1,782 days later! Ross Smith joins Michael van Gerwen, Luke Littler and Phil Taylor in exclusive PDC winners’ club

Ross Smith’s emotional International Darts Open triumph in Riesa did more than end his long wait for a first European Tour title. It also moved him into one of the PDC’s most notable modern winners’ clubs.

By beating Ryan Searle 8-3 in Sunday night’s final, Smith became the 38th player to win both a Players Championship title and a European Tour event.

His first Players Championship success came on July 7, 2021, at Players Championship 19. His first European Tour title followed 1,782 days later, at the International Darts Open on May 24, 2026.

That gap adds another layer to a victory that already carried plenty of emotion. Smith had previously lost four European Tour finals, but finally crossed the line in Riesa at the fifth attempt.

Smith’s place on the list is significant because it puts him alongside some of the biggest names of the PDC era.

Phil Taylor, Michael van Gerwen, Gary Anderson, Peter Wright, Michael Smith, Gerwyn Price, Luke Humphries, Luke Littler, Rob Cross, James Wade and Jonny Clayton are among those to have won across both the Players Championship circuit and the European Tour.

The list also tells part of the story of the European Tour itself. Justin Pipe was the first player to complete the double in April 2012, followed soon after by Taylor, Raymond van Barneveld, Adrian Lewis and Simon Whitlock in the first year of the Euro Tour.

Smith now joins as the newest name, following Wessel Nijman, who became the 37th player on the list earlier in 2026.

Smith’s final win over Searle was built on stronger finishing at the key moments. Both players had reached the final still chasing a first European Tour crown, but Smith took control through the middle of the match and finished the job on double 10.

The former European Champion celebrated by throwing his remaining darts to the floor, with the relief clear after years of near misses on the European Tour stage.

For Smith, the Riesa title now sits alongside his Players Championship breakthrough from 2021 and his televised European Championship success. It also gives him another marker of consistency across the PDC circuit.

After 1,782 days, the missing European Tour title has finally been added. Smith is no longer just a former major winner and ProTour champion. He is now part of the select group of players to have won on both of the PDC’s key ranking circuits.