Menzies Wins in Leicester
The last leg fell to Cameron Menzies at the Mattioli Arena, and a difficult year turned. Menzies claimed his first title of the year at Players Championship 23, defeating Cristo Reyes 8-5 in Monday's final. The Scotsman emerged through a 128-player field to take the £15,000 top prize. The triumph also confirmed his spot at the Betfred World Matchplay, which takes place in Blackpool later this month.
The final followed the shape of the day: control, then turbulence. Menzies started well but could not press home his advantage. He blew multiple chances to extend his lead to 4-1 over the Spaniard, and Reyes broke throw with a 20-darter to get back into the game. The answer was decisive. Menzies responded by winning legs in 12, 15 and 12 darts to move 6-2 ahead. Reyes reeled off three legs in a row before a ten-darter from Menzies put the Scot one leg from the crown. From there he took care of business, sealing the 8-5 win.
The route there had been emphatic. Menzies opened with a whitewash of Carl Sneyd, averaging north of 102. He beat Nathan Potter, then won another contest without reply against Norway's Cor Dekker, before a statement victory over Josh Rock, taking six straight legs to win 6-3. He accounted for Charlie Manby and completed a comeback against Dave Chisnall to reach the final. The Manby win carried its own weight.
After the Fall
The context is recent and raw. Menzies made headlines at the World Darts Championship in December when he punched a table following an opening-round defeat, an incident that left him needing hospital treatment after seriously injuring his hand. The defeat came 3-2 against Charlie Manby. Seven months on, he beat the same player on the way to a title. Little in his own words suggested he had expected it.
"It's been a tough year, I was lucky. I think I needed that because I have struggled this year," "I never thought I'd win one of these again. I thought I was done."
The victory sits inside a trajectory rather than apart from it. Menzies had previously won two ProTour titles in Leicester, in 2024 and 2025. This is the third PDC title of a career that looked, in December, to be drifting. He credited his form to life away from the board. "I'm in a good place in life at the moment. When your home life is good, your darts are good," he told reporters.
He arrived in Leicester unsure of himself. He left it bound for Blackpool.
