Sensational Searle claims Players Championship Three glory

Ryan Searle secured his first PDC ranking title in style at Players Championship Three in Wigan, defeating Michael van Gerwen 8-6 in the final.

Searle, who previously lost in a Players Championship final in September 2018, went one better as he produced a stunning display of darts at the Robin Park Sports Centre.

The world number 44 defeated four Premier League players on his way to glory, culminating in a first-ever win over MVG.

“I just can’t believe it,” said an emotional Searle. “It’s extra special to beat Michael in the final, it’s a dream.

“I’ve been practicing a lot in my little man cave back home and playing out scenarios in my head – playing Michael in a final was one of them.

“When you get these chances you just have to take the opportunity and thankfully I did today.

“I think I let myself down a bit at the World Championship when I lost to Gary Anderson.

“I still don’t think I’ve played my best, but I know what I can do.”

Searle made a superb start to the final, taking out 84 on the bullseye in the first leg before racing into a 3-0 lead.

Van Gerwen got off the mark with an 81 checkout to kick-start a run of four consecutive legs to move ahead before Searle stopped the rot with a 78 finish.

The world number one then crashed in a magnificent 164 checkout for a 12-darter but missed two darts at doubles in the following leg as Searle levelled at five apiece.

The duo then exchanged breaks of throw before one missed dart at double four from MVG allowed Searle to return for double six and make it 7-6.

The Devon thrower showed no sign of faltering at the finish as he sunk tops to clinch the £10,000 title.

Searle began his run with a 6-4 victory over Grand Slam champion Gerwyn Price before seeing off Michael Barnard 6-3 and Josh Payne 6-2.

He then overcame 2019 world finalist Michael Smith 6-4 in the Last 16 before holding his nerve to edge out Glen Durrant in a deciding leg and going on to defeat Jeffrey de Zwaan 7-5.

Van Gerwen’s wait for a first title of 2020 continues, with the Dutchman having notably defeated World Champion Peter Wright 7-3 in the Semi-Finals.

Four-time women’s World Champion Lisa Ashton bettered last weekend’s Second Round run by reaching Round Three courtesy of wins over Dimitri van den Bergh and Adam Hunt.

The day also witnessed two nine-dart finishes as Mensur Suljovic landed the perfect leg in a First Round triumph over Jeff Smith, while Danny Noppert nailed in the nine on his way to a Second Round success over Andy Boulton.

WATCH PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP DARTS STREAMED LIVE HERE (18+)

Players Championship Three Results

Saturday February 15

First Round
Michael van Gerwen 6-1 Yordi Meeuwisse
William Borland 6-4 Aaron Beeney
Martijn Kleermaker 6-4 John Henderson
Ryan Joyce 6-3 Kirk Shepherd
Jonny Clayton 6-4 Kai Fan Leung
Wayne Jones 6-4 Jonathan Worsley
Jermaine Wattimena 6-2 Harry Ward
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-0 Nick Kenny
Mensur Suljovic 6-5 Jeff Smith – *Suljovic hits a nine-darter*
Darius Labanauskas 6-1 Andy Hamilton
Chris Dobey 6-4 Madars Razma
Maik Kuivenhoven 6-4 Jamie Lewis
James Wade 6-5 Kim Huybrechts
Darren Webster 6-3 Steve Lennon
Stephen Bunting 6-5 Jelle Klaasen
Marko Kantele 6-3 Mervyn King
Peter Wright 6-3 Simon Stevenson
Adam Huckvale 6-5 Alan Tabern
Simon Whitlock 6-3 Robert Thornton
Rowby-John Rodriguez 6-1 Scott Waites
Adrian Lewis 6-5 Darren Penhall
Boris Krcmar 6-3 Ron Meulenkamp
Jose De Sousa 6-4 Jason Lowe
Matt Clark 6-0 Reece Robinson
Dave Chisnall 6-4 Devon Petersen
Steve West 6-2 Mickey Mansell
Brendan Dolan 6-4 Justin Pipe
Ted Evetts 6-2 Callan Rydz
Joe Cullen 6-0 Luke Woodhouse
David Pallett 6-5 Damon Heta
Steve Beaton 6-4 Bradley Brooks
Geert Nentjes 6-5 Mike De Decker
Ian White 6-3 Steve Brown
Max Hopp 6-1 Mike van Duivenbode
Vincent van der Voort 6-4 Karel Sedlacek
Ryan Murray 6-4 Niels Zonneveld
Gary Anderson 6-2 Jamie Hughes
Wesley Harms 6-0 Gary Blades
Jeffrey De Zwaan 6-3 Jan Dekker
Harald Leitinger 6-1 Steffen Siepmann
John Michael 6-5 Daryl Gurney
Carl Wilkinson 6-4 Barrie Bates
Danny Noppert 6-1 Richard North
Andy Boulton 6-2 Krzysztof Kciuk
Nathan Aspinall 6-0 Jesus Noguera
Matthew Dennant 6-3 Robert Collins
Joe Murnan 6-4 Ricky Evans
William O’Connor 6-4 Christian Bunse
Ryan Searle 6-4 Gerwyn Price
Michael Barnard 6-4 Mark McGeeney
Gabriel Clemens 6-2 Gavin Carlin
Josh Payne 6-1 Luke Humphries
Scott Baker 6-4 Rob Cross
Peter Jacques 6-2 Daniel Larsson
Michael Smith 6-2 Adrian Gray
Benito van de Pas 6-4 Derk Telnekes
Krzysztof Ratajski 6-5 Toni Alcinas
Scott Mitchell 6-4 James Wilson
Lisa Ashton 6-4 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Adam Hunt 6-3 Ciaran Teehan
Glen Durrant 6-3 Matthew Edgar
Conan Whitehead 6-5 Vincent Van der Meer
Keegan Brown 6-4 Martin Schindler
Ross Smith 6-1 Martin Atkins

