MODUS Super Series Week 5 Preview: Klose Leads Another Fascinating 12-Player Field

The MODUS Super Series returns for Week 5 with another intriguing 12-player line-up, bringing together PDC experience, proven MODUS performers, international talent and several players arriving in particularly strong form.

On the numbers available to Q4QS, Daniel Klose is the obvious starting point.

The German comes into the week ranked 18th in the Q4QS database with a 90.53 average, and his recent results have been outstanding. Klose reached the quarter-finals of Challenge Tour 17, the final of Event 18 and then went unbeaten to win Challenge Tour 20, averaging 93.75 across the tournament. He subsequently stepped onto the Players Championship circuit and still averaged 97.68 and 95.43 in his two appearances there.

That makes him the statistical standout, but this is far from a one-player week.

Neil Duff brings experience and consistency

Former WDF World Champion Neil Duff is another player who should command plenty of respect.

Duff's Q4QS average sits at 84.18, and his recent results include a Vault victory at Waterlooville as well as a semi-final at an ADC Winmau Championship South event. His scoring remains highly competitive, with individual performances including a 103.66 against Leo Howard.

Duff has plenty of experience in longer-format competitive environments, and that can be particularly valuable in the unusual week-long MODUS format.

Jordan Brooks arrives from a World Masters semi-final

One of the more interesting names this week is Jordan Brooks, who comes into MODUS following an excellent run at the 2026 WDF World Masters.

Brooks reached the semi-finals there, winning six matches and averaging 84.12 across the event. His wins included Ron Meulenkamp, Stefan Schroder, David Flowers and Luka Matković, with several individual match averages in the high 80s. He is also 7-3 across his last ten matches in the Q4QS database.

That sort of tournament run suggests Brooks could be particularly dangerous if he settles quickly in Portsmouth.

Rogov's form deserves attention

Dmitrii Rogov may not have the same profile with UK viewers, but his recent record makes him difficult to ignore.

Rogov is 9-1 across his last ten, reached the final of the Cyprus International Darts Open and has subsequently made three semi-finals at Eastern European Darts Challenge events. His recorded match averages include a 95.37, while his overall Q4QS average stands at 80.85.

He looks like exactly the sort of player capable of outperforming expectations during a MODUS week.

Justin Smith comes in with winning form

There is plenty to like about Justin Smith's recent numbers too.

Smith is 8-2 across his last ten and recently went unbeaten to win a Vault event at Cardigan with an 85.51 tournament average. He followed that with a quarter-final at the Towy Sports Bar Open, averaging 80.04 across nine matches.

His notable performances include a 95.94 average in a 3-0 win over Jamie Evans.

With fewer qualifying events in the database than some of the field, his overall Q4QS average isn't yet displayed, but the performances we do have suggest plenty of ability.

Noa-Lynn van Leuven brings a high ceiling

Noa-Lynn van Leuven is another capable of producing numbers well beyond her overall average.

She reached a PDC Women's Series semi-final with an 86.10 event average and subsequently averaged 91.44 during a quarter-final run at the Swiss Open. Her notable recent performances include a 99.89 average in a 5-1 victory over Leanne Topper.

Recent Swedish Open results were less eye-catching, but the ceiling is clearly there.

Hamilton remains a threat

The most experienced name in the field is Andy Hamilton.

His recent Challenge Tour performances are probably more useful than some of the smaller local events in the database when assessing his chances this week. Hamilton reached the last 32 of Challenge Tour 16 averaging 88.42 and most recently averaged 86.42 in reaching the last 64 of Challenge Tour 20.

He has been around the highest level of the sport for years, and MODUS has repeatedly shown that experience can count for plenty when players have to negotiate multiple sessions across the week.

Six to Follow

Daniel Klose – The standout on recent numbers. A Challenge Tour winner, finalist and quarter-finalist in his last few outings, with a 90.53 Q4QS average.

Neil Duff – Experienced, consistent and still capable of producing very strong scoring bursts.

Jordan Brooks – Comes in fresh from a WDF World Masters semi-final and looks particularly well suited to the format.

Dmitrii Rogov – Perhaps the most intriguing player in the field. He is 9-1 recently and has been consistently reaching finals and semi-finals.

Justin Smith – 8-2 in his last ten with an 85.51 tournament average during a recent unbeaten title run.

Noa-Lynn van Leuven – Has the scoring ceiling to trouble anyone in the field and has produced several excellent tournament performances this season.

There are plenty of alternatives to those six.

Danny Goddard has been competing regularly on the Challenge Tour and has produced a 95.54 match average recently. Mark Layton has won two recent Vault events at Llandeilo and also reached a final and semi-final during a strong sequence of results.

