Rob Cross Rallies to Beat Joe Cullen and Claim Players Championship 1 Title

The wait is over! The first Players Championship event of the 2025 season took place at Robin Park Leisure Centre in Wigan, marking the start of another thrilling year of PDC Pro Tour action. With a 128-player field featuring seasoned pros, emerging talents, Challenge Tour call-ups, and fresh tour card holders, the competition was fierce from the outset.

Rob Cross after winning Players Championship 1

Early Rounds: Big Names, Big Drama

The opening rounds saw some eye-catching performances, with Richard Veenstra and Josh Rock firing in 106+ averages in their first matches against new tour card holders Pero Ljubić and Connor Scutt, respectively. Meanwhile, one of the tournament’s top seeds, Ryan Searle, suffered an early exit at the hands of Michele Turetta—Italy’s first and only PDC Tour Card holder.

Turetta produced a stunning 104.63 average to defeat Searle 6-4, despite the 107.98 average from the Englishman in what was one of the day's highest-quality contests. Searle led 4-1, but Turetta showcased clinical finishing and relentless scoring to turn the match around, sealing a landmark victory.

One of the standout performers of the early rounds was new tour card holder Darryl Pilgrim. Having narrowly missed out on a tour card in previous years, Pilgrim had impressed in Challenge Tour call-up appearances, but today marked his first Pro Tour event as a full-time card holder. He stormed through the field, reaching the quarter-finals with victories over multiple Pro Tour winners, including Josh Rock and Damon Heta. His most dominant display came in a 6-0 whitewash of Alan Soutar, a Players Championship winner last season. Pilgrim’s run ended against World Number 1 Luke Humphries, who produced a clinical 6-1 victory to progress.

Quarter-Finals & Semi-Finals: Who Thrived Under Pressure?

As the tournament reached the last eight, high-profile clashes lit up the board. In-form Rob Cross edged past Jermaine Wattimena in a last-leg decider, while ‘Goldfinger’ Andrew Gilding produced a stunning 161 checkout to secure a comfortable 6-3 win over Luke Woodhouse.

In the semifinals, Joe Cullen produced a welcome return to form, averaging 105.05 to defeat Luke Humphries in a dramatic contest. Cullen raced into a 5-2 lead, but Humphries responded with four consecutive legs to move 6-5 ahead, putting himself one leg away from victory. However, Cullen held his nerve brilliantly, closing the match with back-to-back 15-darters, including a crucial break of throw in the decider, to deny Humphries a match dart.

Meanwhile, Rob Cross dispatched Andrew Gilding 7-3, averaging 108.55, the second-highest of the day, to book his spot in the final.

Road to the Final: How They Got There

Before battling for the title, both finalists had to navigate a tough field. Here’s a breakdown of their routes to the final:

Rob Cross’ Path to the Final:	Joe Cullen’s Path to the Final:
Last 128: (6-2) vs Rob Owen	Last 128: (6-5) vs Greg Ritchie
Last 64: (6-2) vs Owen Bates	Last 64: (6-5) vs Scott Williams
Last 32: (6-4) vs James Hurrell	Last 32: (6-3) vs Luke Littler
Last 16: (6-3) vs Carl Sneyd	Last 16: (6-5) vs Gian van Veen
Quarter-Final: (6-5) vs Jermaine Wattimena	Quarter-Final: (6-4) vs Richard Veenstra
Semi-Final: (7-3) vs Andrew Gilding	Semi-Final: (7-6) vs Luke Humphries

🏆 The Final: Rob Cross Takes the Title

The final was a high-quality affair, with Rob Cross facing off against Joe Cullen. Cross raced into a 3-0 lead with relentless 180 hitting and clinical finishing. Cullen fought back to 3-2, but Cross quickly reasserted control, winning five of the next six legs to close out a comfortable 8-3 victory, maintaining a ton-plus average of 104.60.

With an impressive tournament average of 98.71, Cross secured his first Pro Tour title of 2025, taking home the £15,000 top prize—adding to his recent World Series triumph at the Dutch Darts Masters.

Talking Points & Highlights

💥 Biggest Shock: Dave Chisnall’s Round 1 exit at the hands of Challenge Tour call-up Carl Sneyd (6-4). A tough start for the top seed and World Number 7.

🎯 Best Performance: Dimitri Van den Bergh fired in a breathtaking 113.97 average in his Last 64 match against new tour card holder Cam Crabtree—the highest of the day!

🔥 New Tour Card Holder Impresses: Darryl Pilgrim impressed on his debut as a full-time tour card holder, backing up previous strong Challenge Tour appearances with a Quarter-Final run.

🌟 Resurgence for ‘The Rockstar’ – Joe Cullen showed glimpses of his best form with two ton-plus averages and key victories over Luke Humphries and reigning world champion Luke Littler en route to the final. Can he now build on this and return to the winner’s circle for the first time since September 2022?

🎙️ What Was Said: Rob Cross' Reaction

[Rob Cross to PDC.tv]: “It’s nice to win on the ProTour again”

“I was a bit lazy last year, and I thought to myself: ‘Don’t put yourself in that position again,’ because it’s heart-wrenching.

“I’ve been hit and miss in the last few months, but I’m enjoying myself at the minute, and when I do find it, I can play some special darts.

“I had a couple of wisdom teeth out at the weekend, so I don’t feel at my best right now, but I can’t use that as an excuse.

“I feel like I’m getting better, and if I can deliver that when I’m not 100%, that is typical Bobby isn’t it!”

📅 What’s Next?

The action doesn’t stop here! Players Championship 2 takes place tomorrow, and after today's performances, the big questions remain:

• Can Cross make it back-to-back titles?

• Will Cullen build on his strong form and go one step further?

• Who else will step up and make their mark?

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