Dirk van Duijvenbode doubles his PDC title tally at Players Championship 12
Dirk van Duijvenbode secured his second PDC ranking title by edging out Ryan Searle 8-7 to win Players Championship 12 in Barnsley.
The Dutchman enjoyed his first taste of senior success in 2021, and added another ranking title by defying a 104 average from Searle in a high quality final on Saturday.
Searle was bidding to make it back-to-back successes after winning last Sunday’s Players Championship 11, and was on course to complete the double as he led 4-2 in the final.
Van Duijvenbode, though, produced a blistering burst of legs in 11, 14, 14, 12 and 14 darts as he surged into a 7-4 lead to put himself within touching distance of glory.
Searle kept his hopes alive with legs of 13, 15 and 13 darts to take the game into a deciding leg – in which both players missed a dart for glory before Van Duijvenbode finally closed out victory on double 16.
Van Duijvenbode had begun his challenge on Saturday with a brilliant 109.8 average in a 6-2 defeat of Danny Baggish, and recorded 104 averages against Peter Hudson and Florian Hempel.
He also overcame Premier League stars James Wade and Michael Smith and whitewashed Simon Whitlock en route to the final.
“It was satisfying,” admitted Van Duijvenbode. “I think I played very well all day and I didn’t have the feeling that I had all day in the final.
“The 146 was my one chance to get in the final. When I made it to seven [legs] I started shaking and stopped hitting the big scores.”
Van Duijvenbode ignited his career with a run to the World Grand Prix final in 2019 and has broken into the world’s top 16, but believes he must improve to challenge for top honours.
“I think I’m the biggest opponent of myself, because I feel like I can play a 100 average every game I play, but I don’t do it,” he added.
“Most of the times I get in my own head, and then you end up losing to players who you don’t think you should lose to.
“I don’t see myself yet winning a tournament on TV, but every year I’m getting closer in getting more adult in my game.
“I know my top game, and my top game can beat everyone’s top game.”
Searle’s run of form continued with six impressive victories, which included ton-plus averages in 6-5 wins over Luke Humphries and Jose Justicia.
He swept aside recent ProTour event winner Damon Heta 7-2 in the Semi-Finals but eventually had to settle for the runner-up spot.
Heta joined Smith in the semis, while World Grand Prix champion Jonny Clayton and Australia’s Gordon Mathers joined Whitlock and Justicia in the Last Eight.
The day also featured a monster 115.62 average from Humphries in a 6-0 whitewash of Tony Martinez as the former World Youth Champion won through to the Last 16.
Michael van Gerwen, Thursday’s Premier League winner in Leeds, was beaten by an inspired Scott Waites in the Second Round, while world number two Price slipped to a 6-5 defeat to Mathers in the Last 16.
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Players Championship 12 Results
Saturday April 9
First Round
Danny Jansen 6-4 Eddie Lovely
Martijn Kleermaker 6-4 Richie Burnett
Keane Barry 6-2 Max Hopp
Brendan Dolan 6-4 Jamie Hughes
Jack Main 6-3 Connor Scutt
Gordon Mathers 6-4 Daryl Gurney
Ian White 6-1 Jon Worsley
Dimitri Van den Bergh 6-0 David Evans
Raymond van Barneveld 6-5 Devon Petersen
Keegan Brown 6-5 Kim Huybrechts
Radek Szaganski 6-4 Vladimir Andersen
Michael Smith 6-4 Jules van Dongen
Adam Gawlas 6-4 Luke Woodhouse
Ritchie Edhouse 6-4 Ross Smith
Shaun Wilkinson 6-1 Rusty-Jake Rodriguez
Jose de Sousa 6-2 John Michael
Matt Campbell 6-0 Matthew Edgar
Mike De Decker 6-1 Mervyn King