Ziggy Schenk is harder to assess with only three qualifying events currently in the Q4QS database, but his Q-School results included a 90.12 event performance and an 84.96 match average.

The two players I currently have least Q4QS data for are Richard McKee and Martyn Turner, who were not matched to profiles in this export, so I wouldn't manufacture form lines for either of them.

A strong favourite – but an open week behind him

Klose deserves to begin the week as the player to beat on the available evidence. Very few players arrive at MODUS immediately after the sort of Challenge Tour sequence he has put together.

Behind him, though, it becomes much harder to separate the field.

Duff has the experience, Rogov and Brooks have excellent recent tournament form, Smith is winning events, Van Leuven has a very high scoring ceiling, and Hamilton remains capable of producing the numbers required at this level.

That should make MODUS Super Series Week 5 another fascinating week — and one where the battle to reach Saturday could prove every bit as interesting as the eventual title race.

Q4QS Weekly Spotlight: Three Players Who Caught My Eye This Week

 

Another seven days of grassroots darts produced plenty of candidates for the Weekly Spotlight, but this week’s final three stood out for very different reasons.

Louis Melville combined one of the week’s most important victories with another two tournament wins and a further final. Shaun Vernall continued an extraordinary run of consistency, winning three events and finishing the week by taking the £800 Gloucester Open. And Cody Sheppard produced an excellent sequence of results at Out Out Bar, culminating in a convincing Premier League Qualification victory.

As always, this isn’t simply about picking the three highest averages or the biggest names. It’s about the players whose performances, consistency or individual stories caught my eye over the previous seven days.

Louis Melville

Player Profile

Louis Melville has put together an outstanding record in the Q4QS database.

Across 243 recorded matches, Melville has won 215, giving him an excellent 88.5% win rate. From only 38 recorded events, he has already collected 22 tournament victories, alongside three runner-up finishes, four semi-finals and five quarter-finals.

His overall match average stands at 77.96, but his peak numbers show considerably more. His best recorded average is 111.33, with further performances of 107.36 and three separate 103.66 averages among his top five.

There is also plenty of quality in the opposition he has beaten. His best-rated recorded win is now against Dean Reynolds, while his record also includes several victories over Timothy Jones and a win over Creed Jenkins.

This Week

Melville began the week by winning the MODUS Super Series South Wales Regional Qualifier at Wattsville National Club, defeating Dean Reynolds 6–5 in the final.

That victory now also appears as the highest-rated win in his player profile, with Melville averaging 80.71 in the deciding match against Reynolds.

He followed it with another title at Olivers Sports Bar, winning the Vault 19 Open Warm Up. Melville produced two 91.09 averages during that tournament before beating Richie Limbert 3–1 in the final.

Then came another victory at the same venue in Friday’s ADC Open Ranking event.

This was arguably his best scoring performance of the week. Melville recorded 96.97, 92.02, 91.09 and 90.18 averages and completed the title with a 3–0 final victory over Liam Hughes.

Even then, the week wasn’t over. On Saturday he reached another final, defeating Ieuan Evans and Harry Morris in the knockout stages before losing 3–1 to Finley Bennett.

Three titles, including a MODUS regional qualifier, plus another final made Melville impossible to leave out this week.

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Shaun Vernall

Player Profile

Shaun Vernall continues to build one of the most impressive grassroots records in the database.

He has played 762 recorded matches, winning 636 of them for an 83.5% win rate across 117 events. Those appearances have produced 39 tournament victories, 22 runner-up finishes and another 43 quarter-final or semi-final appearances.

His overall match average stands at 76.92, while his last ten currently average 84.22. His ceiling is enormous: Vernall’s best recorded average is 128.71, with further peaks of 120.24, 112.63 and two 107.36 performances.

His list of significant victories includes Josh McCarthy, Neil Wild and Joe Quiney — with one win over Wild accompanied by a 98.40 average.

This Week

Vernall started his winning run at Widden Rugby Club, where he took the title after eight victories and produced a 93.94 average during the event.

He then added another tournament victory at Faringdon, once again defeating Rich Griffee in the final.

But the biggest performance was saved until Saturday.

The Gloucester Open featured 288 recorded matches, and Vernall came through the event with 20 victories recorded across the day before defeating Declan Cox 5–1 in the final.

His player profile gives an even clearer picture of the knockout run. Vernall beat James Mann and Archie McChristie with consecutive 96.97 averages, defeated Joe Bagguley 4–1 in the semi-final and then completed the title with a 5–1 victory over Cox.

It also left his latest recorded form at a perfect 10 wins from 10.

Vernall has featured before, but this series isn't about avoiding repeat names for the sake of it. Three titles in a week, capped by the Gloucester Open, demanded another appearance.

