Andrew gilding Secures maiden ProTour Triumph at Players Championship 16 in Leicester
After numerous close calls, Andrew Gilding finally achieved his first ProTour victory by overpowering Jonny Clayton 8-3 in the final of Players Championship 16, hosted at Leicester’s Mattioli Arena. This win earned him a £15,000 prize and marked a significant breakthrough in his professional darts career.
A Long-Awaited Victory Born from Determination
Having been runner-up six times previously on the ProTour circuit, Gilding demonstrated unwavering focus and steady performance throughout the event. He set the tone early by racing to a commanding 3-0 lead against Clayton. Even though Clayton briefly disrupted his momentum with an extraordinary 61 checkout, Gilding quickly reasserted dominance by capturing two additional legs-including a crucial 100 checkout that broke Clayton’s throw-establishing an imposing 5-1 advantage.
Maintaining Composure Amidst Intense Pressure
The former UK Open champion held firm under mounting pressure as Clayton threatened with six darts at double late in the match. Exhibiting remarkable composure and resilience, Gilding clinched victory on double ten after an intense contest spanning over four hundred attempts to finally secure this coveted title.
“This moment has been years in the making; it almost feels unreal,” reflected Gilding after lifting the trophy. “I’ve faced tough finals before-like going up against top players averaging over 107-but today I managed to cross that finish line.”
Tournament Journey: Standout Performances Fuel Success
The seasoned competitor, aged 55, navigated several challenging matches en route to glory. He began with a solid but closely contested 6-4 victory over Wesley Plaisier before staging an impressive comeback against Arno Merk in a nail-biting last-leg decider-a clear demonstration of grit under pressure.
Gilding then delivered one of his most outstanding performances versus Dirk van Duijvenbode, posting an extraordinary average of 102.36 during another tight 6-4 win. following this was a dominant whitewash (6-0) against Jermaine Wattimena that propelled him into the quarter-finals where he faced Challenge Tour leader Joe Hunt.
The quarter-final saw yet another high-level display as he averaged above 103 while comfortably dispatching Hunt (6-2). In the semi-finals, he overcame Ian White in a competitive encounter finishing at 7-5 to reach only his second Players Championship final this year.
Key Match Outcomes from Players Championship 16 – Leicester
- Last Sixteen:
Callum Goffin defeated Darius Labanauskas (6-5)
Ian White defeated Justin Hood (6-2)
Andrew Gilding defeated Jermaine Wattimena (6-0)
Joe Hunt defeated Rob Owen (6-5)
Stephen bunting defeated Krzysztof Ratajski (6-3)
Niko Springer defeated Kevin Doets (6-2)
Jonny Clayton defeated Andy Boulton (6-5)
Gabriel Clemens defeated Damon Heta (6-4) - Quarter-Finals:
Ian White def. Callum Goffin (6-3)
Andrew Gilding def. Joe Hunt (6-2)
Niko Springer def. Stephen Bunting(6-2)
Jonny Clayton def.Gabriel Clemens(63) - Semi-Finals:
AndrewG ild ingdef.IanWhite(7 -5) < br />
JonnyClaytondef.nikospringer(7 – ) - < strong >Final:< / strong >< br />
And rewG ild ing8 – jon nyClay ton
< h3 >Looking ahead: Premier league Darts Excitement Builds< / h3 >
< p >As anticipation grows for this year’s Premier League darts season culminating on May28thin London,the competition promises thrilling encounters every Thursday night broadcast live on Sky sports.< strong >Stay tunedforalltheactionandfollowthejourneyofplayerslikeG ild ingandClaytonasp they vieforprestigeintheworldofdarts.< / strong >< / p >
< img src = "https://newsfeed24.website/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/localimages/skysports-jonny-clayton-darts_7190670.jpg?20260315081316" alt = "Jonny Clayton competing during Premier League Darts Nottingham event" loading = "lazy" intrinsicsize = "768x432" >
< figcaption >< strong >Image:< / strong >
< span >Jon ny Clay ton fellshort inthefinalbutremainsakeycontenderintheProTourd artscircuit.< / span > rnrn
