Record-Breaking Wessel Nijman Claims PC34 Victory to Close Out 2025 PDC Pro Tour

Wessel Nijman rounded off an impressive October with his second Players Championship title of the month, and third overall in his career after winning the season-ending Players Championship 34 at the Robin Park Leisure Centre in Wigan.

Wessel Nijman celebrating on the World Series of Darts Finals stage

The young Dutchman was in fabulous form throughout, averaging 99.79 across the day, nailing 30 maximums, while also posting a PDC career-best average of 116.87 in a 6-1 rout of Adam Paxton in the last 16.

With this win, Nijman firmly cements his status as one of the PDC Pro Tour’s Premier players, finishing in an impressive second place on the Players Championship Order of Merit, just £5,000 behind top seed Gerwyn Price heading into the finals in Minehead.

Nijman opened his account with wins over Callan Rydz and Rhys Griffin, before defeating fellow Dutchman Maik Kuivenhoven 6-3 in the last 32. This result proved costly for Kuivenhoven, who missed out on World Championship qualification through the Pro Tour by just £500, as Connor Scutt clung on to the final spot.

In the last 16, Nijman reached new heights with that record high average of 116.87 against Paxton. He then edged compatriot Kevin Doets 6-4 in a cagey quarter-final affair, before avenging his semi-final loss from the previous day by beating Chris Dobey 7-6 in a high-quality contest, averaging 100.70 to Dobey’s 104.33.

His final opponent would be Luke Woodhouse, who continued his progress in the 2025 season. The Bewdley thrower now sits inside the top 32 for the first time and reached his second Pro Tour final of the season and third of his career following a great run at the Swiss Darts Trophy in Basel last month.

‘Woody’ had to survive a match dart to overcome Florian Hempel 6-5 in the second round and defeated Willie Borland, Karel Sedláček, and Joe Cullen in the earlier rounds to reach the last 16.

His standout performance came in the last 8, where he also produced a career-best average in the PDC of 112.29 in a 6-2 victory over Keane Barry. Soon after, he dispatched Barry’s Ireland teammate Willie O’Connor 7-2 to reach the final.

Early in the final, both players traded breaks of throw in an even start. At 4-3, Woodhouse crucially missed five darts at double that would have opened a two-leg cushion for the first time in the match. This proved costly as Nijman then levelled the contest at 4-4 and seized control of the contest.

From there, the 25-year-old from Uitgeest, Netherlands, made a sensational dash over the line, winning four of the remaining five legs in clinical fashion. He fired in legs of 15,13, and then back-to-back 14 darters to secure an 8-5 victory and his second title of the month.

For Woodhouse, the wait for a maiden PDC title continues. The 37-year-old still holds the unwanted title of the highest-ranked player in the PDC yet to win a title.

However, he can take plenty of positives from another successful PDC Pro Tour campaign that has seen him make three quarter-finals, two semi-finals and two finals.

He has now risen to a career-high World No.25 and will be seeded 21st for the Players Championship finals.

As PC34 marked the end of the 2025 PDC Pro Tour season, there was plenty on the line for those hunting down qualification spots for Minehead and Ally Pally.

German pair Dominik Gruellich and Lukas Wenig, both surprise finalists on the circuit earlier this year, narrowly missed out on qualification for Minehead, finishing 66th and 67th respectively.

While former German No.1 Max Hopp just held on in the final qualifying place despite a 6-0 opening round defeat to Andrew Gilding, booking his return to the Players Championship Finals for the first time in six years.

Elsewhere, World No.1 Luke Humphries was handed another early exit, losing out 6-4 to a spirited Rob Owen in Round 2.

Cool Hand’ finished 58th in the Players Championship rankings and sets up a mouth-watering opening round tie against 7th seed Gian van Veen in Minehead, a rematch of last weekend’s European Championship final, where GvV recorded his first major title victory.

Luke Littler returned to the Pro Tour with a surprise 6-5 defeat to Matt Campbell in the Last 32. The Canadian No.1 produced an impressive display, averaging 104.07 in victory and breaking in 15 darts to seal the victory.

‘The Nuke’ finished as the No.36 seed and will take on a first-time Pro Tour winner this season in No.29 seed Jeffrey de Graaf, in Minehead.

For Nijman, today’s triumph underlines a remarkable rise in his short time as a PDC tour card holder. Having been suspended between 2020 and 2023, he has made a massive impact on the Pro Tour after winning his tour card just 22 months ago.

Despite not qualifying for the Grand Slam of Darts so far, Nijman will have a final chance through the Tour Card qualifier. Given his recent form and confidence, he will be aiming to carry this floor form and convert it to big stage results very soon.

At just 25, and currently ranked World No.34, Nijman is set to break into the Top 32, and with his potential will be looking to break into the Top 16 and beyond as his trajectory continues to rise sharply.