Wessel Nijman joins Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen in elite PDC club after fifth ProTour title of 2026

Wessel Nijman’s fifth ranking title of 2026 at Players Championship 12 was more than another win. It placed him into one of the most exclusive groups in modern darts, alongside some of the defining names in the sport.

By reaching five PDC ProTour titles in a single season before May, Nijman has moved firmly beyond breakthrough territory. This is now elite-level output, and historically rare at that.

The list he joins underlines it: Phil Taylor, Raymond van Barneveld, James Wade, Simon Whitlock, Gary Anderson, Michael van Gerwen, Dave Chisnall, Peter Wright, Gerwyn Price, Luke Humphries and Luke Littler.

A veritable who's who of the PDC elite. Now Nijman’s name sits alongside them.

The spread of his titles tells its own story. Wins at Players Championship 2, 8, 10 and 12, added to his European Tour success, have come across multiple blocks of the calendar rather than a single run.

That consistency is what separates this from a flash of form. It is the same pattern typically seen from players who dominate the ProTour over a full season.

And crucially, it has come against elite opposition. Finals wins over players such as Gerwyn Price across formats underline that this is not a soft run through draws, but sustained high-level performance.

Until this year, Nijman was viewed as a player building towards the top. Capable of deep runs, but not yet a regular title presence. That has now shifted completely.

Five titles before May places him not just among the form players of 2026, but among the standout ProTour seasons of the modern era. It also leaves him on a trajectory that, if maintained, could push this campaign into the same bracket as the dominant years produced by the very best.

For now, the milestone itself is enough. Wessel Nijman is no longer knocking on the door. He is operating at the level that defines it.