In his second ProTour final of the season, it is delight for
Wessel Nijman with the Dutchman who had a chequered past with a prior ban for match fixing returning to achieve his potential at
Players Championship 24.
He saw off
Stephen Bunting 8-5 narrowly in the final. Nijman has been one of the best players this season and has consistently been making latter stages. But after previously dominating the Development Tour, he is the latest to make the step up to the main senior ProTour with a title. Superb from the Dutchman.
Bunting pinned a 100 checkout to break after losing the bull to Nijman initially. Another 100 checkout on double 10 saw The Bullet go 2-0 up.
Nijman got a leg on the board holding throw for 2-1 down. Bunting pressured but Nijman hit double 18 for 2-2. Bunting missed two for a 3-2 lead and Nijman hit 54 for 3-2 himself.
Nijman missed 161 on the bull for 4-2. But Bunting missed the same target for 122 and the former's reprieve saw him go 4-2 up. Nijman hit 44 for 5-2. Bunting missed the bull for a break back at 5-3. Nijman hit 80 to go 6-3 up.
Nijman missed three for 7-3 but returned as Bunting's chance came and went. Nijman missed 87 on the bull for the win but Bunting again missed the bull for 81. But nerves got to the Dutchman and Bunting broke for 7-4.
Bunting held and handed it over to Nijman again at 7-5. Bunting missed two to break again and Nijman took aim at 64 and hit double 18.
Players Championship 24 Results
Final
Wessel Nijman (99.63) 8 | 5 (101.11) Stephen Bunting
Semi-Finals
Wessel Nijman (94.72) 7 | 5 (93.78) Gary Anderson
Stephen Bunting (92.35) 7 | 6 (91.00) Luke Littler
Quarter-Finals
Gary Anderson (108.78) 6 | 5 (103.63) Dom Taylor
Wessel Nijman (98.92) 6 | 2 (94.89) Krzysztof Ratajski
Stephen Bunting (94.31) 6 | 5 (93.48) Ted Evetts
Luke Littler (106.48) 6 | 3 (91.03) Martijn Dragt
Last 16
Dom Taylor (103.28) 6 | 5 (100.59) Karel Sedlacek
Gary Anderson (114.41) 6 | 2 (99.66) Luke Humphries
Wessel Nijman (107.50) 6 | 3 (88.31) Jose De Sousa
Krzysztof Ratajski (100.96) 6 | 4 (97.01) Rob Cross
Ted Evetts (97.66) 6 | 3 (91.36) Ross Smith
Stephen Bunting (94.86) 6 | 3 (90.12) Danny Noppert
Luke Littler (98.30) 6 | 3 (99.74) Mike De Decker
Martijn Dragt (91.18) 6 | 5 (96.38) Gian van Veen
Last 32
Dom Taylor (95.65) 6 | 2 (89.95) Niels Zonneveld
Karel Sedlacek (94.93) 6 | 3 (86.51) Richard Veenstra
Gary Anderson (111.03) 6 | 3 (99.96) Dimitri Van den Bergh
Luke Humphries (88.41) 6 | 0 (83.30) Andrew Gilding
Wessel Nijman (104.61) 6 | 1 (94.50) Ryan Searle
Jose De Sousa (92.36) 6 | 2 (83.29) Matthew Dennant
Krzysztof Ratajski (99.10) 6 | 0 (91.34) Dirk van Duijvenbode
Rob Cross (90.65) 6 | 1 (81.82) Nathan Rafferty
