LIsa Ashton (Photo PDC)
Lisa Ashton scooped her second PDC Women’s Series title of the year with Event 15 success in Wigan, as Eleanor Cairns claimed a maiden title last night.
Events 15-16 of the Women’s Series took place at the Robin Park Leisure Centre, with Ashton scooping a 20th title on the circuit in the first event of the day after defeating the imperious Beau Greaves in the final.
Ashton produced darting dominance throughout Event 15, conceding just four legs across seven victories to pocket the £2,500 top prize, which kickstarted with a 4-1 win over Tracey Dean.
Three whitewash drubbings of Lauren Bloomfield, Joanne Oldershaw and Rebecca Hoyland followed, before the 55-year-old dispatched Holly Glet 5-1 to reach the semi-finals.
After breezing beyond Finnish star Kirsi Viinikainen 5-1 to set up a tantalising finale against Greaves – who Ashton had lost to on all three occasions that they have met in 2026 Women’s Series finals – history appeared to be repeating itself when the 22-year-old took the opening leg.
However, the Women’s World Matchplay champion produced a fantastic streak of five consecutive legs to claim her second title of the year, closing out the contest with a 15-darter.
In Event 16, Cairns denied Angela Kirkwood in a last-leg thriller to claim a first Women’s Series title of her career.
After claiming 4-0 wins in three of her first four opening matches, the 22-year-old battled to a 5-3 win over Steph Clarke before downing Vicky Pruim 5-2 – ranked fourth in the Women’s Series rankings – to reach the showpiece.
After kicking off the contest with a spectacular 13-dart leg, the pair stayed within a leg of each other throughout the match, before reaching a dramatic deciding-leg.
Despite Kirkwood flying out the gates to leave 80 after 12 darts, a remarkable five match darts were spurned, before Cains took out tops with her second attempt to break new ground in Wigan.
“I’m literally shaking, I can’t believe it!” expressed Cairns.
“I started the Women’s Series in 2021. Even to get to a final, I never even thought of it, but to win one… I’m shaking!
“It’s been a struggle, ups and downs as darts is. But this is definitely one of the biggest things I’ve ever done!”
For Kirkwood, the agonising end to the Event 16 final cost her a spot in July’s Women’s World Matchplay, missing out by just shy of £1,000 to a fortunate Viinikainen.
Kirkwood – chasing her second title on the circuit – had a tremendous day on the oche, including victories over Greaves and Fallon Sherrock en route to the final.
Greaves suffered a rare day without winning a title on the Women’s Series, having claimed 11 of the 14 events before Sunday’s action.
The Players Championship 11 champion lost her first final since 2024 to Ashton in Event 15, before bowing out to Kirkwood in the last 32 of Event 16, marking only the second event of the year she failed to make the quarter-finals or beyond.
Nevertheless, the 22-year-old comfortably remains atop of the rankings, with Ashton extending her position in second and Sherrock occupying third.
The conclusion of Event 16 also marks the cut-off for the 2026 Women’s World Matchplay, which will take place at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens on Sunday July 26.
The top eight players are now confirmed, including Greaves, Ashton and Sherrock, with Gemma Hayter and Vicky Pruim also having guaranteed their spots before this weekend’s action.
Deta Hedman and Rhian O’Sullivan will also feature, with Viinikainen taking the final spot on offer following Kirkwood’s defeat in the final of Event 16.
The top three players from the final PDC Women’s Series rankings will also qualify to compete in the 2026/27 Paddy Power World Darts Championship, with the top-ranked player qualifying for the 2026 Mr Vegas Grand Slam of Darts.
RESULTS
Quarter-Finals
Kirsi Viinikainen 5-1 Steph Clarke
Lisa Ashton 5-1 Holly Glet
Beau Greaves 5-2 Aurora Fochesato
Fallon Sherrock 5-1 Vicky Pruim
Semi-Finals
Lisa Ashton 5-1 Kirsi Viinikainen
Beau Greaves 5-3 Fallon Sherrock
Final
Lisa Ashton 5-1 Beau Greaves
Event 16
Quarter-Finals
Vicky Pruim 5-4 Joanne Oldershaw
Eleanor Cairns 5-3 Steph Clarke
Angela Kirkwood 5-3 Fallon Sherrock
Emma Martin 5-4 Karolina Ratajska
Semi-Finals
Eleanor Cairns 5-2 Vicky Pruim
Angela Kirkwood 5-2 Emma Martin
Final
Eleanor Cairns 5-4 Angela Kirkwood
