Highest average for Kevin Doets at Players Championship 5 as Callan Rydz, Mensur Suljovic & Cam Crabtree impress
PDCWednesday, 25 February 2026 at 11:00
At the Mattioli Arena in Leicester, the fifth Players Championship of the 2026 season was played out on Tuesday. The title went to Englishman Ross Smith, who proved too strong for compatriot Chris Dobey with an 8-2 win in the final. For the 37-year-old Smith, it was already the eighth PDC ranking title of his career.
Smith was in outstanding form all day and capped it off by dispatching Dobey in a high-quality final. Smith has now won at least one Players Championship every year since 2023.
The highest average at Players Championship 5 was recorded by Kevin Doets. The 27-year-old Dutchman, the world number 37, lost 6-5 in the last 32 to eventual finalist Dobey. Notably, Doets posted a much higher average of 108.77 than Dobey (103.16), yet still came up short.
Callan Rydz produced the second-highest average. The Englishman beat Austrian Mensur Suljovic 6-3 in the last 64 and registered an average of 108.28. That was only just better than Suljovic, who averaged 107.26 in a superb match. Rydz eventually lost 6-5 in the next round to Poland’s Sebastian Bialecki.
High Averages Across The Field
Further down the list, what's notable is the rest of the biggest averages from PC5 are all from three nations in particular.
The English crop of Cameron Crabtree (106.85), eventual winner Ross Smith (106.38, 104.24 and 103.19), Owen Bates (104.50) and Chris Dobey (103.16), being joined by Doets' fellow Dutchmen Christian Kist (104.18), Dirk van Duijvenbode (103.45) and Niels Zonneveld (103.16), plus a trio of Scotsmen in Cameron Menzies (104.39), Alan Soutar (103.66) and Gary Anderson (103.15).
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- Hi, can someone explain why the Players Championship takes place behind closed doors? I've been watching the big championships on and off for decades, but only just started taking a keener interest in the game, and this strange looking competition is a bit of a head scratcher to me at the moment.MrMarkWatsonnonotthatone25-02-2026
- Not Noppy. Get Beau in.medinabello25-02-2026
- If I was noppert,I'd say,sod you lot. You don't think I'm good enough,but suddenly,I can be a replacement? What a load of rubbish. Either you're in,or not. I keep saying,it's a pointless league,just to get people on seats,and beer down their necks. Scrap the whole thingrick6724-02-2026
- Exactly! Did the Glasgow punters get a partial refund for missing out on a potentially explosive match up? I don't know but I doubt it. Given the existing set up, how about this? Four reserves, one European based player to cover the four overseas rounds (including Dublin) and three UK based players to cover four UK rounds each (including Belfast). If the number of continental rounds changed to four for instance then Dublin could be transferred to the UK players allocation for convenience. All reserves should have their travel and accommodation costs covered and to make it worth their while, if they are not used, the reserve could play a match with a LOCAL non tour card holding player between the semi finals and final. This local player would be chosen by a prior qualifying tournament. The prize for this game could be £/euros 1000 or 2000 as the reserve could be spending his time and effort doing an exhibition instead not that I know what the commercial rate for an exhibition is! If the reserve is used in the main competition then the winner and the runner up of the qualifier can play. This could generate additional local interest and publicity. Obviously this doesn't cover every "what if" scenario i.e. What if two main players pull out? Maybe a second of the four reserves could be chosen at random? What do you think?OldShakey23-02-2026
- what a load of crocmedinabello19-02-2026
- So,it's a rubbish league,waste of time. Just put 8000 people in a building every Thursday,get them all drunk,and wonder why it's a complete joke. And forget every other player apart from 8. It's a ridiculous,inane,and needless so called competition.rick6718-02-2026
- Sorry,I've never been a professional darts player,but obviously from your comment,you have. So, going to your reply, you're blaming the management,not the player? So in that respect,he should get a different manager? That's basically all your comment is saying. Don't let him do money makers,which Barney said is easy money, instead of tournaments? Shake hands instead of trophies? Well I guess the manager knows best,as he has a big cut!rick6716-02-2026
- Sorry Mr rick67, erm what punditry credentials do you have to comment on a pundit? There's a reason why many top professionals have management teams. They know how to manage schedules etc so the players can just play. And how is Edgar wrong? Last year MVG failed to qualify by missing too many tournaments and underperforming. He's repeating the error this year so Edgar is right In calling this out.BandB15-02-2026
- Just get of Mardle,I didn't pay to watch him,and I don't want him for free! Let's see,how many world champions,either code,did you win? None! Now mason does it more as a player who was a floor player than you were putting pineapple on your shirt. Mardle,just go,you over inflated ego may follow. Tell you what,get on the seniors tour,and show everyone how good you weren'trick6715-02-2026
- Sorry Mr Edgar,erm what have you actually won to comment? Mvg has had his issues,but you have won a grand total of what? I make that nothing. So how can your comment be justified? Let him do what he likes,you do what you like, and we'll see what you win nextrick6715-02-2026
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