Dirk van Duijvenbode produced one of the most talked-about moments of the day at Players Championship 23 after pulling off an unusual stunt during his first-round clash with Adam Leek.
The Dutchman left his Australian opponent visibly surprised with the unexpected action, as captured in footage from the match.
Alright Dirk 😂😂😂.
He ended up losing 2-6 and body language was not great pic.twitter.com/wJK5tP38dM
— Jeremy (@Jeremy7105) July 6, 2026
Despite the distraction, Leek kept his composure and went on to claim a convincing 6-2 victory, eliminating Van Duijvenbode in the Last 128. It marked an early exit for the Dutchman, while Christian Kist emerged as the best-performing Dutch player of the day.
Kist enjoyed an impressive run before his campaign came to an end in the quarter-finals, where Dave Chisnall proved too strong with a 6-3 victory. Chisnall’s run was then halted by Cameron Menzies, who edged a thrilling semi-final 7-5 to book his place in the final.
Awaiting Menzies in the title match was Spain’s Cristo Reyes. Reyes averaged 94.78, but Menzies delivered another composed display, averaging 95.55 to secure an 8-5 victory and lift the Players Championship 23 title.
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The triumph puts Menzies back in the spotlight for all the right reasons after enduring a difficult period of attention during the PDC World Darts Championship earlier this season.
There was also a memorable moment for Joe Cullen, who fired in a spectacular nine-dart finish during his match against Jack Tweddell. However, despite achieving darts’ perfect leg, Cullen still suffered defeat in the second-round encounter, leaving “The Rockstar” with mixed emotions at the end of the day.
The PDC ProTour action continues on Tuesday with Players Championship 24. Attention will then turn to the European Darts Trophy in Leverkusen, which takes place from Friday through Sunday.
Following that event, the focus shifts to one of the biggest tournaments on the darts calendar: the World Matchplay. Often referred to as the “Summer World Championship,” the prestigious event will be held from 18 to 26 July and is once again expected to attract the sport’s biggest stars and passionate supporters alike.