Wattimena Stuns Littler, Beats Doets 8-6 to Win Players Championship 27

Jermaine Wattimena Beats Kevin Doets 8-6 to Win Players Championship 27 — After Stunning Luke Littler

Jermaine Wattimena beat fellow Dutchman Kevin Doets 8-6 in an all-Dutch final at the Mattioli Arena in Leicester on Tuesday to win Players Championship 27 — a run that included a first career win over world number one Luke Littler, sealed with a 115 checkout on tops in a deciding-leg quarter-final.

8–6

Final score

3rd

ProTour title

115

Checkout that beat Littler

A First Win Over Littler, When It Mattered Most

Wattimena had never beaten Littler before Tuesday, but he picked the right moment for his first success against the world number one. Locked at 5-5 in a deciding leg of their quarter-final, Wattimena stepped up to finish 115 on tops to win 6-5 and end Littler’s run in Leicester — part of a chase for ranking points and qualifying prize money ahead of the World Grand Prix and Players Championship Finals.

Wattimena’s Route to a Third ProTour Title

Off the back of the Littler win, Wattimena beat Luke Woodhouse 7-4 in the semi-final to reach an all-Dutch final against Doets, who had beaten Wessel Nijman 7-5 in the other last-four match.

Jermaine Wattimena — Finals Day, Players Championship 27

Quarter-finalv Luke Littler6-5

Semi-finalv Luke Woodhouse7-4

Finalv Kevin Doets8-6

In the final, Wattimena raced through six straight legs to open up a commanding 6-2 lead over Doets. Doets hit back to win four of the next five and close the gap to 7-6, threatening an improbable turnaround, but Wattimena settled the match with an 11-darter to close it out 8-6 and claim his third PDC ProTour title.

What It Means for the Rankings

Wattimena’s win earns him the £15,000 top prize from the £150,000 Players Championship 27 pot, with Doets picking up £10,000 as runner-up. The result counts towards the PDC ProTour Order of Merit and the main Order of Merit, both live on this site, and comes with Players Championship 28 following on the Wednesday at the same Mattioli Arena as the qualifying race for the World Grand Prix and Players Championship Finals continues.

Track how Wattimena, Doets and the rest of the tour stack up on the live PDC Order of Merit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who won Players Championship 27?

Jermaine Wattimena won Players Championship 27 at the Mattioli Arena in Leicester on Tuesday 25 August 2026, beating fellow Dutchman Kevin Doets 8-6 in the final.

Did Jermaine Wattimena beat Luke Littler at Players Championship 27?

Yes — Wattimena beat world number one Luke Littler 6-5 in the quarter-final, sealing the win with a 115 checkout on tops in the deciding leg.

How much prize money did Wattimena win?

Wattimena collected the £15,000 winner’s prize from the £150,000 Players Championship 27 pot, with runner-up Kevin Doets taking £10,000.

Who else reached the semi-finals of Players Championship 27?

Wattimena beat Luke Woodhouse 7-4 in one semi-final, while Kevin Doets beat Wessel Nijman 7-5 in the other.

Is this Jermaine Wattimena’s first PDC ProTour title?

No — it is Wattimena’s third PDC ProTour title, and his first win over Luke Littler in his career.