Second Round
Michael van Gerwen 6-4 William Borland
Ryan Joyce 6-5 Martijn Kleermaker
Jonny Clayton 6-3 Wayne Jones
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-0 Jermaine Wattimena
Mensur Suljovic 6-4 Darius Labanauskas
Chris Dobey 6-4 Maik Kuivenhoven
Darren Webster 6-1 James Wade
Stephen Bunting 6-3 Marko Kantele
Peter Wright 6-5 Adam Huckvale
Simon Whitlock 6-4 Rowby-John Rodriguez
Adrian Lewis 6-1 Boris Krcmar
Matt Clark 6-3 Jose De Sousa
Steve West 6-2 Dave Chisnall
Ted Evetts 6-5 Brendan Dolan
Joe Cullen 6-1 David Pallett
Geert Nentjes 6-4 Steve Beaton
Max Hopp 6-5 Ian White
Vincent van der Voort 6-5 Ryan Murray
Wesley Harms 6-5 Gary Anderson
Jeffrey De Zwaan 6-1 Harald Leitinger
John Michael 6-1 Carl Wilkinson
Danny Noppert 6-2 Andy Boulton – *Noppert hits a nine-darter*
Nathan Aspinall 6-5 Matthew Dennant
Joe Murnan 6-4 William O’Connor
Ryan Searle 6-3 Michael Barnard
Josh Payne 6-5 Gabriel Clemens
Scott Baker 6-2 Peter Jacques
Michael Smith 6-5 Benito van de Pas
Krzysztof Ratajski 6-5 Scott Mitchell
Lisa Ashton 6-4 Adam Hunt
Glen Durrant 6-0 Conan Whitehead
Keegan Brown 6-2 Ross Smith
Losers: £500

Last 32
Michael van Gerwen 6-5 Ryan Joyce
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-5 Jonny Clayton
Chris Dobey 6-3 Mensur Suljovic
Stephen Bunting 6-2 Darren Webster
Peter Wright 6-2 Simon Whitlock
Adrian Lewis 6-0 Matt Clark
Ted Evetts 6-5 Steve West
Joe Cullen 6-1 Geert Nentjes
Vincent van der Voort 6-4 Max Hopp
Jeffrey De Zwaan 6-5 Wesley Harms
Danny Noppert 6-4 John Michael
Joe Murnan 6-4 Nathan Aspinall
Ryan Searle 6-2 Josh Payne
Michael Smith 6-3 Scott Baker
Krzysztof Ratajski 6-1 Lisa Ashton
Glen Durrant 6-4 Keegan Brown
Losers: £1,000

Last 16
Michael van Gerwen 6-2 Dirk van Duijvenbode
Chris Dobey 6-2 Stephen Bunting
Peter Wright 6-5 Adrian Lewis
Joe Cullen 6-1 Ted Evetts
Jeffrey de Zwaan 6-4 Vincent van der Voort
Danny Noppert 6-4 Joe Murnan
Ryan Searle 6-4 Michael Smith
Glen Durrant 6-5 Krzysztof Ratajski
Losers: £1,500

Quarter-Finals
Michael van Gerwen 6-5 Chris Dobey
Peter Wright 6-3 Joe Cullen
Jeffrey de Zwaan 6-3 Danny Noppert
Ryan Searle 6-5 Glen Durrant
Losers: £2,250

Semi-Finals
Michael van Gerwen 7-3 Peter Wright
Ryan Searle 7-5 Jeffrey de Zwaan
Losers: £3,000

Final
Ryan Searle 8-6 Michael van Gerwen
Winner: £10,000
Runner-up: £6,000