Chris Dobey denies Dirk van Duijvenbode in thrilling deciding leg to clinch title at Players Championship 17

Chris Dobey has taken the title at Players Championship 17 this Tuesday afternoon in Leicester, denying Dirk van Duijvenbode 8-7 in a thrilling final.

Earlier in the day, Dobey had impressed throughout PC17. Dobey produced a string of high-quality performances en route to the final, hitting a high point when he ended Josh Rock’s impressive unbeaten streak, which had lasted since the European Darts Open. Despite Rock averaging a solid 98.10, Dobey outclassed him with a superb 103.21 average. Dobey then saw off an in-form Gian van Veen in a tightly contested 7-5 victory, with all but one of his winning legs taken out in five visits or fewer, before in the semi-finals, Dobey eased past James Wade 6-3 with a clinical display.

Van Duijvenbode meanwhile, produced a timely return to form at Players Championship 17, securing his first final appearance of the year with a series of composed and powerful performances. His quarter-final victory came in dominant fashion, as he brushed aside Michael Smith 6-1. In the semi-final, the Dutchman then came through a gripping last-leg decider against Damon Heta to book his place in the final.

Dobey wins!

The match began at a blistering pace, with both players trading early breaks of throw and showing clinical finishing. Van Duijvenbode missed the bull for a 170 in the opener but recovered to take the leg in 14 darts, before Dobey immediately broke back and edged into the lead.

The scoring power was relentless—van Duijvenbode produced back-to-back 180s in the sixth leg—but Dobey’s consistency on doubles kept him ahead. A 13-darter followed by a clinical two-dart 25 checkout gave the Englishman a commanding 6–3 lead, with both players averaging over 100.

Just when it looked like Dobey would coast to victory, nerves crept in. He missed two darts for the title at 7–5, and van Duijvenbode roared back, taking three consecutive legs to level at 7–7, including a superb 105 checkout under pressure.

But Dobey steadied himself in the decider, finishing 70 with van Duijvenbode waiting to pounce. It capped off a thrilling contest that featured five maximums, three missed championship darts, and a combined average over 104.

A dramatic, high-quality final—and a well-earned title for ‘Hollywood’.