Ross Smith's victory at Players Championship 5 in Leicester, where he beat Chris Dobey in the final, has propelled him up the PDC Form Guide ahead of the UK Open. Since mid-February, Smith's average has risen by two points and his finishing efficiency (OChE) has increased by more than six percent, overtaking players like Gian van Veen and Dobey in the current form standings.
Smith's scoring power is a key factor, with 90 maximums in his last 200 legs—his highest tally since the Form Guide has been tracked, trailing only Luke Littler in that category. He is one of just six players with an OChE above 60 percent and one of four with a checkout rate above 45 percent, putting him statistically in the company of Premier League competitors. The open and random format of the UK Open draw could give Smith an excellent opportunity to land another major TV title by reducing early clashes with the form elite.
Luke Littler still leads the form standings, posting 111 maximums and an OChE of around 70 percent in his last 200 legs, with 62 percent of his legs won in fifteen darts or fewer and 94 percent within eighteen darts. However, he recently lost to Jonny Clayton for the second time in a row in the Premier League, partly due to doubles efficiency: Clayton hit six of twelve chances in their latest meeting, matching his 49.8 percent rate over 200 legs, while Littler landed just three of thirteen attempts. Despite this, Littler remains the clear favorite for the UK Open.
The Form Guide shows a notable Dutch surge, with at least two Dutchmen reaching the quarterfinals in five of the six Players Championship events this year. Four Dutch players currently occupy places in the top ten: Wessel Nijman, who won Players Championship 2 with an average over 96 and efficient finishing; Gian van Veen, who has reached six ProTour finals this season; and Kevin Doets and Michael van Gerwen. With Nijman, Van Veen, and Doets all under thirty, a new generation of Dutch contenders is emerging.
Andrew Gilding has also caught the eye, particularly at Players Championship 6 where he produced finishes of 126, 106, 100, 123, and 104 across two matches, with the 104 checkout ending Smith's run of eleven straight wins. Gilding currently ranks as the player with the most big finishes on the ProTour, though his scoring lags behind players like Littler and Gerwyn Price, with just 50 maximums in 200 legs, making him rely more on doubles chances.