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Cody Sheppard

Player Profile

Cody Sheppard brings a completely different story to this week’s three.

His profile already contains a substantial 605 recorded matches, with 367 victories and a 60.7% win rate across 132 events. He has recorded 10 tournament victories, alongside 25 runner-up finishes, 15 semi-finals and 33 quarter-finals.

His overall match average is 55.48, but that number hides some very eye-catching peaks.

Sheppard’s best recorded average is a remarkable 112.78, while he has also produced a 100.20 and two 88.41 performances.

His record also contains wins against much higher-rated opposition, headed by Alec Small and Alfie O’Brien.

This Week

Sheppard’s week was built around a series of events at Out Out Bar.

He first won the NDC Open, beating Charlie Morgan 4–2 in the final.

There were then two further Premier League Qualification runs. On Wednesday he reached the final after beating Mason White and Archie Bourne, before Cody Vodden edged him 3–2.

Two days later, Sheppard turned that result around emphatically.

He beat Kenzie Thomas 5–3 in the semi-final and then defeated Vodden 6–1 in the final, averaging 67.75 to complete the tournament victory.

That was particularly notable after several close battles between the pair during the week, and it gave Sheppard a second tournament victory from a run that also contained multiple finals.

For a player still developing, that sort of repeated exposure to latter-stage matches can be every bit as interesting as one isolated big average.

Two tournament victories, multiple finals and a 6–1 win to finish the week earns Cody Sheppard his place in the Weekly Spotlight.

Yesterday’s Results: Vernall Takes Gloucester Open as Big Averages Light Up Saturday

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There were titles for Shaun Vernall, Josh McCarthy, Finley Bennett and Shaun Fox, while some eye-catching averages provided plenty of interest away from the winners.

Vernall takes Gloucester Open

One of the day's headline results came at the Gloucester Open £800 prize pot, where Shaun Vernall claimed the title with a convincing 5–1 victory over Declan Cox in the final.

Vernall also produced some strong numbers during the tournament, reaching 96.97, but the performance of the event came from Joe Bagguley.

Bagguley fired a superb 107.36 average in a 2–0 victory over Nathan Baldwin – the highest credible recorded average among Saturday's events in the report.

McCarthy comes through huge Saturday event

There was another significant South West victory for Josh McCarthy in the Saturday Night Money In Money Out Round Robin.

McCarthy edged Riley Milligan 3–2 in the final after coming through one of the biggest events captured on the day.

He also produced one of the day's standout averages, hitting 103.66 against Kobi Bragg. CJ Everrit matched that figure in a victory over Luke Fage.

Bennett breaks the ton on way to title

Finley Bennett combined a tournament victory with another of Saturday's biggest averages in the Money In Money Out Singles.

Bennett defeated Louis Melville 3–1 in the final, having earlier produced an excellent 103.66 average against Kenzie Johns.

Melville also showed good form during his run to the final, with a best recorded performance of 93.94.

Fox wins South West Vault Regional Final

At Dorchester Trinity Club, Shaun Fox came through the ADC South West Vault 18.0 Level Up Emerging Regional Final.

Fox defeated Phil Bisset in a deciding-leg final, while Dominic Mann and Jack Davey shared the tournament's highest recorded average at 83.50.

More South West winners

There was further success at Galaxy Sports Bar, where Ross Godfrey won the August Bank Holiday Open, beating David Dodds 4–2 in the final.

Andy Steed produced the best recorded average there with 88.41, while Godfrey reached 85.55 during his title-winning campaign.

The venue also staged the Galaxy Torbay Youth Championship, where Charlie Fone defeated Jacob Thomas 3–0 to take the title. Fone also topped the averages with 70.45.

At the Street Open Blind Pairs, Hart/Pipe edged Nicholls/Hardy 3–2 in the final, while Zac Copperwheat won the Summer Camp event with a 4–3 victory over Zach Joyce.

Plenty happening elsewhere

Away from the South West, Colin Sulston won the Cancer Research Charity Under-70 event, defeating Aaron Stevens 4–2, while Liam Fox took the August Bank Holiday Round Robin at Daventry Darts with a 7–4 final victory over Stuart Scarsbrook. Sam Edmonds recorded an excellent 100.20 average at the latter event.

Jayden Jones won the Windmill Monthly Round Robin, defeating Seamus 'The Shamrock' Lynch 3–1, and recorded a best average of 93.94.

There were also titles for Stewart Doughty, Harrison Graves, Josh Blore, Lucas Kelly, Callum Williams, Cody Sheppard, Matty Finch and Paul Upfold, among others, on another busy Saturday across the grassroots circuit.