Ross Smith (94.93) 6 | 0 (65.13) Mensur Suljovic
Ted Evetts (99.10) 6 | 4 (93.86) Jonny Clayton
Stephen Bunting (103.14) 6 | 5 (95.15) Jermaine Wattimena
Danny Noppert (99.55) 6 | 4 (96.94) Christian Kist
Luke Littler (104.43) 6 | 3 (87.78) Callum Goffin
Mike De Decker (93.49) 6 | 1 (89.64) Ricardo Pietreczko
Martijn Dragt (88.90) 6 | 3 (87.65) Graham Usher
Gian van Veen (96.28) 6 | 1 (83.46) Darren Beveridge
Last 64
Niels Zonneveld (95.19) 6 | 5 (101.81) Connor Scutt
Dom Taylor (94.57) 6 | 5 (91.20) Arron Monk
Richard Veenstra (92.39) 6 | 5 (89.42) Ritchie Edhouse
Karel Sedlacek (100.24) 6 | 5 (89.24) Raymond van Barneveld
Dimitri Van den Bergh (88.18) 6 | 4 (82.53) Rowby-John Rodriguez
Gary Anderson (106.92) 6 | 1 (89.72) Jamie Hughes
Andrew Gilding (103.18) 6 | 3 (94.50) Jitse Van der Wal
Luke Humphries (101.13) 6 | 4 (95.85) Adam Hunt
Wessel Nijman (87.23) 6 | 1 (78.72) Mervyn King
Ryan Searle (99.32) 6 | 1 (87.59) Jimmy van Schie
Matthew Dennant (90.50) 6 | 5 (90.34) Ryan Joyce
Jose De Sousa (93.47) 6 | 1 (88.24) Nathan Aspinall
Dirk van Duijvenbode (94.72) 6 | 5 (90.45) Ian White
Krzysztof Ratajski (95.27) 6 | 1 (97.19) Damon Heta
Nathan Rafferty (88.24) 6 | 3 (87.71) Joe Cullen
Rob Cross (95.13) 6 | 3 (90.60) Boris Krcmar
Mensur Suljovic (85.98) 6 | 5 (88.33) Madars Razma
Ross Smith (90.77) 6 | 3 (79.39) Joshua Richardson
Ted Evetts (92.19) 6 | 4 (90.77) Kim Huybrechts
Jonny Clayton (88.33) 6 | 3 (83.17) Andy Baetens
Jermaine Wattimena (106.06) 6 | 1 (88.71) William Borland
Stephen Bunting (96.71) 6 | 4 (95.52) Stephen Burton
Christian Kist (95.86) 6 | 1 (83.09) Adam Gawlas
Danny Noppert (104.33) 6 | 2 (86.76) Ricky Evans
Callum Goffin (93.31) 6 | 4 (87.49) Martin Lukeman
Luke Littler (92.88) 6 | 2 (89.07) Nick Kenny
Mike De Decker (93.92) 6 | 1 (85.47) Darryl Pilgrim
Ricardo Pietreczko (92.67) 6 | 5 (87.46) Jeffrey De Zwaan
Graham Usher (82.53) 6 | 3 (84.89) Alexander Merkx
Martijn Dragt (90.60) 6 | 3 (86.89) Kevin Doets
Darren Beveridge (101.97) 6 | 1 (98.75) Thibault Tricole
Gian van Veen (85.56) 6 | 5 (88.48) Lukas Wenig
Last 128
Niels Zonneveld (102.47) 6 | 3 (95.38) Scott Williams
Connor Scutt (100.47) 6 | 5 (92.34) Brett Claydon
Arron Monk (94.74) 6 | 5 (95.55) Dave Chisnall
Dom Taylor (95.52) 6 | 2 (79.81) Rene Eidams
Ritchie Edhouse (90.12) 6 | 4 (92.25) Stefaan Henderyck
Richard Veenstra (108.05) 6 | 3 (90.24) George Killington
Raymond van Barneveld (93.88) 6 | 2 (86.60) Josh Payne
Karel Sedlacek (101.31) 6 | 2 (94.87) Vincent van der Voort
Rowby-John Rodriguez (91.53) 6 | 5 (89.44) Luke Woodhouse
Dimitri Van den Bergh (83.75) 6 | 4 (90.78) Tim Wolters
Gary Anderson (104.22) 6 | 2 (84.39) Jules van Dongen
