The 2025 Players Championship series has been a rollercoaster of darting drama, and with the 25th tournament now in the books, the race to secure a spot in the prestigious Players Championship Finals in Minehead is heating up. Stephen Bunting, known as ‘The Bullet,’ clinched an electrifying 8-6 victory over Jonny Clayton in the final of Players Championship 25, marking his second title of the season. This triumph has solidified Bunting’s place among the elite, but for some of darts’ biggest names—Michael van Gerwen, Luke Humphries, Nathan Aspinall, and Luke Littler—the path to qualification remains fraught with challenges as the top 64 players on the Order of Merit after 34 tournaments will earn their ticket to the Finals.
At the top of the leaderboard, a new face has emerged. Gian van Veen, the 23-year-old Dutch prodigy, has seized the lead with a stellar performance, reaching the quarterfinals of Players Championship 25 before falling 6-3 to Martin Schindler. His efforts have earned him £73,500, giving him a slim £1,500 lead over Gerwyn Price, who was forced to withdraw from the event due to a hand injury and a sudden hospital visit. “Just what I didn’t want, back to hospital it is,” Price lamented, highlighting the setback that cost him the top spot. Damon Heta trails closely in third with £71,000, while Bunting’s recent win has propelled him to fourth with £68,500. The top ten is rounded out by Ross Smith (£66,500), Jermaine Wattimena (£61,000), Cameron Menzies (£59,500), Chris Dobey (£59,000), Jonny Clayton (£54,500), and Josh Rock (£54,500), all of whom are comfortably positioned for qualification.
However, the story takes a dramatic turn for some of the sport’s biggest stars. Michael van Gerwen, the legendary ‘Mighty Mike,’ finds himself in a precarious 99th place with just £10,500 in prize money. His early exit at Players Championship 25, a 6-5 loss to Madars Razma in the last 64, underscores his inconsistent participation this season. “The top 64 after 34 tournaments qualify for the Players Championship Finals. That promises to be quite a task for Michael van Gerwen,” noted one observer, emphasizing the urgency for the Dutchman to string together strong performances in the nine remaining tournaments. Similarly, Dimitri Van den Bergh, a two-time major champion, is languishing at 105th with £9,500, his form hampered by consecutive first-round exits in recent events.
Luke Humphries, the reigning Players Championship Finals champion in 2023 and 2024, is teetering on the edge at 64th with £19,000. “Cool Hand Luke has not played many Players Championships this year, but will still need a number of wins in the coming weeks to qualify for the Players Championship Finals this autumn,” a commentator pointed out, highlighting the pressure on Humphries to defend his title and chase a historic three-peat. Luke Littler, the young sensation and reigning World Matchplay champion, sits at 54th with £21,000, having skipped the second event of the recent ProTour double-header. “Littler even is in 54th spot and decided to skip the second of the two events in his first ProTour action in months,” an analyst remarked, suggesting that the 18-year-old may need to prioritize these tournaments to secure his spot.
Nathan Aspinall’s situation is equally concerning, with the former Premier League finalist ranked 75th at £15,500. Having opted out of recent ProTour events, Aspinall’s absence mirrors his approach last year when he famously quipped about going on holiday instead of competing. “He may take a similar tact,” one insider speculated, noting that Aspinall’s focus seems elsewhere as he battles to maintain his ranking. The top 64 cutoff looms large, and with the darting calendar intensifying in the coming months, these players face a critical juncture.
The Players Championship series has been a proving ground for both veterans and rising stars, with new winners like Jeffrey de Graaf, who claimed Players Championship 24, shaking up the standings. Ross Smith’s semi-final run and Wessel Nijman’s quarterfinal appearance at Players Championship 25 further illustrate the depth of talent vying for Minehead. “Players Championship Order of Merit update: Van Gerwen, Humphries, Aspinall and Littler remain poorly placed to qualify for the Players Championship Finals,” one report summarized, capturing the high stakes for these household names.
As the series progresses, the pressure is mounting. With nine tournaments left, the likes of Van Gerwen, Humphries, Aspinall, and Littler must deliver standout performances to climb into the top 64. The Players Championship Finals, set for November 22-24 at Butlins Minehead, promise a thrilling climax to the ProTour season, but for these stars, the road to qualification is anything but guaranteed. Fans are left wondering: can these darting giants rise to the occasion, or will new faces steal the spotlight in one of the sport’s most competitive showdowns?
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