From Bedlington to the Big Stage: Chris Dobey Competes in the 2026 Winmau World Masters Darts Tournament
Written by Michael Hope on 29th January 2026
Northumbria born Chris Dobey will take to the stage in Milton Keynes in the 2026 Winmau World Masters professional darts tournament. His campaign begins against Dutch professional Jermaine Wattimena.
Currently ranked 15th in the world in the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) order of merit and chasing what would be his ninth PDC title, Dobey arrives at the tournament with both confidence and experience on his side. Having previously won the World Masters back in 2023, Dobey is set to be up there with the favorites.
Born on May 31, 1990, in Bedlington, Northumberland, Dobey started out his darts career in local leagues, following in the footsteps of his dad Gordon and his uncle Arthur. Before turning professional, Chris balanced his early darts career with a job in traffic management.
After he earned his PDC Tour Card in 2015, he steadily established himself on the PDC professional circuit throughout several tournaments and events. He made his televised debut at the 2016 Grand Slam of Darts and reached his first televised semi-final at the 2018 World Grand Prix of Darts. Following this came another semi-final run at the 2019 Players Championship Finals, after claiming victories over seasoned pro’s Gary Anderson and Ian White.
Photo credit: Alamy Images
Dobey’s career-defining moment came back in 2023 when he claimed the Masters title after toppling Joe Cullen, Dirk van Duijvenbode, Nathan Aspinall, and Rob Cross on his way to an 11–7 win in the final. That final secured him a place in the 2023 Premier League which underpinned his status as one of the sport’s leading figures at the time.
Looking forward to his match this evening, Dobey comes off of a semi final defeat in last month’s World Dart Championships against Michael Van Gerwen where he lost 6-1. Wattimena, ranked 18th in the PDC Order of Merit, fell out of the World Dart Championships with a 4-2 defeat to Peter Wright. Both will be looking to bounce back from their exits from the worlds and take home the coveted £500,000 prize pot alongside top talent such as Luke Littler and Luke Humphries.
