Ross Smith has etched his name into the PDC history books at the Hungarian Darts Trophy, clinching his 10th Pro Tour title in Budapest. The Englishman becomes just the 25th player ever to reach this milestone, remarkably achieving it at the same event where Joe Cullen also secured his 10th career triumph. Smith's victory cements his status as a mainstay on the tour, having now played 16 Pro Tour finals and converted 10 of those into wins, placing him 20th on the all-time list of Pro Tour winners.
In the final, Smith swept past Gary Anderson in convincing fashion. The Scot had produced a superb tournament to battle into the decider with powerful scoring, but had little answer to Smith, who struck at the key moments to celebrate his 10th Pro Tour title. Counting his 2022 European Championship, Smith now sits at 11 senior titles overall.
Smith's achievement brings him closer to some of the sport's biggest names. The next players poised to join the 10-time Pro Tour winners' club are Luke Littler and Nathan Aspinall, both sitting on nine titles, needing just one more success to hit the magic mark. Ryan Searle follows close behind on eight Pro Tour titles. Littler looks the most likely to reach the milestone soon, having rattled up titles at breakneck speed, while Aspinall has long proven he belongs at the very top, and Searle is also within striking distance.
At the top of the all-time list sits a player still out of reach: Michael van Gerwen. The Dutchman is the outright record holder with 91 Pro Tour titles from 117 finals, a lead that looks almost insurmountable. Phil Taylor is second with 70 titles from 87 finals, while Gary Anderson completes the top three with 39 titles from 60 finals. That Smith now joins the 25 players with at least ten Pro Tour wins underlines the significance of his achievement.
With his 10th title, Smith has added a new chapter to his career, showing he can not only make deep runs consistently but also finish the job in finals. The Hungarian Darts Trophy brought him another trophy and a coveted place in a very exclusive Pro Tour club.