With 20 more tournaments now captured by Q4QS, it was the Gloucester Open performances of Vernall and Bagguley, McCarthy's title and 103.66, and another ton-plus performance from Bennett that provided some of the strongest stories from 29 August.

Yesterday’s Darts Results – Honey Hits 104.86 as Boundy, Steed and Rowley Take Friday Titles (28th August 2026)

 

Friday produced another busy evening of grassroots darts, with 22 tournaments from 28 August added to the Q4QS database.

There was plenty to pick out across the South West and beyond, headed by an excellent 104.86 average from Dave Honey at Evesham, while Steve Boundy continued his strong run at Portishead and Andy Steed came through a competitive opening night at Galaxy Sports Bar.

Honey stars at Evesham

The standout individual performance came at Evesham Darts Competitions, where Dave Honey won the Champions Elect Round Robin.

Honey defeated Pete Hughes 4–1 in the final, but it was his 104.86 average earlier in the competition that really caught the eye – the highest recorded average across Friday's 22 events.

There was plenty of quality around him too. Hughes reached 95.94, Shaun Vernall produced 93.94, and Tony Gisbourne registered 90.18.

It wasn't the only competition at Evesham either. Richard Coombes won the Champion of Champions Final Qualifier, edging Richard Bambridge 5–4 in the deciding match.

Boundy comes through another Portishead battle

Steve Boundy added another title at Portishead Workmens Darts, winning Friday's open event after a close final against Logun Godbeer.

Godbeer produced the highest average of the tournament at 81.83 and accumulated nine wins across the event, but Boundy came through the final 4–3 to take the honours.

It's another good result for Boundy at a venue where his name has appeared regularly in recent Q4QS roundups.

Steed wins as Godfrey breaks 100

There was a high-quality night at Galaxy Sports Bar, where Andy Steed won the first Friday Night Series event.

Steed defeated Charlie Wiles 2–0 in the final, with both players recording nine wins during the competition.

The biggest number, though, came from Ross Godfrey, who produced a 103.12 average. Steed wasn't far behind with a 96.97, while Curtis Green also reached 93.94.

Rowley wins SDO Summer Series thriller

Paul Rowley came through the SDO Summer Series 6.6 Open at Severn Darts Organisation.

Rowley edged Dean Rogers 4–3 in the final and produced a 96.58 average during the event.

Mark Crutchley provided another of Friday's ton-plus performances, hitting 100.20, but Rowley beat him on his way to the title.

Avis takes Bridgwater title

At Bridgwater Darts Academy, Reuben Avis enjoyed an excellent run through BDA DiDo Week 4.

Avis finished the competition with nine wins and defeated Alex Bird 2–0 in the final. His highest recorded average was 69.91.

Plenty more winners across Friday

There were plenty of other titles worth noting.

Andrew Quinn won the Bradmoor Farm Friday Vault Break 2, defeating Sean Holley 3–1 after a competition in which Sam Ridgway hit 96.97. Kev Raynsford took the Epsom Social Club Vault Break 2 with a 4–3 victory over John Power, while Corey Milward won the Friday One Off Round Robin.

Elsewhere, Jake Shipley won at Bostin Darts 180 Bar, Adam Mitchell took the Money In Money Out title at Shooters Bar and Jamie Chaplin won the Wicketts Friday Night Round Robin.

Friday's standout numbers

Honey's 104.86 led the way, followed by Godfrey's 103.12 and Crutchley's 100.20.

Sam Ridgway, Andy Steed and Rico Anderson all reached 96.97, with Paul Rowley at 96.58 and Pete Hughes at 95.94.

It was another night that showed the depth of grassroots darts being captured by Q4QS – big averages, close finals and established names sharing the headlines with players continuing to emerge through local competition.

With another 22 tournaments added, the database continues to grow and feed into the wider Q4QS rankings, statistics and player analysis.

Country Spotlight: Guyana – The Tiny Nation Punching Above Its Weight

 

After Brazil and Argentina, this week’s Country Spotlight stays in South America and heads to a country with a completely different darts story.

Guyana has a population of only around 830,000. It does not have anything like the player base of the major European darts nations, and even within the Caribbean and Latin American scene participation remains relatively modest.

Yet Guyana has repeatedly found a way to produce players capable of competing on the international stage.

That alone makes it one of the most fascinating nations I have looked at so far.

Because when it comes to darts, Guyana has consistently punched well above its weight.

A Small Country With a Surprisingly Big Darts History

Guyana sits on the northern coast of South America, bordering Venezuela, Brazil and Suriname.

Culturally, however, its sporting links often extend into the Caribbean as much as South America, and darts is a good example of that crossover.

