6-3 Ross Smith
Krzysztof Ratajski 6-5 Gian van Veen
Josh Rock 6-0 Scott Williams
Danny Noppert 6-1 Madars Razma
Stage Two
James Hurrell 6-1 Luke Woodhouse
Adam Lipscombe 6-2 Bradley Brooks
Ryan Searle 6-5 Callan Rydz
Jermaine Wattimena 6-2 Ryan Joyce
Martin Schindler 6-4 Nick Kenny
Ricardo Pietreczko 6-5 Gary Anderson
Andrew Gilding 6-5 Justin Hood
Chris Dobey 6-5 Cam Crabtree
Evening Session (1900-2300 GMT)
Round Three
Main Stage
Gerwyn Price v Martin Schindler
Nathan Aspinall v Danny Noppert
Luke Littler v Ricardo Pietreczko
Krzysztof Ratajski v Josh Rock
Stage Two
Daryl Gurney v Adam Lipscombe
Andrew Gilding v James Wade
Jermaine Wattimena v Ryan Searle
Chris Dobey v James Hurrell
—-Ends—–
Images: T Lanning / PDC