Jamie Hughes (94.93) 6 | 3 (86.37) Mario Vandenbogaerde
Andrew Gilding (105.19) 6 | 2 (87.22) Jeffrey Sparidaans
Jitse Van der Wal (90.04) 6 | 4 (81.10) Benjamin Reus
Luke Humphries (100.44) 6 | 3 (95.26) Adam Warner
Adam Hunt (95.88) 6 | 3 (93.12) Richie Burnett
Wessel Nijman (103.00) 6 | 1 (85.82) Radek Szaganski
Mervyn King (91.17) 6 | 5 (84.41) Keane Barry
Ryan Searle (91.89) 6 | 4 (90.39) Cam Crabtree
Jimmy van Schie (100.03) 6 | 5 (93.33) Florian Hempel
Ryan Joyce (96.39) 6 | 5 (90.61) Owen Bates
Matthew Dennant (92.00) 6 | 5 (87.09) Dominik Gruellich
Nathan Aspinall (98.79) 6 | 5 (100.47) Daryl Gurney
Jose De Sousa (94.64) 6 | 5 (93.60) Mickey Mansell
Dirk van Duijvenbode (108.23) 6 | 3 (108.55) Andy Boulton
Ian White (85.45) 6 | 5 (89.88) Chris Landman
Damon Heta (92.29) 6 | 2 (92.54) Graham Hall
Krzysztof Ratajski (101.74) 6 | 3 (88.67) Robbie Knops
Joe Cullen (93.22) 6 | 5 (90.17) Daniel Klose
Nathan Rafferty (89.14) 6 | 2 (88.35) Justin Hood
Rob Cross (97.67) 6 | 4 (99.15) Dylan Slevin
Boris Krcmar (96.92) 6 | 3 (92.82) Rhys Griffin
Madars Razma (93.55) 6 | 4 (88.79) Jamie Atkins
Mensur Suljovic (92.08) 6 | 3 (88.49) Patrick Geeraets
Ross Smith (102.09) 6 | 1 (74.85) Danny van Trijp
Joshua Richardson (91.88) 6 | 2 (86.32) Simon Whitlock
Ted Evetts (97.73) 6 | 2 (95.09) Michael Smith
Kim Huybrechts (100.29) 6 | 5 (94.73) Jeffrey De Graaf
Jonny Clayton (97.91) 6 | 5 (93.38) Steve Beaton
Andy Baetens (88.85) 6 | 3 (80.71) Jelle Klaasen
Jermaine Wattimena (93.53) 6 | 2 (84.35) Berry van Peer
William Borland (91.61) 6 | 5 (91.27) William O'Connor
Stephen Bunting (98.35) 6 | 2 (84.62) Danny Jansen
Stephen Burton (92.05) 6 | 1 (82.68) Steve Lennon
Christian Kist (92.46) 6 | 2 (87.17) Brendan Dolan
Adam Gawlas (93.35) 6 | 5 (92.42) Keegan Brown
Danny Noppert (94.74) 6 | 3 (88.76) James Hurrell
Ricky Evans (95.26) 6 | 3 (89.46) Danny Lauby
Martin Lukeman (104.86) 6 | 0 (90.00) Wesley Plaisier
Callum Goffin (94.58) 6 | 4 (89.85) Lee Evans
Luke Littler (96.95) 6 | 3 (89.47) Lee Cocks
Nick Kenny (88.35) 6 | 5 (86.43) Robert Grundy
Mike De Decker (93.82) 6 | 3 (89.55) Christian Perez
Darryl Pilgrim (86.51) 6 | 3 (84.81) John Henderson
Ricardo Pietreczko (96.50) 6 | 2 (76.62) Owen Roelofs
Jeffrey De Zwaan (83.84) 6 | 4 (83.82) Robert Owen
Graham Usher (88.44) 6 | 2 (78.11) Alan Soutar
Alexander Merkx (91.97) 6 | 5 (88.51) Matt Campbell
Martijn Dragt (96.32) 6 | 4 (94.85) Josh Rock
Kevin Doets (92.29) 6 | 2 (83.83) Stefan Bellmont
Darren Beveridge (92.94) 6 | 4 (91.94) Gabriel Clemens
Thibault Tricole (96.38) 6 | 4 (96.37) Maik Kuivenhoven
Gian van Veen (88.01) 6 | 1 (75.85) Geert Nentjes
Lukas Wenig (91.09) 6 | 0 (79.16) Ryan Meikle