For more than two decades, Guyanese players have appeared on PDC stages, regional tours and major Caribbean competitions.

At the centre of that story are two names:

Norman Madhoo and Sudesh Fitzgerald.

Between them, they have provided Guyana with remarkable longevity at international level.

Norman Madhoo – The Standard Bearer

Few players from developing darts nations can match the longevity of Norman Madhoo.

Madhoo first qualified for the PDC World Championship in 2004 and returned in 2010, 2011 and 2024. He is also a multiple Caribbean and South American Masters champion.

More than 20 years after that first World Championship appearance, he remains one of Guyana’s strongest players.

And the current Q4QS data backs that up.

Across 41 matches, Madhoo has won 30, giving him a 73.2% win rate. His 2026 record includes a tournament victory, a runner-up finish, a semi-final and two quarter-finals.

His scoring numbers are also very respectable.

Madhoo has an overall match average of 71.77, a Q4QS Average of 71.75 and a best recorded average of 88.41.

For a player now well into his sixties, that level of competitiveness is extraordinary.

Still Winning in 2026

Madhoo’s 2026 CDLC title might be the clearest indication that he remains a serious force.

After Jesús Salate had won the first two events in Panama, Madhoo stopped the Argentine’s run in the semi-final of Event Three, beating him 6–4 before defeating Dean Persad 6–1 in the final.

The Q4QS data adds another layer to that result.

Madhoo averaged 82.20 in the victory over Salate, whose Q4QS rating is significantly higher, making it one of Madhoo’s best recorded wins of the year.

His best performance of the season was even higher — an 88.41 average in a 6–0 win over Denis Valerin.

Madhoo eventually finished fourth on the 2026 CDLC Tour, earning complimentary entry to PDC Q-School and a place in the qualifying rounds of the Winmau World Masters.

That is a remarkable level of longevity.

Sudesh Fitzgerald – Another Guyanese Mainstay

If Madhoo is the headline figure, Sudesh Fitzgerald is almost as important to the Guyana story.

Fitzgerald has been competing internationally for well over a decade and reached the PDC World Championship himself in 2009.

More recently, he and Madhoo have formed Guyana’s leading World Cup partnership.

And in 2026, Fitzgerald remains highly competitive.

The Q4QS database currently contains 21 matches, of which he has won 15 — a strong 71.4% win rate.

He has reached one semi-final and two quarter-finals from six recorded events.

His overall match average stands at 66.71, his Q4QS Average at 66.96, and his best performance at 74.60.

Those averages sit below Madhoo’s, but Fitzgerald’s ability to win matches consistently remains impressive.

Fitzgerald’s Best Results

One of Fitzgerald’s strongest wins of the year came against Trinidad and Tobago’s Joshua Balfour.

Fitzgerald beat him 6–4, averaging 70.95, and has also recorded victories over George Patterson, Jonathan Quiros and Luis Ramirez-Merlano.

His best recorded average of 74.60 came in a 6–2 victory over Andres Vega.

Fitzgerald ultimately finished sixth on the 2026 CDLC Tour, meaning Guyana placed two players inside the competition’s top six.

For a nation of Guyana’s size, that is a significant achievement.

Guyana on the World Cup Stage

Madhoo and Fitzgerald have also helped ensure Guyana is visible on one of darts’ biggest international stages.

Their partnership has represented the country at the PDC World Cup in recent years, while qualification performances have repeatedly placed Guyana among the strongest countries in the Caribbean and Latin American region.

The pair again earned a World Cup berth through the 2025 CDLC qualifying process after reaching the semi-finals in Panama.

That recurring international presence is important.

For a country without a huge domestic darts scene, qualification for events like the World Cup provides visibility that would otherwise be extremely difficult to achieve.

Christopher Lochan – Evidence of Some Depth

Guyana’s story isn't entirely dependent upon Madhoo and Fitzgerald.

The Q4QS database also contains Christopher Lochan, who has competed across the CDLC circuit during 2026.

His numbers are more modest: four wins from 10 matches, with a Q4QS Average of 56.24 and a best average of 64.14.

However, his presence is still relevant.

Lochan has recorded victories over players including Mikhael Achong and Navarro Bastian and pushed Robin Albury all the way before losing 6–5 with his best average of the season.

He isn't currently at the same level as Guyana’s leading pair, but players such as Lochan demonstrate that there is at least some competitive structure underneath them.

The Question Guyana Must Answer

The biggest question surrounding Guyanese darts is obvious.

What happens after Madhoo and Fitzgerald?

Both players have given the country remarkable service.

But the Guyana Darts Association itself has acknowledged that the domestic game has historically relied heavily on a relatively small group of experienced players.

That is why its new focus on youth development could be so important.

