The latest PDC double header of Pro Tour (off camera) Players Championship events took place in Hildeshiem, Germany this week with 128 players vying to retain their professional status, qualify for major events or simply earn a living playing professional darts. It was two experienced hands who seized the opportunities on offer.
First we saw the return of former world champion Gerwyn Price to the winners circle. He might be called The Iceman, but there was nothing chilly about the way he roasted Gian van Veen in Hildesheim. A few days earlier, GVV had bagelled him 6-0 at the Czech Darts Open in Prague. Cue revenge. Price stormed into a 6-0 lead, survived a wobble, and eventually wrapped up an 8-5 win with a 109.8 average and 13 maximums. Business as usual.
Van Veen’s impressive five straight leg rally caused the Welshman concern, but Price wasn’t about to become an end of year pub quiz trivia answer. He reeled off an 11-darter then a couple of minutes later, slammed the door and collect his 21st Players Championship title. Gian still deserves plaudits – beating Gary Anderson in the semis with a 104.62 average isn’t shabby – and right now he looks every inch Holland’s form man, yes, even with MVG still about.
Speaking of Anderson, the Flying Scotsman was lauded by those who spotted a superb piece f sportsmanship from the darts icon. Anderson realised his expression of annoyance with a noisy spectator may have distracted his opponent, Callan Rydz, and so manufactured a way to negate his own throw and restore fairness:
UNBELIEVABLE SPORTSMANSHIP: Gary Anderson’s Incredible Gesture Stuns Darts Fans
The weekend wasn’t just tungsten drama; it was travel chaos too. Hildesheim’s reputation as a nightmare destination stayed intact. Adam Hunt played budget Jason Bourne in Amsterdam only to find his luggage had vanished into thin air. Michael Smith’s flight was binned – his eloquent ffs post said it all – while referee Kirk Bevins briefly joined the lost luggage club. Chris Dobey avoided the lot by staying home. Smartest move of the weekend.
Elsewhere, Bradley Brooks reminded everyone he’s alive and throwing, smashing World No. 1 Luke Humphries with a ridiculous 112 average. Willie O’Connor’s semi-final run nudged him into the Grand Prix spots, while Smith is still £6k short and sweating like it’s July in Blackpool. Barney, Cullen and Dolan all have work to do, while Dimitri Van den Bergh qualifying would need divine intervention.
But really, this was all about Price. Revenge dished up with tungsten precision, a swollen hand forgotten, and another trophy in the bag. That’s 21 titles now – or, put another way, 21 more than any other chip shop owner in Wales. Fish fryers of Cymru: try topping that stat
Players Championship 26
Quarter-Finals
Gary Anderson 6-5 Danny Noppert
Gian van Veen 6-3 Ross Smith
Gerwyn Price 6-5 Wessel Nijman
William O’Connor 6-3 Bradley Brooks
Semi-Finals
Gian van Veen 7-4 Gary Anderson
Gerwyn Price 7-6 Wiliam O’Connor
Final
Gerwyn Price 8-5 Gian van Veen
The second event this week saw The Rockstar bounce back to the sort of form he has shown in recent years. Joe Cullen, left it late to all but book his place at the World Grand Prix, pulling off a last-leg win over Gerwyn Price to claim his second Players Championship title of the season.
Price’s weekend was something of a fluke. He hadn’t even planned on playing until a swollen hand caused him to pull out of UK events a week or so earlier. So, his initially unplanned trip to Germany ended with two finals and over £20k in the bank. Worked out fine in the end.
Cullen’s run was crucial for a potential trip to Leicester next month. The Rockstar beat Dolan, ground out four 6-4 wins, hammered Scott Williams 7-1 in the semis, and then drag the final into a messy shootout which neither Joe or Gezzy seemed in a rush to win. Eventually, the Bradford man fell over the line for his ninth career Players Championship and first outside the UK.
Elsewhere, Michael Unterbuchner (Willy Wonka’s quality control man) and Alexander Merkx (the only darter with two X’s in his name) capitalised on call-ups to both enjoy quarter-final runs. Michael Smith, though, saw another chance slip by – one win, then an exit to Unterbuchner. At nearly £10k shy of the cut-off now, only a Euro Tour miracle will save him now. First though, he needs to make sure he’s heading to Switzerland because he won’t be featuring in Hungary.
Dominik Gruellich produced the day’s highlight, averaging 108.65 in a whitewash of Chizzy, while Scott Williams added some entertainment by winning a leg with three tops. A nod too to Jose De Sousa, absent after the sad loss of his mother.
Two Euro Tour qualifiers now remain, and for those chasing Leicester spots, it’s last chance saloon. Miss it, and you’re out.
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Players Championship 27
Quarter-Finals
Joe Cullen 6-4 James Hurrell
Scott Williams 6-1 Alexander Merkx
Gerwyn Price 6-4 Michael Unterbuchner
Danny Noppert 6-1 Richard Veenstra
Semi-Finals
Joe Cullen 7-1 Scott Williams
Gerwyn Price 7-3 Danny Noppert
Final
Joe Cullen 8-7 Gerwyn Price
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