Ross Smith (Photo by Taylor Lanning/PDC)
Ross Smith stormed to his eighth PDC ranking title with a comprehensive 8-2 victory over Chris Dobey at Players Championship Five in Leicester.
Smith produced a dominant display to dispatch Dobey at last night’s showpiece, averaging 104.24 and landing five maximums to claim the £15,000 top prize.
The former European Champion was the epitome of consistency at the Mattioli Arena, registering a tournament average of 99.25 to open his account for the 2026 season.
“I’ve just played consistently well today,” reflected Smith, who has won a Players Championship title in each of the last four years.
“I rode my luck a little bit today, but to win a title like this, you need a bit of luck along the way.
“We all know how good Chris is. He’s one of the best players in the world, so I’m just grateful to beat him.
“I felt really relaxed today. It’s the best I’ve felt this year, so I’m really happy with the win.
“I’m confident in my game. I know that anyone who plays me is going to have to play really well to beat me, and that’s what it’s all about.”
Smith began his campaign with successive 6-3 victories over World Championship quarter-finalist Justin Hood and Cor Dekker, averaging 103 in accounting for the Norwegian number one.
The 37-year-old then produced his best performance of the day against Michael Smith, averaging 106.38 to dispatch the 2022/23 World Champion 6-1.
This was backed up by resounding wins over Niko Springer and Dave Chisnall, while he ended the hopes of Czechia’s Karel Sedlacek in the semi-finals to set up his showdown against Dobey.
Smith made an electrifying start to the final, producing legs of 11 and 12 darts – sandwiched between a 147 checkout – to clinch the opening five legs without reply.
Dobey responded with back-to-back legs to threaten a mid-game fightback, only for Smith to hit back with a brace of 14-darters and a clinical 106 checkout in another three-leg burst to take the title.
Smith’s seventh ProTour crown elevates him up to fourth on the 2026 Players Championship rankings, while Dobey has overhauled James Wade into second spot following his exploits in the East Midlands.
The Bedlington star prevailed at Players Championship Three last week, and he produced a string of superb performances on Tuesday, featuring his first nine-darter of the season.
Following a 6-2 thumping of Cristo Reyes in round one, Dobey delivered perfection against Ricky Evans, firing in the nine-darter in the opening leg of his 6-3 victory.
The former Masters champion then denied Dutch duo Kevin Doets and Danny Noppert in last-leg deciders, defying a 108.77 average from Doets to triumph in a pulsating clash.
Dobey also accounted for another Dutchman in the last eight, whitewashing Christian Kist before fending off Joe Cullen 7-4 in a hard-fought semi-final.
Cullen came out on top in a hat-trick of deciding-leg ties in his run to the semi-finals, recovering from 5-3 adrift to sink Gabriel Clemens, while averaging 101 in edging past Adam Gawlas and Brendan Dolan.
Cullen then swept aside Niels Zonneveld to seal his spot in the semi-finals, where he was joined by Czech number one Sedlacek.
The 47-year-old overcame World Championship semi-finalist Ryan Searle and Scottish star Alan Soutar in the latter stages of the tournament, only to fall short in his bid for a maiden ranking title.
Gerwyn Price, Jonny Clayton and Josh Rock were the only Premier League players in action on Tuesday, although all three players suffered opening round exits at the Mattioli Arena.
Price was beaten 6-2 by Adam Lipscombe for the second time in three Players Championship events, while Clayton and Rock succumbed in last-leg shoot-outs against Connor Scutt and James Hurrell respectively.
This week’s double-header concludes with Players Championship Six today, as 128 players compete for the £15,000 top prize.
RESULTS
Last 16
Christian Kist 6-1 Sebastian Bialecki
Chris Dobey 6-5 Danny Noppert
Joe Cullen 6-5 Brendan Dolan
Niels Zonneveld 6-0 Martijn Dragt
Ross Smith 6-2 Niko Springer
Dave Chisnall 6-4 Ricardo Pietreczko
Karel Sedlacek 6-2 Ryan Searle
Alan Soutar 6-4 Gary Anderson
Quarter-Finals
Chris Dobey 6-0 Christian Kist
Joe Cullen 6-2 Niels Zonneveld
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
