Former European Champion Ross Smith claimed a sixth career Players Championship crown this afternoon, emphatically cruising past fellow Englishman Chris Dobey to seize the prize.
Dobey – mirroring Gian van Veen’s bittersweet experience in Poland – authored a tournament nine darter of incandescent precision, only to conclude proceedings as gallant runner up.
In a pleasing twist of symmetry, Smudger’s previous Pro Tour coronation arrived on his last pilgrimage to Leicester in October, where he surgically edged past Josh Rock. A few months and countless tungsten trajectories later, the Dover thrower has reinstalled himself within the Mattioli Arena’s winners enclave following a display of considerable authority and competitive gravitas.
Once upon a time, the 37-year-old inscribed his name into the sport’s more esoteric folklore by capturing a title without relinquishing a single leg from the quarter final stage onwards – an act of statistical vandalism bordering on the tyrannical.
This time, the route was less monastic but no less meritorious, and Smith will savour the addition of yet another Pro Tour to his expanding collection.The Chatham born chucker commenced his assignment against opponents of comically contrasting altitude.
He first negotiated recent Ally Pally quarter finalist Justin Hood with measured composure, before replicating an identical 6-3 scoreline to repel Norway’s Cor Dekker, producing an exhibition of crisp scoring and unflustered finishing.
Against his namesake Michael Smith, Ross delivered what would stand as his most opulent average of the day – a sumptuous 106.38 – in a 6-1 demolition that bordered on the imperious. A subsequent and assured dismissal of Niko Springer secured his quarter final berth against Dave Chisnall with minimal fuss.
Chizzy, currently enjoying a renaissance of encouraging proportions, saw his afternoon curtailed at the same juncture as his most notable Hildesheim venture earlier in the season, as Smudger clinically removed a second consecutive St Helens native from the equation.
Victory over Karel Sedlacek – competing in only the second Pro Tour semi-final of his career – then paved the way for a high calibre confrontation with Dobey.Freshly adorned with a Players Championship title from Wigan last week, Hollywood radiated ambition. Having extinguished the effervescent Cristo Reyes, his pathway to the final curiously resembled an English sandwich lavishly stuffed with Dutch filling.
In a robust and rhythmically assured performance, embellished by a quite magnificent leg of almost celestial timing, Dobey accounted for Ricky Evans before embarking on an Oranje eradication spree.Kevin Doets, Danny Noppert and Christian Kist were successively dispatched, though Hawkeye in particular may feel a pang of injustice, his sublime 108.77 average proving an exquisitely polished statistic that nevertheless yielded no tangible reward.
Dobey then prevailed in a characteristically compelling duel with close friend and compatriot Joe Cullen to book his place in the decider.Any pre-match conjecture forecasting a knife edge epic was swiftly rendered obsolete. Smith erupted from the starting blocks with ferocious intent, grabbing the opening five legs in a blur of scoring proficiency and checkout exactitude.
Hollywodd briefly hinted at insurrection by appropriating the next two legs, yet the revival proved ephemeral. The Kent arrow smith promptly restored order, reeling off three consecutive legs to consummate a commanding and thoroughly merited triumph.
2026 PDC PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP FIVE
Mattioli Arena, Leicester, UK (Tues 24th Feb)
Quarter-Finals
Chris Dobey 6-0 Christian Kist
Joe Cullen 6-2 Niels Zonnerveld
Ross Smith 6-3 Dave Chisnall
Karel Sedlacek 6-4 Alan Soutar
Semi-Finals
Chris Dobey 7-4 Joe Cullen
Ross Smith 7-4 Karel Sedlacek
Final
Ross Smith 8-2 Chris Dobey