In January 2026 the association launched a Youth Darts Training Programme, designed to attract new players, teach the fundamentals and begin widening the country’s darts base.

Later in the year, the GDA again said that it wanted to develop a structured junior programme capable of sending youth players to future Caribbean championships.

That may ultimately be more important than any single tournament result.

A Strong Caribbean Cup Showing

Guyana’s recent Caribbean Cup campaign also showed that the country remains highly competitive regionally.

Fitzgerald reached the men’s singles semi-finals, losing narrowly 6–5 to eventual champion Joshua Balfour.

He then partnered Luis Miguel Remirez-Merlano to the men’s doubles final, where the Guyanese pair finished runners-up.

The same tournament also highlighted some of Guyana’s challenges.

The association acknowledged that it was unable to field a full female contingent, contributing to a seventh-place overall finish, and identified both female participation and junior development as areas needing further attention.

That is an important reminder that international success at the top doesn't necessarily mean the domestic game is deep.

Why Guyana Matters

Guyana is probably one of the best examples yet in this Country Spotlight series of why population alone tells us very little about a darts nation.

Brazil has more than 200 million people.

Argentina has around 46 million.

Guyana has fewer than one million.

Yet Guyana has produced multiple World Championship representatives, regular World Cup players and two competitors who finished inside the top six of the 2026 CDLC standings.

That's impressive.

The country appears to have developed a small but extremely resilient competitive darts culture.

The challenge now is turning that resilience into something sustainable.

Looking Ahead

Guyana already has something many developing darts nations would love to possess:

history.

It has players who have qualified for major PDC events.

It has a proven international partnership.

It has current regional success.

What it needs now is another generation.

Madhoo continues to defy age.

Fitzgerald continues to win matches.

But if the new junior programme can eventually produce players capable of joining them, the foundations they have created could become something much bigger.

For now, Guyana remains a small darts nation.

But it is a small darts nation that opponents continue to underestimate at their peril.

Q4QS Darts Nation Rating

Current Strength: 7/10
Participation & Depth: 5.5/10
International Achievement: 8/10
Future Potential: 7/10

Overall Q4QS Nation Rating: 7/10

That might look high for a nation with such a small player base.

But international achievement matters.

Two established players inside the upper reaches of the CDLC, a 2026 tournament winner, multiple World Championship appearances and repeated World Cup representation give Guyana a record that many much larger countries would happily take.

The next chapter depends on whether the country can produce the players who follow Madhoo and Fitzgerald.

If it can, Guyana could continue punching above its weight for many years yet.

PDC Round-Up: Littler Makes His Players Championship Return as Wattimena and Humphries Take the Titles

 

It was a busy few days on the PDC circuit, with the World Series of Darts Finals Tour Card Holder Qualifier followed by Players Championship 27 and 28.

There was plenty to take from all three tournaments. Jermaine Wattimena and Luke Humphries collected the Players Championship titles, four players booked World Series Finals places, and Luke Littler made his first Players Championship appearances of the 2026 season.

Littler's return to the floor was always going to attract attention, and despite not taking either title, a quarter-final and semi-final represented an impressive first couple of days back.

Four come through World Series qualifier

The week's action began on 24 August with the Tour Card Holder Qualifier for the World Series of Darts Finals.

The four players to emerge from the field were Callan Rydz, Rob Cross, Kevin Doets and Karel Sedlacek.

Rydz came through with five victories and a 96.44 tournament average, eventually beating Daryl Gurney 6-2 with a 98.95 average in his qualifying match.

Cross also produced some excellent darts. His route culminated in a 6-3 victory over Dirk van Duijvenbode, averaging 98.41, having previously edged Peter Wright 6-5.

Doets completed his run by defeating Maik Kuivenhoven 6-3.

But statistically, one of the performances of the qualifier belonged to Karel Sedlacek.

The Czech averaged 99.53 across his five victories, and saved his best for the decisive match. Sedlacek averaged 105.22 in a 6-4 win over Owen Bates to secure his place.

There was plenty of quality elsewhere too, with Cristo Reyes producing a 106.67 during the tournament and Van Duijvenbode, Mickey Mansell and Keane Barry also recording individual averages above 103.

Four places were available, though, and they ultimately belonged to Rydz, Cross, Doets and Sedlacek.

Wattimena wins Players Championship 27

The first of the week's two Players Championship events produced a title for Jermaine Wattimena.

Wattimena completed a perfect seven-match run by beating Kevin Doets 8-6 in the final, averaging 93.81 against Doets' 93.22.

His overall tournament average was an impressive 95.20, but perhaps the most significant thing about his victory was the quality of opposition he negotiated towards the end.

In the semi-final he defeated Luke Woodhouse 7-4 with a 100.71 average.

