“It was dehydration. It caused my blood pressure to go high because I was panicking" - Cameron Menzies opens up on World Matchplay health-scare

Cameron Menzies capped a wildly chaotic build-up to Players Championship 29 by lifting the title. After a cancelled flight, the Scot endured a 17-hour trek to the Netherlands and even considered flying back home. A day later, he was in Den Bosch with the trophy in his hands.

For Menzies, the win was his second Players Championship title of 2026 and the fourth ProTour crown of his career. “If you actually found out how bad yesterday was,” Menzies told the PDC afterwards. “We had an absolute nightmare. Flights cancelled. We travelled for 17 hours yesterday, we were so close to just going home."

He therefore started the tournament without big expectations. “I just wanted to win a game today. To go and win another ProTour is awesome, I'm so happy,” he said. “I think this is my fifth year on the tour and I’ve won four ProTours. That’s not bad I suppose!"

It is also the first time Menzies has won two Players Championships in the same calendar year. He is back on the oche in Den Bosch on Wednesday.

Menzies seized control of the final early. He burst out of the blocks and raced into a 5-0 lead. After that, he saw his opponent grow into the match. “The first four legs everything was going in," he recalled. "Thwn I had a little bit of a lull, and he started to find it."

The Scot made a point of managing his emotions throughout the day. He says over-celebrating can work against him. “I showed a bit of emotion, I think when I went 6-3 up. Because I knew that was to stop the rot a little bit," he said. "But sometimes, when I show emotion, I've done it, and then the next three throws at the board I've had nothing because the adrenaline leaves your body."

He cited the newly crowned World Series of Darts Finals champion as an example. “Look at Ross Smith. He’s just won the World Series and I know how much that means to him, but he looks like he’s just playing on a Monday night. I know inside his heart he’s ecstatic. I’d love to be more like him and Steve Beaton.”

Menzies views his second title of the year as proof he is still progressing. “I made my first Euro Tour semi-final this year, although Ross then gave me a hiding. I feel like I’m learning my trade slowly. I think this is my fifth year on Tour and I’ve won four ProTours. I don’t think that’s bad.”

He still has plenty of targets for the rest of the season. A deep run at a big TV event is high on the list. “My aim is to make a good life for myself. That’s the aim that I think is achievable, but winning a major and having a good run at the World Championship would be amazing."

That would mean even more after his stuttering start to 2026. “I’ve put more effort in this year than I ever have because I nearly lost it all and I’m grateful to be in this position.”

Menzies is also trying to be more conscious about his career off the oche. Last year, on a flight to Switzerland, he felt like he was having a heart attack. With heart problems in his family, he underwent tests and was advised to lose weight.

Later, Menzies had further health scares. After tests, dehydration was suspected as the cause. He then spent ten hours in the Glasgow Jubilee, where further checks showed no serious issues apart from slightly high blood pressure. “They believe it was dehydration. And it caused my blood pressure to go high because I was panicking."

He now tries to apply that during long tournament days. “I need to look after myself a bit more. For example, now I’ll go back to my room and drink water and electrolytes. It’s the little things. We're not all athletes here, I get that. But these are long days. I was here at half past nine this morning.”

He is even trying to change his diet. “My breakfast today was porridge and I haven’t eaten since. Usually I’d grab a pizza now, but I’m trying to do better.”

According to Menzies, that mindset is changing across darts anyway. More and more players are investing in fitness and health. “You see a lot of players running, walking, and taking better care of themselves now. All the young lads are coming through. They’ve grown up with clubs and youth systems, while we grew up in clubs and pubs. They’re coming after us, so we have to look after ourselves better too.”