BRILLIANT BUNTING WINS PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP 25
26/08/2025 By Aaron Nijjar
STEPHEN BUNTING stormed to the Players Championship 25 title after beating Jonny Clayton 8-6 in the final.
‘The Bullet’ clinched his FIFTH title of 2025, adding to a brace of World Series wins, a ProTour success, and his maiden European Tour crown at April’s International Darts Open.
Former Masters Champ Bunting added to his title tally with an inspired afternoon’s work at the Marshall Arena.
Bunting revealed he was thrilled to bounce back from losing in the final yesterday at the Players Championship 24.
He said: “I was disappointed not to win yesterday, to be fair I thought Jeffrey [De Graaf] would have tightened up a bit, but to do two finals, and obviously get one over the line I’m really happy with that and happy with my performance.
“I had some great games today and I had some brilliant games yesterday as well so hopefully that keeps continuing.
“I’m over the moon and I’ll celebrate tonight with an Indian.
“I feel like every game I’ve played this week; I’ve been pushed. The standard of play now is so hard, and if I don’t keep on the practice board and keep pushing myself, then yeah, I’ll slowly be getting left behind.”
Bunting is now aiming to win another major at the back end of the year.
He added: “I’m 40 years of age now, so I need to keep working hard on my game.
“But I’m really happy where it is at the moment and just looking forward to the rest of the season to be honest.
“I’d like to win another TV title. I know how well I’m playing, but obviously people are judged on TV titles to be fair.
“I just want to do more of the same and the World Championship is the big goal.”
World No. 4 Bunting pearled in a 14-darter and 56 checkout to go 2-1 ahead against Clayton with a break of throw advantage.
Bunting then raced into a 5-1 lead, but his Welsh rival fought back to reduce the deficit to 5-4 in Milton Keynes.
The former Lakeside champ smashed in two maximums on the way to hitting a 10-dart leg and extending his lead to 6-4.
Bunting’s power scoring proved too much for Clayton as he averaged 101.74 and sealed the victory by thumping in double eight.
St Helens thrower Bunting averaged a whopping 105.67 to dispatch Wessel Nijman 6-1 in the quarter-final.
Bunting produced two brilliant ton-plus finishes, including a 107, to edge past William O’Connor 7-6 in a tense semi-final.
Image by Taylor Lanning.
