Clinical Cross returns to winning ways with victory at Players Championship 22 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.Rob Cross picked up his first PDC ranking title of the year on Wednesday, after an 8-5 victory against MaikKuivenhovenin the final of Players Championship 22, as the Pro Tour double header concluded at Wigans Robin Park Leisure Centre in the UK.Cross who's last ranking title came at the opening Players Championship Event of 2025 ended a 16-month drought as he reached the final firstly by recording victories againstChris Landman, Jimmy Van Schie, Connor Scutt, David Sharp, Alexander Merkx and Stephen Bunting, to set up a clash with Kuivenhoven.MORE ELITE DARTS COVERAGE:Check Out Our Devoted PDC AreaNothing separated the pair in the opening stages of the final, with bothlevelat 2apiece after following four legs before Cross won back-to-back legs in 15 and 14 darts respectively to move 4-2 ahead and halfway to victory. Kuivenhoven then hit back with successive legs of his own in a total of 37 dartsto square the tie up again at 4apiece. Cross then dominated theremainderof the final with Voltage winning four of the following five legs and sealed an 8-5 victory in Leg 13 with a14-darterto pick up an 11thPlayers Championship title of his career as well as the 15,000 top prize.Kuivenhovens run to a maiden PDC ranking final saw the Dutchman record victories on the day againstChristian Kist, Alan Soutar,Rob Owen, Ryan Searle, Gian VanVeenand Tom Bissell, before being denied by Cross.Elsewhere, there were Quarter Final runs for Former World Championship Semi Finalist Gabriel Clemens and Challenge Tour representee Tommy Morris, whilsta trio of2026 Players Championship title winners in Beau Greaves, Luke Woodhouse and Jeffrey De Graaf were amongst the first-round casualties.DARTS PLAYER MERCHANDISE AND COLLECTABLES AT OUR DARTSWORLD STORE!The PDC Pro Tour returns on July 6-7 in Leicester with Players Championship 23 & 24 taking place and the final events before the qualification cut-off for the Betfred World Matchplay, with 128 players competing for 150,000 in prize money each day. Play will be broadcasted across four streaming boards on PDC.TV and various bookmaker websites worldwide, with all live scores and results on tv.dartconnect.com.PDC Players Championship 22Last 16Alexander Merkx 6-5 Cristo ReyesRob Cross 6-1 David SharpTommy Morris 6-5 Cam CrabtreeStephen Bunting 6-2 Andrew GildingGabriel Clemens 6-1 Mickey MansellTom Bissell 6-5 Jonny ClaytonGian Van Veen 6-5 Adam LeekMaikKuivenhoven6-3 Ryan SearleQuarter FinalsRob Cross 6-4 Alexander MerkxStephen Bunting 6-4 Tommy MorrisTom Bissell 6-5 Gabriel ClemensMaikKuivenhoven6-3 Gian Van VeenSemi FinalsRob Cross 7-3 Stephen BuntingMaikKuivenhoven7-6 Tom BissellFinalRob Cross 8-5 MaikKuivenhovenFor the full stories and more in depth coverage of everything darts, together with the latest issues of their legendary publications, head on over todartsworld.com