Heta Holds Nerve to Edge Bunting in Thriller at Players Championship 20 

Damon Heta captured his second title of the season with a dramatic 8-7 victory over Stephen Bunting in the final of Players Championship 20 on Tuesday, delivering under pressure in a last-leg decider to pocket the £15,000 top prize.

Competing at Leicester’s Mattioli Arena, Heta looked in control after racing into a 7-4 lead, but was forced to dig deep as Bunting launched a stirring comeback, reeling off three consecutive legs – including a superb 130 checkout – to force a final-leg shoot-out.

But Australia’s top-ranked player held his throw and composure in the decider to seal his ninth Players Championship crown.

“To get the win today is a massive confidence boost,” said Heta, who now climbs to ninth on the PDC’s Werner Rankings Ladder. “Stephen showed his class there, but I knew I had the throw in the last leg and stayed focused. I know I’m playing at a high level – it’s just about taking my chances, and I did that today.”

Heta’s path to the final was dominant. He dropped just ten legs across five early victories against Patrick Geeraets, Ted Evetts, Bradley Brooks, Madars Razma, and Daryl Gurney. He then averaged a blistering 109 in a semi-final win over Gerwyn Price, underlining his red-hot form.

Bunting, fresh from a runner-up finish at the Poland Darts Masters, continued his strong run with an inspired day, capped by a sensational nine-darter during his semi-final comeback against Rob Cross. The world number four trailed 6-2 before winning five straight legs to snatch victory.

Bunting also posted averages of 103, 101, and 108 in earlier wins over Cam Crabtree, Haupai Puha, and Danny Noppert.

Cross, meanwhile, will be left ruing missed opportunities after squandering four match darts in the semi-finals. Despite that heartbreak, the former World Champion produced four consecutive ton-plus averages, including a brilliant 109.81 in his quarter-final victory over Josh Rock, who was impressive himself with a 108.89 average in defeat.

Elsewhere, Gerwyn Price continued his strong summer form with a run to the last four, following up wins over Dirk van Duijvenbode, Dom Taylor, and a quarter-final triumph against Jonny Clayton – his World Cup-winning partner.

The quarter-final lineup also featured Ross Smith, Daryl Gurney, and Josh Rock, with Rock delivering another standout performance – including a nine-darter and a 117+ average in his opening round demolition of Sebastian Bialecki.

That wasn’t the only perfect leg of the day. Germany’s Leon Weber also achieved the nine-dart feat in his first-round victory over Tytus Kanik, while Bradley Brooks arguably produced the performance of the afternoon, averaging 117.49 in a first-round rout of Callan Rydz.

World Matchplay Race Heating Up

The Players Championship double-header concludes on Wednesday with PC21, and with it, the final push for World Matchplay qualification.

Ryan Joyce currently occupies the final provisional spot in the 32-player Blackpool field, but big names including Michael Smith are under pressure. The 2022/23 World Champion must reach at least the semi-finals on Wednesday to keep his Matchplay hopes alive.

Poland’s Krzysztof Ratajski and European Champion Ritchie Edhouse are also in contention, as the race for the Winter Gardens reaches a dramatic climax.

Heta Holds Nerve to Edge Bunting in Thriller at Players Championship 20 

2025 Players Championship 20

Tuesday July 8

Mattioli Arena, Leicester

Last 16

Gerwyn Price 6-5 Dom Taylor

Jonny Clayton 6-2 Luke Woodhouse

Damon Heta 6-3 Madars Razma

Daryl Gurney 6-4 Chris Dobey

Stephen Bunting 6-3 Danny Noppert

Ross Smith 6-4 Owen Bates

Rob Cross 6-5 Jermaine Wattimena

Josh Rock 6-3 Keane Barry

Quarter-Finals

Gerwyn Price 6-4 Jonny Clayton

Damon Heta 6-1 Daryl Gurney

Stephen Bunting 6-1 Ross Smith

Rob Cross 6-5 Josh Rock

Semi-Finals

Damon Heta 7-5 Gerwyn Price

Stephen Bunting 7-6 Rob Cross

Final

Damon Heta 8-7 Stephen Bunting

Nine-Darters!

Josh Rock hit a nine-darter in his first round tie against Sebastian Bialecki

Leon Weber hit a nine-darter in his first round tie against Tytus Kanik.

Stephen Bunting hit a nine-darter in his semi-final tie against Rob Cross.