Before that came one of the biggest matches of the week.

Wattimena faced Luke Littler in the quarter-finals and edged a tight contest 6-5.

Littler actually produced the higher average at 95.68 to Wattimena's 92.36, but it was the Dutchman who found the decisive leg before going on to take the title.

Nijman produces the performance of the day

Wattimena took the trophy, but Wessel Nijman produced some spectacular numbers.

Nijman averaged 109.77 in a 6-1 Last 16 victory over Bradley Brooks and finished the tournament with a 97.49 overall average.

He eventually lost 7-5 to Doets in the semi-finals despite averaging 97.31.

Luke Woodhouse was another player to enjoy a strong run, reaching the last four with a 95.71 tournament average, while Cameron Menzies, Kim Huybrechts and Mickey Mansell all reached the quarter-finals.

But the big additional talking point was Littler.

Littler's first Players Championship of 2026

For all Luke Littler has already achieved, this was something we had not seen during 2026 – Littler competing on the Players Championship circuit.

And his first appearance certainly wasn't a token visit.

He began with a 6-2 victory over Archie Self before defeating Arno Merk 6-3 with a 105.12 average.

William O'Connor was beaten 6-3 before Littler whitewashed Chris Dobey 6-0 in the Last 16.

That set up the quarter-final against eventual champion Wattimena.

Littler lost 6-5, but finished his first floor tournament of the season with four wins, one defeat and a 97.47 tournament average.

Not bad for a first appearance.

And he wasn't finished.

Humphries takes PC28 – Littler goes one better

Players Championship 28 belonged to Luke Humphries.

The former World Champion went unbeaten through seven matches, defeating Brendan Dolan 8-6 in the final.

Humphries averaged 97.63 across the tournament and produced several outstanding individual displays along the way.

His peak came earlier in the event with a 108.66 average, while he also averaged 99.70 in his 6-5 Last 16 victory over Danny Noppert and 99.97 when defeating Mike De Decker 7-4 in the semi-final.

Dolan's appearance in the final was perhaps less predictable.

His overall tournament average was only 88.38, but he repeatedly found ways to win – and his biggest victory came against Littler.

Littler reaches the semi-finals

Having reached the last eight 24 hours earlier, Littler went one round further at PC28.

And this time his overall numbers were even better.

He averaged 98.36 across six matches, the best tournament average among the four semi-finalists.

His route included a 6-1 demolition of Martin Schindler in the Last 32 with a huge 107.23 average.

Andy Boulton was beaten 6-3 before Littler faced Krzysztof Ratajski in the quarter-finals.

That was an excellent contest.

Littler averaged 100.65, Ratajski 99.99, with Littler coming through 6-4.

That put him into his first Players Championship semi-final of the season at only the second attempt.

Dolan stopped him there.

The Northern Irishman produced one of his best performances of the tournament when it mattered most, averaging 97.63 to Littler's 96.42 in a 7-4 victory.

Humphries then denied Dolan the title in the final.

Two events, nine wins for Littler

The temptation whenever Littler enters a tournament is to judge anything short of victory as a disappointment.

The numbers don't really support doing that here.

Across his first two Players Championship appearances of 2026, Littler recorded:

9 wins from 11 matches

Quarter-final at PC27

Semi-final at PC28

97.47 tournament average at PC27

98.36 tournament average at PC28

105.12 best average at PC27

107.23 best average at PC28

And his only defeats came against the eventual PC27 champion Wattimena and PC28 runner-up Dolan.

There was no title, but there was very little evidence of difficulty adapting to the floor environment.

If anything, the second day suggested he was getting stronger.

A good week for Kevin Doets

Another name running throughout the week's results was Kevin Doets.

First he qualified for the World Series Finals by defeating Maik Kuivenhoven.

Twenty-four hours later he reached the PC27 final.

Doets beat Rob Cross, Cameron Menzies and Wessel Nijman during the latter stages before Wattimena finally stopped him 8-6.

That made it an excellent couple of days for the Dutchman: a World Series Finals place followed by a Players Championship final.

Woodhouse consistently goes deep

Luke Woodhouse didn't quite get the headline result, but his consistency deserves mentioning.

He reached the PC27 semi-finals and followed it with a PC28 quarter-final.

Across PC27 he averaged 95.71, including a 101.97 in his quarter-final win over Mickey Mansell.

At PC28 he averaged 96.95 across five matches and produced a 101.61 against Daniel Ayres.

Two events, two deep runs and some very solid numbers.

PC28 produces some huge averages

There were also several eye-catching individual performances away from the latter stages.

Martin Schindler hit 109.52, the highest match average in the PC28 data.

