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Ross Smith falls just short of Phil Taylor record in incredible Players Championship 16 win

Originally posted on Dartsnews.com | Last updated May 15, 2025 1:12 PM ET

Ross Smith produced a phenomenal display at Players Championship 16 on Tuesday, delivering one of the most dominant performances of the year. 'Smudger' was locked at 3-3 in his last-16 clash with Chris Landman — then went on a staggering run, winning 24 consecutive legs on his way to lifting the title.

Smith went on to win that match 6-3, before whitewashing Danny Noppert 6-0 in the quarter-finals. He then cruised past Luke Woodhouse 7-0 in the semis and completed his flawless run with an 8-0 demolition of Brendan Dolan in the final.

Not only did Smith reel off 24 straight legs, but he also hit two nine-darters along the way — a feat that underscores the sheer quality of his game throughout the day.

In total, Smith won 45 of the 55 legs he played, an impressive win rate of 81.8%. Yet, as dominant as that sounds, it still doesn't crack the all-time top five for highest leg win percentages at a single Players Championship event.

That honour belongs to the one and only Phil Taylor. The Power won 42 of 46 legs (91.3%) en route to the title at the 27th Players Championship in 2009. Former world No.1 Colin Lloyd sits sixth on the list, having won 36 of 43 legs (83.7%) at Players Championship 22 in 2009. Smith’s performance, while exceptional, ranks eighth all-time — just behind Taylor again in seventh.

The Players Championship now takes a short break, with the next trio of events scheduled for June 17, 18, and 19 in Leicester.

Ross Smith won 45 of the 55 legs he played today. That's the 8th best winning percentage in a Players Championship tournament. The fact, that the rest of the top-10 came from a whole different era in darts illustrates how special this performance is. pic.twitter.com/otSTnNY5ox
— TheRedBit (@TheRedBit180) May 13, 2025