Gabriel Clemens (Picture: PDC)

Darts results: Gabriel Clemens wins maiden PDC ranking title with a 170 checkout

Darts

Wed July 08, 2026 · 3h ago

Gabriel Clemens produced an inspired 170 checkout to clinch his maiden PDC ranking title with a dramatic 8-6 victory over Luke Woodhouse on Tuesday.

Clemens had lost each of his previous seven ranking finals – the first of which came in 2018 – but his perseverance finally paid off in Leicester, as he joined the winner’s circle in sensational style.

The 42-year-old has relinquished his place in the world’s top 40 over the last 18 months, but he reaffirmed his credentials with a milestone triumph at the Mattioli Arena.

Clemens becomes the fifth German player to win a PDC ranking title, following in the footsteps of his fellow countrymen Max Hopp, Ricardo Pietreczko, Martin Schindler and Niko Springer.

“I lost so many finals, and I’m very happy… I have no words now,” reflected an emotional Clemens.

“Last week, I had a quarter-final, and again earlier in the year. Now I hope it can keep going better.

“I have lost so many matches in finals, it was in my head; it’s normal.

“Every day I hope it’s my day… but today is my day!

“I’m very proud and I must say thank you to my wife. She always believes in me and I’m very happy now.”

Clemens’ campaign began with a 6-3 win at the expense of Thomas Lovely, which he backed up with notable victories over Dutch duo Michael van Gerwen and Kevin Doets.

Having accounted for three-time World Champion Van Gerwen and an in-form Doets, Clemens also defied a spectacular nine-darter from Scott Williams to prevail 6-5 in a battle between the former World Championship semi-finalists.

Clemens’ confidence continued to rise following a 6-1 demolition of Mickey Mansell in the quarter-finals, and he averaged almost 101 in dispatching another Irishman Brendan Dolan 7-3 in the last four.

The German maintained his relentless march towards victory in the opening exchanges of Tuesday’s final, crashing in five 180s in just seven legs to lead Woodhouse 5-2.

However, after spurning multiple opportunities to establish a commanding 7-2 buffer, Clemens began to toil as Woodhouse responded with a sequence of four straight legs to restore parity at six apiece.

Woodhouse had the momentum, but Clemens stopped the rot with a timely hold of throw in the penultimate leg, before conjuring the magical 170 finish to become a PDC title winner.

Despite surviving seven match darts in his opening round tie against Thibault Tricole, Woodhouse claimed a hat-trick of Dutch scalps en route to advancing to Tuesday’s showpiece.

The 37-year-old fought back from 3-1 down to topple Raymond van Barneveld in round two, which he backed up with successive 6-3 wins against Cam Crabtree and Justin Hood respectively.

Woodhouse then averaged 101 in a six-leg whitewash of Danny Noppert, before reeling off four straight legs from 5-3 down to deny world number three Gian van Veen in the semi-finals.

Van Veen’s run to the last four featured an impressive victory over Gary Anderson, in a repeat of the pair’s epic World Darts Championship semi-final back in January.

The Dutch number one was joined in the last four by a resurgent Dolan, who accounted for Stephen Bunting, Sebastian Bialecki and Chris Dobey in reaching his first ranking semi-final of 2026.

Having ended Bialecki’s slender hopes of World Matchplay qualification in round three, Dolan also fought back from 5-2 adrift to stun Dobey, averaging almost 103 in the process.

Dobey completed the last eight line-up alongside Noppert, Mansell and Madars Razma, who ended Daryl Gurney’s hopes of World Matchplay qualification with a deciding-leg triumph earlier in the day.

The Northern Irishman misses out on a place in Blackpool for the first time since 2015, with Dave Chisnall subsequently leapfrogging Gurney to record a 16th consecutive appearance at the Winter Gardens.