Humphries reached 108.66.

Littler produced 107.23.

Jimmy van Schie averaged 105.36, while Owen Bates, Chris Dobey and Kim Huybrechts were among several others to break through the 100 barrier.

It reinforced just how unforgiving these floor tournaments can be.

An excellent performance can still leave a player several rounds away from the title.

A week with several different stories

If there was one theme running through the week's PDC action, it was probably opportunity.

Rydz, Cross, Doets and Sedlacek took theirs to reach the World Series Finals.

Wattimena converted an excellent PC27 run into a title.

Humphries did the same a day later.

Doets enjoyed one of the week's most consistent spells, while Nijman produced one of its biggest individual performances.

And then there was Littler.

His decision to make his first Players Championship appearances of 2026 added another dimension to both tournaments.

A quarter-final followed by a semi-final may not have produced the trophy, but nine victories from 11 matches and tournament averages of 97.47 and 98.36 suggest his first venture onto the floor this season was hardly unsuccessful.

Whether we see considerably more of him in the remaining Players Championship events remains to be seen.

But his first two appearances certainly made the floor tournaments even more interesting.

Yesterday’s Darts Results – Simon Lloyd Takes Hangar61 Title as Big Averages Light Up Thursday (27th August 2025)

 

Thursday brought another strong night of grassroots darts, with 27 tournaments from 27 August added to the Q4QS database.

For the South West, much of the attention was on Hangar61 in Bristol, where Simon Lloyd came through a competitive Thursday night round robin. Elsewhere, there were several eye-catching performances, including a 109.98 from Jack Seymour and three more averages above 100.

Lloyd takes the honours at Hangar61

Simon Lloyd was the winner at Hangar61, defeating Glenn Pearce 3–1 in the final.

Lloyd also produced some excellent darts during the competition, with a 97.57 average among his performances, but the highest number of the night at the Bristol venue belonged to Luke Harding, who fired in a superb 102.21.

There was further quality behind them too. Rich Griffee hit 93.94, Lewis Kendall 90.18 and Jamie McKinnon 89.36, making it another strong night at a venue that continues to produce competitive fields.

Seymour hits 109.98 as Cole takes MiMo title

One of the biggest averages anywhere on Thursday came at MiMo 2708 at Locks Heath Working Men’s Club.

Jack Seymour recorded a huge 109.98 average, the highest figure logged across Thursday's tournaments. He also produced a 107.36, underlining the level he reached during the event.

However, it was Joey Cole who eventually took the title, beating Seymour 3–1 in the final. Cole was impressive in his own right, with a 103.66 average among his performances.

More ton-plus darts

Seymour wasn't alone in breaking through the 100-average barrier.

Mitchell Leeming recorded 107.36 in the Night Nine, while Andy Smith produced averages of 103.66 and 101.07 during the Cressex Round Robin – Vault Break Week 2.

Smith's strong numbers didn't ultimately translate into the title, with Stuart Dutton beating Brian Rawlings 2–0 in the final.

At The Junction Inn, Jonathan Davies also joined the ton-plus club with a 100.20 average.

Small comes through Fun Cash In Cash Out

Alec Small added another victory to his record by winning the Fun Cash In Cash Out tournament.

Small defeated Lucas Milligan 3–1 in the final, while Callum Smith's 93.94 was the highest recorded average from the competition.

Moule wins at The Wolverdene

David Moule took the Money In Money Out Round-Robin Thursday title at The Wolverdene Club.

Moule came through a close final against Carlton Hope, winning 3–2, while Lee Evans produced the tournament's highest recorded average at 93.94.

There was also success for Mat Caste at Hotshots Sports Bar in Bletchley, where he defeated Dean Taylor 3–1 in the final.

Juniors in action

Thursday also brought another collection of JDC VOLTS competitions.

Among the winners were Ashton John at Arrows in Resolven, Mitchel Hunt at the Simeon Arms in Ryde and Joshua Russell at Cogan Coronation in Penarth.

Russell also produced a 90.12 average, while Cayden Evans hit 83.50 at Resolven and Hunt recorded 79.11 during his winning run on the Isle of Wight.

Another 27 tournaments into Q4QS

Thursday's results again demonstrated exactly why following the grassroots game can be so interesting.

At Hangar61 there was a 102.21 from Luke Harding but the title went to Simon Lloyd. At Locks Heath, Jack Seymour produced the day's biggest average, yet Joey Cole took the trophy. Andy Smith passed 100 twice at Cressex, but Stuart Dutton emerged as champion.

High averages tell part of the story – winning the tournament tells another.

With another 27 competitions added to Q4QS, all of these results continue to build the database behind the rankings, player form and statistics on Quest For Q School.