A day of seismic shocks at the PDC World Darts Championship saw former champion and world number one Michael Smith sensationally dumped out, leading a cull of seeded players at Alexandra Palace on Saturday 20 December 2025.
Bully Boy Tumbles as Dutch Dream Comes True
The 2023 champion, Smith, fell to a 3-1 defeat against Dutchman Niels Zonneveld in a gripping second-round encounter. The pivotal moment came when Smith missed a dart at double top for the third set, allowing Zonneveld to snatch it on double 10. Smith's bold attempt at a showpiece 170 finish in the fourth set backfired spectacularly. After his miss, Zonneveld, 27 from Uitgeest, fired in a 180 and sealed a 77 checkout to break throw and ultimately complete a famous victory.
"It means the world," an elated Zonneveld told Sky Sports. "I dreamed about this as a boy and now it came true. I've survived until Christmas and it's such a good feeling." He now prepares to face fifth seed Johnny Clayton in the third round.
Goldfinger Glitters as More Seeds Fall
Smith was not the only big name to depart. Eighth seed Chris Dobey was ousted by an inspired Andrew Gilding. The 55-year-old, known as 'Goldfinger', averaged 99.01 and produced a blistering 10-dart leg in a 3-1 triumph. "How do I feel? Amazing," Gilding said. "I don't know what happened. I felt really bad in practice, but that's usually a good sign."
Elsewhere, Dave Chisnall suffered a heartbreaking exit despite hitting 11 maximums. The number 21 seed was punished for inconsistency on his doubles by Germany's Ricardo Pietreczko and agonisingly missed a match dart in the deciding set when a remarkable comeback seemed on.
Completing the quartet of seeded casualties was Dirk van Duijvenbode, the 29th seed, who lost a final-set decider 3-2 to James Hurrell. Hurrell missed two match darts for a whitewash but held his nerve to secure one of the biggest wins of his career and a third-round clash with fourth seed Stephen Bunting.
Bunting Survives as Cult Hero Sakai Exits
Popular Merseysider Stephen Bunting successfully navigated the carnage, registering a routine 3-0 win over India's Nitin Kumar. Meanwhile, the tournament's cult hero, Japan's Motomu Sakai, saw his run end. The qualifier, who won fans with his energetic walk-on and dance moves, was beaten 3-0 by Sweden's Andreas Harrysson.
"I was a bit worried seeing his walk-on," admitted Harrysson, who had already beaten 12th seed Ross Smith. "But I think I managed it quite OK. It's a great feeling. I didn't play my best, but nor did he. It was a great win."
In other action, Ryan Searle impressed with an average over 98 in a straight-sets victory against Brendan Dolan, ensuring the day's drama was not exclusively reserved for shocks.
