'Bully Boy' Michael Smith bang on form in back-to-back ProTour title wins

Michael Smith

Michael Smith powered his way to victory in the Players Championship 15 in Wigan on Wednesday to secure back-to-back ProTour titles in 24 hours.

Fresh from his first title success on Tuesday, 'Bully Boy' roared his way to a 14th victory in two days and the £12,000 top prize with an 8-3 success over Callan Rydz in the final.

He kick-started his day with a 6-5 last-leg decider over Mario Vandenbogaerde in the last 16 before averaging 114.90, his highest of the day, in a 6-2 quarter-final victory over Florian Hempel.

The St Helens thrower made light work of Alan Soutar next as he stormed to a 7-3 semi-final win and a showdown against Rydz, who thumped Ryan Joyce 7-1 for a place in the final.

The two-time world darts championship runner-up showed his class when recording an 81 per cent doubles accuracy to deny 23-year-old Newcastle thrower Rydz any hope of an upset.

BULLY BOY DOES THE DOUBLE! ???????

That was CLINICAL.

Michael Smith hits 81% of his doubles on his way to an incredible 8-3 success over Callan Rydz in the Players Championship 15 final!

FOURTEEN consecutive wins ?? pic.twitter.com/ZjZXzxehDM
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) May 11, 2022

Rydz, a quarter-finalist at this year's world darts championship, produced ton-plus averages in all but one of his six matches, including a 104.13 in the final, in an eye-catching run to the Wigan showpiece.

THAT IS UNBELIEVABLE ?

5 180s, a 164 checkout and averaging 104.07 ?

Callan Rydz secures a spot in the final in STYLE! He defeats Ryan Joyce 7-1 and he's just a win away from the title!

Watch the final ? https://t.co/YyBPPwoMK8 pic.twitter.com/AHelGKXy3x
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) May 11, 2022

Another highlight from the day was Scottish youngster Nathan Girvan hitting a nine-darter in his first-round defeat to two-time world darts champion Adrian Lewis.

The ProTour action returns this weekend with the Gambrinus Czech Darts Open, taking place in Prague from May 13-15.