Price Fends Off Sensational Rock Comeback to Claim Third Title of Season at PC12
- Darts Central
- Apr 9
- 7 min read
After Cameron Menzies’ victory at Players Championship 11 the previous day, where he claimed his first title of the season, all eyes shifted to Players Championship 12 at the Mattioli Arena in Leicester.
Following his triumph, Menzies opted out of today’s action and was replaced by Challenge Tour call-up Graham Usher.
Early Rounds: PL Duo Dumped Out & Rock Nails Perfect Leg
Ross Smith and Dirk van Duijvenbode impressed in the opening round of Players Championship 12. Smith averaged 108.19 in a 6-3 win over George Killington, while van Duijvenbode registered a 106.18 average in his 6-3 victory over Dom Taylor.
Big names Gerwyn Price, Luke Humphries, Jonny Clayton, and Gary Anderson all claimed routine victories in the opening round, each averaging over 100 in a strong start to the day. Luke Littler, recovering from a first-round exit yesterday, won his opener today. Despite averaging just 81.11 in a subpar performance, 'The Nuke' still secured a 6-2 win over Ted Evetts.
Elsewhere, Dave Chisnall and James Wade were eliminated in deciding-leg losses to PDC veterans Mickey Mansell and Ian White, the latter making a surprising return to form. Meanwhile, Premier League duo Michael van Gerwen and Chris Dobey also found themselves exiting in the first round. World No. 73 Rhys Griffin defeated van Gerwen, who averaged only 89.44. Despite Dobey’s 104.04 average, it wasn’t enough to overcome Niko Springer, who raced to a 6-2 victory.
In Round 2, Players Championship title winners already this season posted the biggest averages. Gian van Veen (104.31) and Josh Rock (103.65) both claimed 6-2 victories over Maik Kuivenhoven and Justin Hood, respectively.
Other players who impressed with ton-plus averages included Wesley Plaisier (103.22), Jonny Clayton (103.17), Luke Humphries (102.42), and Daryl Gurney (100.92). Luke Littler progressed with an improved performance, whitewashing Rob Owen 6-0, while Gerwyn Price edged past PC7 finalist Adam Lipscombe 6-3.
Despite throwing the highest average in the third round, World No. 1 Luke Humphries was eliminated in a deciding leg, 6-5, by Mario Vandenbogaerde. Humphries posted a 105.44 average, but Vandenbogaerde was clinical when he had his chances, averaging 95.45. He closed out the match with a 12-dart hold, denying Humphries a chance to win.
Karel Sedlacek impressed with a 100.54 average to knock out Niko Springer 6-3, while Josh Rock stole the highlight of the round by hitting a perfect 9-dart leg in his 6-4 triumph over Matt Campbell.
Other notable players advancing to the last 16 included Luke Littler and Gerwyn Price, who both secured victories against Owen Bates and Matthew Dennant, respectively, despite not being at their usual levels. Gary Anderson and Ryan Searle, also Players Championship winners this season, came through to the last 16, while Jonny Clayton thrashed Michael Smith 6-2 to progress.
Last 16: White Continues Resurgence as Littler Edged Out by Edhouse
Luke Woodhouse and Jonny Clayton stormed into the Quarter-Finals with 6-2 victories over Ryan Searle and Ross Smith, respectively. Gian van Veen and Josh Rock were also comfortable winners, securing 6-3 scorelines against Martin Lukeman and Danny Noppert.
The performance of the round belonged to Gerwyn Price, who averaged 102.61. He fought back from 4-3 down to defeat Mario Vandenbogaerde 6-4, closing the match with three legs in 15, 13, and 15 darts.
Gary Anderson did enough to see off Karel Sedlacek 6-4, booking his place in the last 8, while Ian White continued his impressive return to form by coming from 5-2 down to defeat Alan Soutar 6-5, reaching the Quarter-Finals once again.
Luke Littler almost completed a similar comeback to White’s, fighting back from 5-2 down to level at 5-5 against Ritchie Edhouse. However, Littler’s match dart at tops strayed wide, landing into double 5, and Edhouse sealed the win with a successful double top to claim a 6-5 victory and deny the World Champion a place in the Quarter-Finals.
Quarter-Finals: Price Dominates, Rock Impresses
Ian White sailed past Luke Woodhouse to secure his place in the semi-finals with a 6-3 victory. Meanwhile, the Players Championship 6 winner this season, Gian van Veen, defeated Ritchie Edhouse 6-4 to reach another semi-final.
After trailing 2-0, Josh Rock flicked a switch and won six of the next seven legs to surge to a 6-3 win over Gary Anderson. The young Northern Irishman produced a stunning run and finished with a magnificent 108.05 average, defying Anderson’s impressive 101.46.
Gerwyn Price was the standout player of the round, annihilating his World Cup teammate Jonny Clayton 6-1. Price averaged 112.25 in a demolition job that saw him dispatch Clayton in just 10 minutes. ‘The Iceman’ was ruthless, winning legs in 11, 12 (x2), 14, and 15 darts. Clayton was allowed just one dart at a double, which he took to win his only leg in a solid 13-dart hold.
