Chris Dobey defeats Josh Rock to win Players Championship 7

Chris Dobey has recorded an 8-4 victory over Josh Rock to win Players Championship 7 in Leicester.

The Newcastle-based thrower is bidding to cement his place in the top 16 of the PDC Order of Merit and securing his third floor-tournament win will go some way to achieving that.

Dobey was required to come through a last-leg decider with Mike De Decker in his last-64 contest but that was as hard as he was pushed all day.

A 106.13 average was posted in seeing off Kim Huybrechts by a 6-3 scoreline in the last 16, before he got the better of Daryl Gurney and Ross Smith.

That set up a showdown with Rock, the Northern Irishman in need of some noteworthy performances before he starts to defend prize money from two years ago later in 2024.

DOBEY IS THE CHAMPION! ⚫️⚪️

Chris Dobey does it! He caps off a remarkable day by winning #PC7, defeating Josh Rock 8-4 in the final to win his third Pro Tour title!

With a nine-darter earlier in the day, what a day of darts from Hollywood! pic.twitter.com/giG4sfu2Pw

— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) April 8, 2024

Rock initially opened up a 3-1 lead to suggest that he was playing well enough to come out on top, yet Dobey would take seven of the last eight legs, two of which were 11-darters.

The second of those were fired in to seal victory, a 180 and 174 setting up a 24 checkout to help move up to 14th position in the world rankings, Rock remaining in 20th spot.

Meanwhile, Luke Littler would record another victory over world champion Luke Humphries - 6-5 in the last 16 - before losing in a last-leg decider to Ross Smith in the last 16.

Michael van Gerwen bowed out as early as the second round, with Ian White defeating the Dutchman by a 6-5 scoreline.

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