NIJMAN BREAKS NEW GROUND WITH PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP 12 TRIUMPH
28/04/2026 By Aaron Nijjar
WESSEL NIJMAN broke new ground as he surged into the top 16 after securing the Players Championship 12 title.
The Dutchman clinched his FIFTH ProTour crown of the season and the £15,000 top prize in Milton Keynes after beating Jermaine Wattimena 8-5 in the final.
The 25-year-old averaged stellar 103.41 to defeat Tom Bissell 7-4 in the semi-final, having earlier seen off Nathan Potter 6-2 in the last eight.
Nijman is now looking to reap the rewards of his rise up the Order of Merit after reaching another major milestone in his career.
He said: “It was a nervy final because I came from behind, and in the first few legs I missed some doubles.
“It is not something that happens often. I think it made it difficult for myself, but I am so happy I kept it together.
“Especially the finishes I got with the last dart. The 57, I think that was important. In the end, I got the luck back because Jermaine missed some doubles.
“Sometimes I make it difficult for myself by missing so much, but in the end I think all the matches I won I deserved to win.
“Apart from the Tom Sykes one, where he missed a match dart against me. In all the floor games I feel so good.
“When it clicks together and you play those finals and those games all day long, next time you come, you remember that.
“You keep yourself together and play like that all year. This is a big step into the top 16, and I hope I can make many more steps.
“That was one of the goals I had before this year: to get the privilege of starting on a Saturday in the Euro Tour.
“Getting on the left side of the draw in the big majors. To get that goal this early in the year is a privilege.”
Elsewhere, Luke Humphries crashed out in the opening round after a 6-5 defeat to Keane Barry.
Beau Greaves saw her bid for back-to-back titles come to an end as she was whitewashed 6-0 by Tom Bissell in the last 16.
Image by Taylor Lanning.
