Wessel Nijman’s Slovak Darts Open win has pushed him onto eight PDC ProTour titles in 2026, putting the Dutchman alongside Michael van Gerwen’s 2017 single-season mark.
Nijman’s 8-3 final victory over Rob Cross in Bratislava was already a major European Tour breakthrough, but the wider consequence is sharper, as underlined by the latest PDC rankings update: he is now operating in territory normally reserved for the sport’s most dominant names.
According to DartsNews’ single-season ProTour list, Nijman has two European Tour titles and six Players Championship crowns this year, taking him to eight ProTour wins across 2026.
Nijman’s Van Gerwen Chase Takes Shape
The benchmark matters because Van Gerwen’s peak years remain the reference point for sustained PDC floor-and-stage dominance. MVG won eight ProTour titles in 2017, 11 in 2016 and a record 12 in 2018, while Phil Taylor also reached double figures in the pre-European Tour era.
Nijman is not there yet, but the comparison is no longer cosmetic. With the European Tour Order of Merit lead, a first senior European Tour title now converted into a second, and Players Championship form already banked, he has turned a strong campaign into a historic one.
The next question is whether the calendar gives him enough chances to chase Van Gerwen’s 12-title ceiling. For now, the immediate story is simpler: Nijman has joined an elite eight-win club before the season has reached July.
