Price Halts White’s Resurgence to Claim PC9 Glory
- Darts Central
- Apr 1
- 7 min read
Players Championship action returned on Monday for the first of a double-header at the Mattioli Arena in Leicester, marking the Pro Tour’s second visit to the venue this season.
Five Tour Card holders opted out of Players Championships 9 & 10—Tim Wolters, Jules van Dongen, Kai Gotthardt, and top stars Michael van Gerwen and Luke Humphries, who chose to take a break this week.
Their absence saw Challenge Tour call-ups Darius Labanauskas, Stefan Bellmont, Ted Evetts, Carl Sneyd, and Scott Campbell enter the field.
Even without Humphries and Van Gerwen, World Champion Luke Littler went in as the heavy favourite, joined by fellow Premier League players and 2025 PDC title winners Gerwyn Price, Rob Cross, Chris Dobey, Stephen Bunting, and Nathan Aspinall.
Early Rounds: Anderson’s Perfect Leg, PL Players Tumble, as Puha Shines
Players Championship 9 started with a bang as Gary Anderson delivered a stunning first-round performance, averaging 115.66 and hitting a perfect nine-dart leg against Krzysztof Ratajski. Despite averaging 103.95, Ratajski fell just short in a narrow 6-5 defeat.
Other standout performances in Round 1 included Dirk van Duijvenbode and Rob Cross, both firing 105+ averages in wins over Gabriel Clemens and Tom Bissell, respectively.
It was a short-lived campaign for Ryan Searle and Joe Cullen, both Players Championship title winners this season, as they suffered opening-round exits to Lukas Wenig and Darius Labanauskas. Two-time World Champion Peter Wright also crashed out early, averaging just 90 in a 6-4 loss to Challenge Tour call-up Stefan Bellmont.
The second round saw a barrage of high averages. Brendan Dolan (107.36) whitewashed the in-form Jermaine Wattimena, while Anderson continued his electric form, averaging 109.42 in a 6-3 win over Niko Springer, who himself posted 109.72.
Cameron Menzies (106.26) dominated Dimitri Van den Bergh, while Wessel Nijman (106.02) and Ross Smith (108.32) also impressed, defeating Christian Kist and Jitse van der Wal, respectively. Luke Littler joined the party with a 108.89 average in a 6-3 victory over José de Sousa.
It was early exits for Premier League duo and PC winners Rob Cross and Chris Dobey, who fell in the second round to Haupai Puha and Patrick Geeraets.
In the third round, Dutch duo Niels Zonneveld and Gian van Veen both fired 107+ averages to reach the last 16. Ian White rolled back the years, edging out Luke Littler 6-5 with a 106.04 average and a clinical 6/7 on doubles, denying the teenage sensation a place in the next round.
Elsewhere, Haupai Puha continued his impressive run, beating European Championship winner Richie Edhouse 6-2 with a 103.92 average, despite Edhouse throwing 104.17 himself. This marked Puha’s best Pro Tour run to date.
Other players to advance to the last 16 while defying 100+ averages included Damon Heta (6-5 vs. Michael Smith, 102.58) and James Wade (6-3 vs. Jonny Clayton, 105.52).
Gary Anderson’s run ended in Round 3, falling to fellow Scot Cameron Menzies in a below-par display (89.78 average), a drastic drop-off from his earlier brilliance.
Meanwhile, Stephen Bunting and Nathan Aspinall also bowed out in sub-90 average performances, leaving Gerwyn Price as the last Premier League player standing after surviving a 6-4 battle against Nathan Rafferty.
Last 16: Goldfinger Whitewash & Zonneveld Wins All-Dutch Clash
Haupai Puha’s impressive run came to an abrupt halt as Andrew ‘Goldfinger’ Gilding handed him a 6-0 whitewash. Ian White and Josh Rock booked their spots in the quarter-finals with 6-3 victories over Wessel Nijman and Damon Heta, respectively.
Brendan Dolan, Cameron Menzies, and Ross Smith all posted 100+ averages in their wins, securing quarter-final berths.
Meanwhile, Gerwyn Price continued his dominant charge, easing past Dave Chisnall 6-2 with a 104.50 average. The all-Dutch battle between Niels Zonneveld and Gian van Veen went down to the wire, with Zonneveld edging a dramatic 6-5 victory, breaking Van Veen’s throw in the deciding leg while averaging 103.10.
Quarter-Finals: Experience Shines as PDC Veterans March On
Heading into the quarter-finals, seven of the eight remaining players had already tasted success on the senior PDC circuit, showcasing the quality left in the field.
Brendan Dolan booked his semi-final spot with a 6-2 rout of Andrew Gilding, as both players averaged in the low 90s. Gerwyn Price raced into a 3-0 lead against Niels Zonneveld, but the Dutchman battled back to 3-2 before Price shut the door, winning three of the last four legs to seal a 6-3 victory, despite posting his lowest average of the day (90.69).
Elsewhere, Cameron Menzies edged Ross Smith 6-4 in a tightly contested affair. Menzies stormed into a 4-1 lead before Smith fought back to 4-4, but the Scot responded brilliantly, closing the match with 11 and 15-dart legs to advance.
Completing the semi-final lineup was Ian White, who survived a scrappy last-leg decider against Josh Rock. While the match lacked high-quality finishing, ‘The Diamond’ held his nerve, eventually crawling over the line with a 20-dart leg to clinch a 6-5 victory.
