“I know what I’m capable of" - Wessel Nijman makes statement with second Players Championship title of the year

Wessel Nijman ended his PDC ProTour season in style, claiming Players Championship 34 in Wigan with an 8–5 victory over Luke Woodhouse to secure his second ranking title of 2025. The 25-year-old Dutchman has been one of the breakout performers of the year, and this latest win only underlines the sense that something special is brewing.

Just a week earlier, Nijman had suffered the bitter disappointment of missing seven match darts to knock out Michael van Gerwen on his European Championship debut. But while plenty of players would have crumbled after that kind of setback, Nijman did the opposite — bouncing straight back to lift another ProTour title.

“I’m very happy with this win,” reflected Nijman, who finishes the year in second spot on the Players Championship rankings. “I’m feeling pretty confident when I play here on the ProTour, and I’m hoping I can bring that on to the stage in Minehead.”

At the Robin Park Leisure Centre, Nijman was outstanding all day, rattling in five ton-plus averages on his way to the title. His scoring power and coolness on the outer ring stood out from the moment play began.

In the final, Woodhouse struck first with a classy 144 checkout to lead 3–2, but Nijman immediately hit back with an 11-darter to level. The turning point came when Woodhouse missed six darts to move 5–3 up – and Nijman pounced. Legs of 13, 14 and another 14 darts sealed the deal and the £15,000 top prize.

It was as convincing a response as you could wish for after the heartbreak of Dortmund.

With two floor titles to his name this season, Nijman’s confidence is understandably growing. The next challenge comes later this month at the Players Championship Finals in Minehead — the final major before the World Championship — where he’ll share the stage with the sport’s elite including Luke Humphries, Luke Littler and Gerwyn Price.

“I know what I’m capable of. I know I can play at this really high level, but I think every player would agree that a major tournament is different to a ProTour event,” he said. “Sometimes it comes down to a little bit of luck, and hopefully I can have that little bit of luck and get more results on the big stage.”

That grounded mindset has become one of Nijman’s biggest strengths. Since returning to the PDC circuit, he’s not only refined his technique but shown real maturity under pressure. The raw talent has always been there — what’s changed is the composure and the belief.

Two titles, countless deep runs and a consistent level of performance have turned 2025 into a genuine breakout year. Nijman’s rise has been steady rather than sudden, but the direction of travel is unmistakable.