Damon Heta saved his best performance of the day for the final as he overcame Chris Dobey to claim Players Championship 4 in Leicester on Tuesday.

Assured Aussie Takes PC4 Title

A solid rather than spectacular day on Monday had seen Heta beaten by eventual PC3 winner Ryan Searle at the Last 16 stage and the Aussie’s campaign to improve on that showing started with a tie against Aden Kirk, Heta taking the opening three legs on way to a comfortable 6-3 victory.

Fourth on the Pro Tour OoM but seeded three due to World Champion Luke Humphries not being in action, Heta then notched up consecutive 6-4 victories over Sweden’s Oskar Lukasiak and Luke Woodhouse respectively, recovering from a 4-1 deficit before advancing against the latter.

Those victories set up a clash with Jim Williams in the Last 16, the Welshman having averaged over 109 in beating Krzysztof Ratajski in the previous round. ‘The Quiff’ was unable to hit those heights again however, Heta easing through dropping just a single leg.

Brendan Dolan was the quarter final opponent, the Northern Irishman getting past Monday’s winner Searle to get him to that stage. A break of throw in a scrappy opening leg gave Heta a lead that he would never relinquish, breaking again in the final leg of a 6-4 win.

Heta then faced surprise package Christian Perez for a spot in the final, the talented Filipino thrower having already seen of no less than four seeded players to get to that stage, including a Last 16 win over Gerwyn Price. It proved a match too far for Perez, Heta putting together runs of three and four consecutive legs on way to a 7-2 success.

That win set up a title tussle with Chris Dobey, ‘Hollywood’ having claimed a notable 6-0 over Michael van Gerwen on his way to the final.

It was the Englishman that gained the early initiative, claiming the opening three legs but that seemed to inspire Heta, who responded in the most empathic of fashions.

The Australian claimed the next seven legs to send him within a leg of victory with a devastating spell, including four ton plus finishes in the space of five legs and four 12 dart legs on the spin.

Dobey managed to stop the rot in leg 11 but it was only temporary respite as Heta sealed his sixth Players Championship crown in the very next leg, finishing with an average of just over 103 to Dobey’s 106.

Elsewhere At PC4

Peter Wright’s went one better than his Last 8 appearance on Monday, getting to the semi finals before bowing out to Chris Dobey. Dave Chisnall finally won his first Players Championship match of the year at the fourth time of asking before losing to Wright in the Last 16. Dirk van Duijvenbode also had a welcome return to form, averaging 106 in his Last 16 tie with compatriot Gian van Veen before being another to fall to Dobey.

Luke Littler departed at the first round stage after a deciding leg loss to James Wade while Stephen Bunting’s poor form on the floor continued with another first round loss, this time to Jitse van der Wal.

Results

2024 Players Championship 4

Tuesday February 20

Mattioli Arena, Leicester

Last 16

Peter Wright 6-2 Dave Chisnall

Scott Williams 6-5 Jonny Clayton

Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-4 Gian van Veen

Chris Dobey 6-2 Niels Zonneveld

Christian Perez 6-4 Gerwyn Price

Raymond van Barneveld 6-3 Florian Hempel

Damon Heta 6-1 Jim Williams

Brendan Dolan 6-5 Ryan Searle

Quarter-Finals

Peter Wright 6-5 Scott Williams

Chris Dobey 6-2 Dirk van Duijvenbode

Christian Perez 6-2 Raymond van Barneveld

Damon Heta 6-3 Brendan Dolan

Semi-Finals

Chris Dobey 7-6 Peter Wright

Damon Heta 7-2 Christian Perez

Final

Damon Heta 8-4 Chris Dobey