Semi-Finals: Price's Masterclass Stuns Dolan, White Rolls into Final
Gerwyn Price delivered a sensational demolition job, whitewashing Brendan Dolan 7-0 with a staggering 114.36 average. At one stage, ‘The Iceman’ was threatening the highest-ever broadcast average, sitting at 124.78 after five legs, before a slight drop in the closing stages. Dolan had no answers and managed just one dart at double in a truly ruthless display from the Welshman.
Joining Price in the Players Championship 9 final was Ian White, who secured a 7-3 victory over Cameron Menzies. ‘The Diamond’ was rock-solid throughout, keeping Menzies at arm’s length and never allowing the Scot to gain momentum. White’s 98.60 average underlined a composed and professional performance as he booked his spot in the decider.
Road to the Final:
Gerwyn Price and Ian White navigated a tough field to reach the Players Championship 9 final, overcoming several big names along the way. Here’s how they got there:
Round | Gerwyn Price | Ian White |
Last 128 | 6-4 vs Robert Grundy | 6-4 vs William Borland |
Last 64 | 6-2 vs Keane Barry | 6-3 vs Ryan Joyce |
Last 32 | 6-4 vs Nathan Rafferty | 6-5 vs Luke Littler |
Last 16 | 6-2 vs Dave Chisnall | 6-3 vs Wessel Nijman |
Quarter-Finals | 6-3 vs Niels Zonneveld | 6-5 vs Josh Rock |
Semi-Finals | 7-0 vs Brendan Dolan | 7-3 vs Cameron Menzies |
🏆 The Final: Price Powers Past White to Claim PC9 Crown
Ian White reached his first Players Championship final since March 15, 2020—when he defeated James Wade 8-3 to lift the title. Over five years later, he was back in a final, facing a formidable opponent in Gerwyn Price, who was appearing in his second Players Championship final of the 2025 season and entered as the heavy favourite.
Price stamped his authority early, racing into a 4-1 lead, punishing White’s mistakes with a 14-darter, 15-darter, and a brilliant 12-darter, capped off by a 140 checkout to break in the fourth leg. A scrappy 20-dart leg followed as Price further extended his advantage.
White briefly threatened a comeback, punishing a rare Price mistake in the sixth leg with a stunning 126 checkout on the bull to cut the deficit to 4-2. However, the Welshman responded with another three-leg surge, moving 7-2 ahead and leaving White with a mountain to climb.
Price had opportunities to wrap up an 8-2 victory but faltered on the outer ring, missing four match darts before White snatched leg 10. Another missed match dart at double top for a 102 checkout allowed White to close the gap to 7-4, keeping his hopes alive.
Just when it seemed The Diamond might be mounting a late charge, The Iceman slammed the door shut. A 12-darter featuring a 180 and a 91 checkout on double 10 secured the title, sealing his second Players Championship victory of the season.
Champion: Gerwyn Price
Tournament Average: 97.62
180s: 18
Prize Money: £15,000
Highlight Performance: 7-0 Semi-Final vs Brendan Dolan (114.36 average)
Ian White, a 13-time PDC title winner, can take great pride in his run to the final. He defeated Luke Littler in a deciding leg en route and produced a strong display throughout the day, marking a positive step in his efforts to revive his career and return to the winner’s circle.
Talking Points & Highlights
🎯 Anderson’s Perfect Leg: Gary Anderson produced one of the standout moments of Players Championship 9, hitting a 9-dart leg in his 6-5 opening-round win over Krzysztof Ratajski. The Flying Scotsman was in sensational form, averaging 115.66 in a high-quality contest.
🇳🇿 Puha’s Deep Run: Haupai Puha enjoyed one of the best runs of his PDC career, reaching the last 16 of a Players Championship event for just the second time. The Kiwi registered 100+ averages in wins over Jeffrey de Graaf (R1) and European Championship winner Ritchie Edhouse (R3), while also defeating Rob Cross (R2). His day ended in disappointment, suffering a 6-0 loss to Andrew Gilding, but it was still a significant step forward.
💎 Diamond Shines with Surprise Run: Ian White rolled back the years with a shock run to the final—his first in a Players Championship event for over five years. The 13-time PDC title winner couldn’t add to his tally, but his performances throughout the day, including a last-leg win over Luke Littler, showed he’s still capable of competing at a high level.
🏆 The Iceman Wins Again: Gerwyn Price continued his dominance, securing his second Players Championship title of the season in Leicester. The victory made him the first player to win multiple PC events in 2025 and marked the 19th Players Championship title of his illustrious career.
🎙️ Post-Final Interview: Gerwyn Price’s Reaction:
After claiming his second Players Championship title of the season, Gerwyn Price reflected on his victory and the challenges he faced leading up to the event to PDC.tv.
"It's nice to get another win, this is a confidence boost going into tomorrow [Players Championship 10] and the Premier League on Thursday," said Price, acknowledging the importance of the win for his upcoming schedule.
The Welshman also shared a light-hearted moment from earlier in the day: "I said to James Wade at the start of the day 'I'm going to win today' and I've gone and done it."
Despite his triumph, Price revealed that he’s not been at full fitness. "I've been struggling with a bit of an injury over the last week, and it's still not fully healed," he admitted.
Reflecting on his performance, which featured a mix of brilliance and inconsistency, he said: "I was inconsistent today, I was very up and down in my performance level, but a win's a win."
📅 What’s Next?
Stay tuned to Darts Central for all the latest coverage!
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