Semi-Finals: Rock and Price Shine Once Again
The semi-final between two of the sport’s most promising young stars, Gian van Veen and Josh Rock, was tightly contested. The match was tied at 4-4 after eight legs, but it was Rock who kicked on from there, winning the final three legs. His clinical finishing on the outer ring proved to be the difference, and he sealed a 7-4 victory to reach his second final in three Players Championship events.
In a repeat of the Players Championship 9 final, Ian White and Gerwyn Price faced off in the last four. Once again, it was ‘The Iceman’ who stole the show. Price thrashed White 7-2, averaging 110.80 in the process. White simply couldn’t keep up with the relentless scoring power of Price, who looked unstoppable once again.
Road to the Final:
Gerwyn Price and Josh Rock played some magnificent darts against tough opposition throughout the day to reach the final of Players Championship 12. Here’s how they got there:
Round | Gerwyn Price | Josh Rock |
Last 128 | 6-2 vs Darius Labanauskas | 6-5 vs Radek Szaganski |
Last 64 | 6-3 vs Adam Lipscombe | 6-2 vs Justin Hood |
Last 32 | 6-4 vs Matthew Dennant | 6-4 vs Matt Campbell |
Last 16 | 6-4 vs Mario Vandenbogaerde | 6-3 vs Danny Noppert |
Quarter-Finals | 6-1 vs Jonny Clayton | 6-3 vs Gary Anderson |
Semi-Finals | 7-2 vs Ian White | 7-4 vs Gian van Veen |
🏆 The Final: Price Edges Rock in PC12 Thriller
Gerwyn Price started the stronger of the two in the final, racing into a 4-0 lead. ‘The Iceman’ was relentless in the early stages, combining superb scoring with ruthless finishing to leave Rock reeling.
But Rock responded in style with a magnificent 11-dart break followed by a 12-dart hold to cut the deficit to 4-2. Price replied with an 18-dart hold to stretch his lead to 5-2, only for Rock to fire back with back-to-back 13-darters, narrowing the gap to just one leg at 5-4.
In the tenth leg, Rock had a golden opportunity to level the tie but narrowly missed double top for a 5-5 scoreline. Price punished the miss, taking out 56 for a 14-dart break to move 6-4 ahead, then backed it up with a sensational 11-dart hold to extend the lead to 7-4. Remarkably, Rock was sat on 58 after just nine darts in that leg, but Price’s composure proved decisive.
Still, Rock wasn’t done. In a blistering burst, the young Northern Irishman reeled off three consecutive legs, which were a 12-dart hold, an 11-dart break, and another 12-dart hold to level the final at 7-7. In the process, he even wired double 12 for what would’ve been his second nine-darter of the day.
With the match going the distance, Price held the throw in in the decider and produced under pressure once more. A 180 in his opening visit set the tone for a composed 14-dart hold, sealing the win as he pinned double top at the second time of asking. Rock, waiting on 44 after 12 darts himself, was denied a shot at the title.
Gerwyn Price claimed his third Players Championship crown of the season, reinforcing his position at the top of the Players Championship Order of Merit.
🏅 Champion: Gerwyn Price
Tournament Average: 100.60
180s: 24
Prize Money: £15,000
Highlight Performance: 6-1 Quarter-Final vs Jonny Clayton (112.25 average)
Josh Rock once again showcased his world-class ability, going toe-to-toe with one of the sport’s best. He hit a nine-darter earlier in the day and was inches away from repeating the feat in the final. Despite averaging 110.70 in the showpiece match, Rock was edged out by a composed and clinical Price in a gripping finale.
Talking Points & Highlights
🎯 PL Duo Denied Early: Premier League duo Michael van Gerwen and Chris Dobey both crashed out in round one in contrasting fashion. MvG averaged just 89.44 in a 6-3 loss to Rhys Griffin, while Dobey’s 104.04 wasn’t enough as Niko Springer capitalised to win 6-2.
🔥 Rock’s Perfect Leg: Josh Rock produced a moment of magic in his third-round win over Matt Campbell, landing a stunning nine-dart finish in a 6-4 triumph. The 22-year-old came agonisingly close to repeating the feat in the final, missing double 12 for what would have been a second perfect leg of the day during a blistering spell of scoring.
🏆 Price Claims 20th PC Title: Gerwyn Price delivered another sensational showing to claim his third Players Championship title of the season and the 20th of his PDC career, moving him to fifth on the all-time list of PC title winners. ‘The Iceman’ added two more 110+ averages to his tally, bringing his season total to seven, three more than the next best in Luke Littler. Price continues to prove he's a serious contender for major honours in 2025.
🎙️ Post-Final Interview: Gerwyn Price’s Reaction:
“Josh played fantastic darts to come back, but luckily I got a big lead otherwise he would have blown me away,” he told PDC.tv.
Looking back on his day overall, the Welshman admitted he grew into the tournament as the matches progressed:
“I didn’t perform that well on the outside boards today, but I played really well on the streaming boards.
“I felt a little bit more comfortable and just seemed to zone in, and this will give me a boost going into the Premier League tomorrow.
“It doesn’t matter how well you’re playing; when you’re winning tournaments, it gives you great confidence going forward.”
📅 What’s Next?
Premier League Night 10: April 10th at AO Arena, Manchester (Live on Sky Sports)
Players Championship 13 & 14: April 14th & April 15th, Autotron, Rosmalen (Live on PDC.tv)
Stay tuned to Darts Central for all the latest coverage!
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