Tuesday February 24th 2026
David Sharp
Written by Douglas Logan
David Sharp returns to Professional Darts Corporation ProTour action this week as he competes in Players Championship 5 & 6, looking to build on a positive run of form that has already seen him add further ranking prize money in his debut season.
After securing his first ranking money the week before in Germany, Sharp strengthened his ProTour position last week with an impressive victory over Rusty-Jake Rodriguez. The win marked another important step forward to retaining his card as he continues to grow in confidence on the professional circuit.
In the following round, Sharp faced experienced Northern Irish World Cup winner Daryl Gurney in what proved to be a high-quality match. Averaging close to 100, Sharp pushed Gurney all the way before narrowly losing 6–5 in a last-leg decider — a performance that once again showed just how fine the margins are at the very top of the sport.
“It is nice to get another win on the ProTour, it’s now just about putting a run together now,” Sharp said afterwards. “I felt really comfortable during the matches and will continue to get better each week.”
Each Players Championship event features 128 competitors in a straight knockout format, with live draws conducted on the morning of play. With no second chances, consistency is key, and Sharp will again be prepared to face any opponent as he continues climbing the ProTour Order of Merit.
Alongside his ProTour performances, Sharpy has also been making serious strides in the European Tour qualifiers.
In the first Belgian qualifier, he produced a strong run to reach the final. He opened with a 6–3 victory over Yorick Hofkens before edging out Jeffrey de Graaf 6–5 in a deciding-leg thriller. In the final, he fell 6–2 to Tyler Thorpe, narrowly missing out on qualification.
The second qualifier for Germany brought more drama. Sharp secured a hard-fought 6–5 win over Mickey Mansell and followed it up with a convincing 6–3 victory against Richard Veenstra. In the deciding match, he suffered heartbreak in a 6–5 defeat to Stephen Burton, missing match darts that would have sealed qualification.
Reflecting on the qualifiers, Sharp remained positive despite the narrow outcomes.
“Overall I’m really pleased with how last week went. I added more prize money, had a proper battle with Daryl where I felt really comfortable and then backed that up with two strong runs in the European qualifiers.”
Reaching back-to-back finals in the European qualifiers underlines the progress Sharp is making and highlights how close he is to securing a spot on the European Tour stage.
“When you’re reaching finals and averaging well, you know your game is in a good place. It’s obviously tough to lose out right at the end, but it’s given me a lot of belief going into the next ProTour events.”
Sharp was again keen to acknowledge the support behind him as he continues his first year as a Tour Card holder.
“I just want to thank everyone who’s been following my journey so far, leaving comments and sending messages, the support has been incredible and I really appreciate it.
“A big thank you as well to my family, and to my sponsors Michael and Emma at the Ship Inn Dalkeith, Dunvegan Management and Unicorn Darts, and to Nyo for everything that goes on behind the scenes. Having that support around me allows me to focus fully on my darts and concentrate on performing.”
With confidence growing, averages pushing towards the 100 mark and prize money building steadily, Sharp heads into Players Championship 5 & 6 determined to turn strong performances into a deep ProTour run.
Fans can follow live scores and watch live through official PDC channels (PDCTV & Dart Connect). Keep up to date with all upcoming matches and results via “David Sharp Darts” on Facebook.
Event: Players Championship 5 & 6
Location: Mattioli Arena, Leicester
Dates: 24th & 25th February
