Jonny Clayton & Stephen Bunting lead average list at PC28, showing strong form ahead of World Grand Prix 2025

Ryan Searle clinched his second Players Championship crown of the 2025 season on Sunday afternoon, beating Mario Vandenbogaerde 8-6 in the final of Players Championship 28 in Leicester. The 37-year-old, who had already lifted the Players Championship 4 title earlier this season, now goes into next week’s World Grand Prix with serious momentum. Although he isn't the only one showing strong form.

But while Heavy Metal walked away with the trophy, it was Jonny Clayton who left with the statistical plaudits. The Welshman produced the highest average of the day, a blistering 110.92 in a 6-3 last-16 win over Wessel Nijman. Clayton eventually bowed out in the quarter-finals, edged 6-4 by Kevin Doets, but his peak performance set the benchmark for the field.

Stephen Bunting, fresh from his triumph at the Swiss Darts Trophy, carried his form into Leicester by posting the second-highest average of the event. The Bullet opened with a 6-3 victory over Martijn Dragt, averaging 108.56. His run ended in the last 16 with a heavy 6-0 defeat at the hands of Jermaine Wattimena, but Bunting once again showed the scoring power that has marked his resurgence this year.

Third place on the averages list went to Christian Kist. The 2012 BDO world champion hit 106.91 in defeat to Clayton in the last 64, even outscoring The Ferret’s 105.23 in that particular clash.

Other eye-catching efforts included a 106.45 average from Raymond van Barneveld, reminding the circuit that his scoring power remains undiminished, and a 105.25 from Nathan Aspinall. Michael van Gerwen (104.92), Dirk van Duijvenbode (104.58), and Scotland’s Cameron Menzies (103.65) also made it into the top ten.

Searle himself produced a strong 102.62 in one of his matches en route to the title, underlining the quality of his overall display.

With Players Championship 29 following immediately in Leicester, the race to qualify for the Players Championship Finals at Butlin’s Minehead (21–23 November) is reaching a critical stage. Only the top 64 from the series will make it through, and the battle is set to go down to the wire.

Luke Humphries, last year’s champion after beating Luke Littler 11-7 in the 2024 final, is currently outside the qualifying spots in 68th, while Littler himself clings to 64th. Both will need to raise their games over the final stretch if they want the chance to return to Minehead in November.