Players Championship Finals

In 2008, The Players Championship Finals sees the light. The 32 players who collect the most prize money during the various Players Championship tournaments in one calendar year qualify for this tournament.

Until 2011, the Players Championship finals are always held in the first months of the next year. In 2009 these are the players who collected the most money during the 2008 campaign. Because of this the tournaments is in the statistics as the 2008 edition although played in 2009. In 2011, this tournament is played twice. In the beginning of 2011, the 2010 edition is played. At the end of 2011, the top 32 players of 2011 play their finals at the end of that year. From that year onwards the year on the floor actually ends with this tournament in the same year that the tournaments on the floor are played.

From 2008 to 2015 the top 32 players from the Players Championship Order of Merit qualify, from 2016 this number is doubled to 64 players. The first two editions of the tournament are held on "holy" PDC ground, namely the Circus Tavern in Purfleet near London. The same venue which hosted the World Championships for many years. In 2011, the tournament moves to Doncaster where both editions that year are played. Since 2012 Butlins in Minehead is the venue.

Michael van Gerwen is recordholder with six titles. Phil Taylor wins three times during the early years of the tournament. Among the other winners there are some surprises. Paul Nicholson wins in 2010 and Kevin Painter in 2011. The name of Gary Anderson is also on the trophy, he is the best in 2014. The 2018 champion is from Northern Ireland; Daryl Gurney ends Van Gerwen’s three-year reign in 2018.

Twice a nine-darter is thrown in the tournament’s history. The first is from Alan Norris in 2016 who throws him on board two against Michael Smith. Michael van Gerwen throws his on the main stage against Adrian Lewis in 2019.