In one of the best Players Championship matches ever, Wessel Nijman recorded an impressive victory over Raymond van Barneveld. The game was won 6-4 by Nijman, who produced an average of 108.74 himself. Van Barneveld himself had an average of 112.71, but that turned out not to be enough for the win.
ADVERTISEMENT
In the match between the two Dutchmen, all legs were completed within five visits. Of the ten legs played, five legs were even completed in four visits. Van Barnveld started the match with an 11-darter, but then Nijman took over the lead with a 13-darter and a 12-darter.
The lead then shifted back to "Barney," who used a 13-darter and an 11-darter to turn the 1-2 deficit into a 3-2 lead. Nijman then equalized with a 15-darter, before Van Barneveld regained the lead again with a 15-darter.
Nijman then signed for the 4-4 with a 12-darter by throwing out 81. Van Barneveld was allowed to start the ninth leg and neatly left 52 after four innings, but Barney did not get the chance to throw for a leg win. With a 76 check-out, Nijman posted a break. Nijman then decided the match with a 13-darter in the tenth leg.
It is not the first time Van Barneveld has lost a match with a bizarrely high average. At the 2019 World Darts Championship, Van Barneveld lost to Michael van Gerwen in the semifinals with an average of 109.34. Van Gerwen himself recorded an average of 114.05 in that match.
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of DartsNews.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy across professional darts coverage. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces, playing a central role in the development and daily operation of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has extensive experience in darts media and has been closely involved in coverage of the professional darts circuit for several years. Within the UK darts community, he is a recognised figure known for his consistent editorial output and ongoing reporting on major tournaments and developments across the PDC calendar.
In his current role, Samuel works closely with editors and writers to ensure content meets clear journalistic standards, with a focus on source verification, editorial consistency, and timely updates when new, confirmed information becomes available.
NIJMAN WINS AN EPIC! 🔥
RIDICULOUS numbers over on Stream Four!
Wessel Nijman (108.74) runs out a 6-4 winner in his all-Dutch clash against Raymond van Barneveld, who averaged 112.71 in defeat! 🤯
📺 bit.ly/PDCTVLive | #PC21