Cameron Menzies claimed his first PDC Pro Tour title of 2026 on Monday. The Scottish darts star defeated Spain’s Cristo Reyes 8-5 at the Mattioli Arena in Leicester to win Players Championship 23. He sealed the final match with a 95 average, backed by two crucial 10-dart legs, according to a Sky Sports report. And with that, he punched his ticket to the prestigious World Matchplay at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool later this month.
“I thought I was done,” a relieved Menzies told reporters after the match. His run to the final was absolute dominance. He secured two 6-0 whitewashes in his first three games and recorded a 100-plus average in his opening match.
The Semifinal Stakes and Reyes’ Run
Before reaching the final, Menzies had to eliminate Dave Chisnall in a tense 7-5 semifinal. That result leaves Chisnall precariously close to missing out on the World Matchplay. A first-round loss in Event 24 will now officially end Chisnall’s chase. On the other side of the bracket, Reyes made his own history. Reyes became only the third Spaniard ever to reach the final of a PDC Event, as noted by Darts World.
Overcoming the Ally Pally Meltdown
The Leicester victory completes a grueling redemption arc for Menzies. Just seven months ago, he suffered a highly public meltdown at the PDC World Darts Championship in December 2025. Menzies blew a 2-1 lead against 20-year-old debutant Charlie Manby, crashing out 3-2 in the first round amid heavy booing from the Alexandra Palace crowd. Unable to control his frustration on stage, Menzies violently punched the underside of a drinks table three times.
That outburst left him with a bloody gash on his right hand that required on-site medical treatment. It also triggered a Darts Regulation Authority review. Menzies later issued a public apology for the incident, revealing the intense grief he was experiencing following the recent death of his uncle. His second-round match would have fallen on the exact day of the funeral. Monday’s win marks his third career PDC tournament victory and his official bounce-back from the lowest emotional point of his professional career.