Hawkeye Doets claims first PDC darts title at Players Championship 13

Kevin Doets

Hawkeye Doets claims first PDC darts title at Players Championship 13 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Kevin Doets picked up a maiden PDC ranking title of his career on Monday, after defeating Luke Woodhouse 8-5 in the final of Players Championship 13, as the Pro Tour double header commenced at Halle 39, Hildesheim.

Doets – a three-time Semi Finalist on the Pro Tour previously in 2026 – reached Monday’s finale firstly by recording victories against Mervyn King, Darryl Pilgrim, Kim Huybrechts, Jermaine Wattimena, Rob Owen and Maik Kuivenhoven, to set up a clash with Woodhouse.

The final began with Doets taking the opener in 11 darts before Woodhouse hit back by rattling off three successive legs in a total of 45 darts to move 3-1 ahead in a race to eight. The tie then saw three straight holds of throw ending with Doets’ breaking ‘Woody’s’ throw in Leg Eight with a 15 darter to square the tie up at 4 apiece.

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‘Hawkeye’ again reeled off three straight legs to go 7-4 ahead and within one of victory. Woodhouse did pull one leg back before Doets sealed an 8-5 victory with an 18-darter to secure a maiden PDC title as well as collecting the £15,000 top prize.

Woodhouse’s run to the final saw the Englishman record victories on the day against Cam Crabtree, Adam Leek, Mike De Decker, Krzysztof Ratajski, Chris Dobey and Mensur Suljovic, before being denied by Doets and the wait goes on for his maiden ranking title.

Elsewhere, there were Quarter Final runs for Former UK Open Champion Andrew Gilding and Lithuania’s Premier player Darius Labanauskas, whilst the likes of Gary Anderson, Michael Smith and Peter Wright were amongst the high profile first round casualties. The day also saw Dirk Van Duijvenbode fire in a nine-dart finish during his first-round victory against Madars Razma.