Wessel Nijman clinched his second ranking title of 2025 with an impressive 8-5 victory over Luke Woodhouse, as the PDC ProTour season concluded with Players Championship 34 in Wigan.
Nijman suffered heartbreak at last week’s Machineseeker European Championship, missing seven darts to defeat Michael van Gerwen on debut, but he bounced back brilliantly to clinch the third PDC ranking title of his career on Thursday.
The 25-year-old produced five ton-topping averages on his way to glory at the Robin Park Leisure Centre, before making a sprint for the finish to topple Woodhouse in Thursday’s showpiece.
Woodhouse seized the initiative with a terrific 144 checkout in leg five to lead 3-2, only for Nijman to come roaring back with an 11-dart break to restore parity at three apiece.
However, Woodhouse then squandered six darts at double to lead 5-3, and that proved decisive, with Nijman rattling off the last three legs without reply in 13, 14 and 14 darts to scoop the £15,000 winner’s prize.
“I’m very happy with this win,” reflected Nijman, who finishes the year in second spot on the Players Championship rankings.
“I’m feeling pretty confident when I play here on the ProTour, and I’m hoping I can bring that on to the stage in Minehead.
“I know what I’m capable of. I know I can play at this really high level, but I think every player would agree that a major tournament is different to a ProTour event.
“Sometimes it comes down to a little bit of luck, and hopefully I can have that little bit of luck and get more results on the big stage.”
Nijman opened his challenge with a 6-2 success against Callan Rydz, before registering 101 and 103 averages to overcome Rhys Griffin and Maik Kuivenhoven respectively.
The Dutchman continued his charge with an astonishing 6-1 victory over Adam Paxton in Round Four, landing a trio of 11-darters and a spectacular 170 checkout to triumph with a 116.87 average - his best performance on the ProTour to date.
Nijman was later forced to overturn a 3-1 deficit against his compatriot Kevin Doets, before booking his place in Thursday’s showpiece with a thrilling 7-6 victory against Chris Dobey, who defeated him at the same stage of Wednesday’s event.
Woodhouse, meanwhile, was chasing a maiden PDC ranking title in Wigan, although the man from the Midlands reaffirmed his credentials with a host of excellent performances which have catapulted him to a career-high of world number 25.
Following back-to-back 6-5 victories against William Borland and Florian Hempel, Woodhouse defeated Joe Cullen 6-1 for the second straight day, before launching a stunning fightback from 4-0 down to sink Karel Sedlacek in another decider.
The 37-year-old then recorded an incredible 112.29 average in his quarter-final demolition of Keane Barry, which he backed up with a 7-2 thrashing of William O’Connor to advance to his second ranking final.
O’Connor, a runner-up to Dobey in Wednesday’s Players Championship 33, began the day with victory over former World Champion Michael Smith, before landing ton-plus averages in emphatic wins against Greg Ritchie and Ryan Meikle respectively.
Wednesday's winner Dobey overcame Jim Williams, Wesley Plaisier, Dylan Slevin, Matt Campbell and Dimitri Van den Bergh to extend his winning run to 12 matches, but he was unable to repeat his semi-final heroics against Nijman when the pair renewed their rivalry.
Van den Bergh enjoyed a welcome return to form as he progressed to his first ranking quarter-final since February, and the Belgian was joined in the last eight by Dutch duo Wattimena and Doets, as well as Barry.
The Irishman dumped out Gabriel Clemens, Andrew Gilding and Danny Noppert to confirm his World Darts Championship qualification, while he also forced his way into the field for the Ladbrokes Players Championship Finals, which takes place from November 21-23.
German star Max Hopp held on to claim the 64th and final place in next month’s £600,000 event, despite suffering an opening round whitewash at the hands of Andrew Gilding.
Luke Humphries also sealed his place at Butlin’s Minehead Resort, although the world number one will begin his bid for a third consecutive Players Championship Finals crown as the 58th seed next month.
Gerwyn Price finished top of the Players Championship rankings following his haul of four titles across the year, with Nijman, Damon Heta, Ross Smith and Dobey completing the top five.
See full results listed in the Match Centre.
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2025 Players Championship 34
Thursday October 30
Robin Park Leisure Centre, Wigan
Last 16
Dimitri Van den Bergh 6-3 Dom Taylor
Chris Dobey 6-2 Matt Campbell
Kevin Doets 6-1 Rob Owen
Wessel Nijman 6-1 Adam Paxton
William O'Connor 6-4 Viktor Tingstrom
Jermaine Wattimena 6-2 Madars Razma
Luke Woodhouse 6-5 Karel Sedlacek
Keane Barry 6-4 Danny Noppert
Quarter-Finals
Chris Dobey 6-4 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Wessel Nijman 6-4 Kevin Doets
William O'Connor 6-1 Jermaine Wattimena
Luke Woodhouse 6-2 Keane Barry
Semi-Finals
Wessel Nijman 7-6 Chris Dobey
Luke Woodhouse 7-2 William O'Connor
Final
Wessel Nijman 8-5 Luke Woodhouse