Luke Humphries claimed his fourth Players Championship title of 2026 despite losing over a stone to food poisoning, defeating Niels Zonneveld 8-4 in the final at Leicester. The world No 3 admitted he had not practiced for three and a half weeks and struggled with huge weight loss, calling the victory unexpected given his illness. Raymond van Barneveld also impressed, reaching a second Pro Tour quarter-final this year and moving closer to world championship qualification.
Gary Anderson's semi-final run secured his place in the provisional Players Championship Finals field. Humphries' win marks strong preparation for the upcoming Grand Slam of Darts, though he missed the European Championship due to his condition. Henry Coates occupies a provisional world championship spot, while David Sharp suffered a nine-darter defeat.
The Players Championship Finals field will be confirmed after PC34 concludes.
Source: Sky Sports Champions League · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing