Wessel Nijman

Darts results: Wessel Nijman wins second Players Championship event of the season

By Sporting Life

Darts

Wed February 18, 2026 · 2d ago

Wessel Nijman defied a heroic performance from Gerwyn Price to clinch his fourth PDC ranking title at Players Championship Two in Hildesheim on Tuesday.

Price and Nijman were the top two performers on the 2025 Players Championship rankings, and they reaffirmed their credentials on a staggering day of action at Halle 39.

However, it was Nijman who scooped the £15,000 top prize, defying a 107.41 average from Price in the final to triumph in a compelling deciding-leg shoot-out.

The emerging Dutchman landed a trio of 14-darters to establish an early 3-1 lead, only for Price - aided by a 144 checkout in leg six - to restore parity at three apiece.

Price then followed up an 11-darter in leg ten with a sumptuous 121 checkout on the bull to lead 6-5, but his advantage was short-lived, as Nijman hit back with a 12-dart break to level at 6-6.

The pair then traded comfortable holds of throw to set up a thrilling finale, although the advantage of throw proved pivotal for Nijman, who backed up a superb 171 with a clinical 94 finish to prevail.

“To win a final like this, when Gerwyn pushes you to the limit, it means a lot,” insisted Nijman, who averaged 102.78 in sealing a memorable victory.

“I am really happy with the way I played today. I’m getting close to the top 24 now but I want to improve a lot.

“I want to be in the top 16 and I want to improve in the big games.

“I’ve said it before in Dutch television interviews; you cannot be playing like this on the floor without it happening on the big stages.

“I’m not really worried about not performing on the big stage; I think it’s just a matter of time.”

Having kicked off his campaign with comfortable wins over Viktor Tingstrom and Samuel Price, Nijman burst into life against Cor Dekker, averaging almost 105 to topple the Norwegian number one.

The Dutchman then overcame newcomer Tommy Morris in the last 16, before averaging 106 in demolishing Carl Sneyd in the quarter-finals.

This set up a showdown against World Championship semi-finalist Ryan Searle, and Nijman delivered another dominant display, winning seven straight legs from 2-0 adrift to triumph.

Price, meanwhile, registered an astonishing tournament average of 105.69 across his seven matches, featuring the two highest averages of the afternoon.

The 2020/21 World Champion was ruthlessly efficient in dispatching of Kim Huybrechts, which he backed up with a brace of 6-2 victories against Stephen Burton and Cristo Reyes.

Nevertheless, the fireworks really began in his last 16 clash against Luke Woodhouse, as he averaged 111.14 to set up a showdown against his great rival Michael van Gerwen.

Price remarkably went one better against the Dutch superstar, averaging 117.12 to complete a nine-minute whitewash, featuring legs of 14, 11, 12, 11, 15 and 14 darts.

The Welshman later averaged north of 104 in his 7-4 success against Krzysztof Ratajski in the semi-finals, only to fall agonisingly short at the expense of a nerveless Nijman.

Ratajski dumped out Dutch duo Dirk van Duijvenbode and Danny Noppert in his run to the semi-finals, while Searle accounted for the likes of Kevin Doets and Dave Chisnall before succumbing at the same stage.

Chisnall and Noppert were joined in the quarter-finals by new Tour Card Holder Sneyd, who claimed the scalps of former European Champions Ross Smith and Ritchie Edhouse earlier in the day.

Fresh from his semi-final showing on Monday, Van Gerwen completed the last eight line-up, having averaged 106 to win his opening round tussle against Michael Smith, in a repeat of the 2022/23 World Championship final.

Monday's champion James Wade was edged out in a last-leg decider by Chisnall in round three, while European Champion Gian van Veen and two-time World Champion Peter Wright were amongst the high-profile opening round casualties on German soil.

Elsewhere, James Hurrell and Gabriel Clemens added their names to the nine-dart roll of honour, achieving perfection against Maik Kuivenhoven and Madars Razma respectively.

Hurrell fired in his perfect leg in his opening round victory over Kuivenhoven, while Clemens landed his nine-darter to wrap up a 6-3 success against Razma in round three, averaging 108 in the process.