Rowby-John Rodriguez 6-2 Jeffrey De Zwaan
Steve Lennon 6-2 Krzysztof Ratajski
Simon Whitlock 6-5 William Borland
Chris Dobey 6-2 Jason Lowe
Jimmy Hendriks 6-4 Maik Kuivenhoven
John Henderson 6-3 Rob Cross
Florian Hempel 6-1 Ross Montgomery
Gabriel Clemens 6-4 Pete Burgoyne
Andrew Gilding 6-4 Darius Labanauskas
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-2 Danny Baggish
Peter Hudson 6-2 John O’Shea
James Wade 6-0 Stu Wilson
Ryan Meikle 6-2 Nick Fullwell
Scott Waites 6-4 Adam Hunt
Vincent van der Voort 6-5 Brett Claydon
Krzysztof Kciuk 6-1 Geert De Vos
Jonny Clayton 6-5 Stephen Burton
Ricky Evans 6-3 Mickey Mansell
Martin Schindler 6-1 Jermaine Wattimena
Andy Boulton 6-4 Jason Heaver
Joe Cullen 6-4 Kevin Doets
Niels Zonneveld 6-4 Ron Meulenkamp
Lewy Williams 6-1 Adrian Lewis
Scott Mitchell 6-1 Berry van Peer
Damon Heta 6-4 Martin Lukeman
Nathan Rafferty 6-3 Ricardo Pietreczko
Danny Noppert 6-3 Josh Rock
Mensur Suljovic 6-1 Ted Evetts
Peter Wright 6-5 Jim Williams
Luc Peters 6-5 Jim McEwan
Jose Justicia 6-5 Madars Razma
Steve Haggerty 6-3 Jeff Smith
Scott Williams 6-1 Nathan Aspinall
Robert Owen 6-5 Joe Murnan
Stephen Bunting 6-2 Jake Jones
Alan Soutar 6-0 Glen Durrant
Ryan Searle 6-5 Mario Vandenbogaerde
Steve Beaton 6-3 William O’Connor
Ryan Joyce 6-3 Callan Rydz
Bradley Brooks 6-2 Kevin Burness
Luke Humphries 6-0 Tony Martinez
George Killington 6-3 Geert Nentjes
Dave Chisnall 6-3 Lee Evans
Steve West 6-5 Damian Mol
Second Round
Gerwyn Price 6-3 Danny Jansen
Keane Barry 6-5 Martijn Kleermaker
Jack Main 6-5 Brendan Dolan
Gordon Mathers 6-3 Ian White
Dimitri Van den Bergh 6-2 Raymond van Barneveld
Keegan Brown 6-4 Radek Szaganski
Michael Smith 6-4 Adam Gawlas
Ritchie Edhouse 6-4 Shaun Wilkinson
Jose de Sousa 6-0 Matt Campbell
Mike De Decker 6-3 Rowby-John Rodriguez
Simon Whitlock 6-3 Steve Lennon
Chris Dobey 6-2 Jimmy Hendriks
Florian Hempel 6-2 John Henderson
Gabriel Clemens 6-5 Andrew Gilding
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-2 Peter Hudson
James Wade 6-4 Ryan Meikle
Scott Waites 6-4 Michael van Gerwen
Vincent van der Voort 6-5 Krzysztof Kciuk
Jonny Clayton 6-1 Ricky Evans
Martin Schindler 6-2 Andy Boulton
Joe Cullen 6-3 Niels Zonneveld
Lewy Williams 6-4 Scott Mitchell
Damon Heta 6-3 Nathan Rafferty
Mensur Suljovic 6-1 Danny Noppert
Peter Wright 6-1 Luc Peters
Jose Justicia 6-5 Steve Haggerty
Robert Owen 6-4 Scott Williams
Stephen Bunting 6-3 Alan Soutar
Ryan Searle 6-1 Steve Beaton
Ryan Joyce 6-3 Bradley Brooks
Luke Humphries 6-3 George Killington
Dave Chisnall 6-2 Steve West
Losers: £750
Last 32
Gerwyn Price 6-4 Keane Barry
Gordon Mathers 6-2 Jack Main
Keegan Brown 6-5 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Michael Smith 6-3 Ritchie Edhouse
Jose de Sousa 6-3 Mike De Decker
Simon Whitlock 6-5 Chris Dobey
Florian Hempel 6-3 Gabriel Clemens
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-4 James Wade
Scott Waites 6-2 Vincent van der Voort
Jonny Clayton 6-0 Martin Schindler
Joe Cullen 6-1 Lewy Williams
Damon Heta 6-4 Mensur Suljovic
Jose Justicia 6-3 Peter Wright
Stephen Bunting 6-2 Robert Owen
Ryan Searle 6-3 Ryan Joyce
Luke Humphries 6-3 Dave Chisnall
Losers: £1,250
Last 16
Gordon Mathers 6-5 Gerwyn Price
Michael Smith 6-5 Keegan Brown
Simon Whitlock 6-5 Jose de Sousa
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-2 Florian Hempel
Jonny Clayton 6-2 Scott Waites
Damon Heta 6-1 Joe Cullen
Jose Justicia 6-5 Stephen Bunting
Ryan Searle 6-5 Luke Humphries
Losers: £2,000
Quarter-Finals
Michael Smith 6-3 Gordon Mathers
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-0 Simon Whitlock
Damon Heta 6-3 Jonny Clayton
Ryan Searle 6-5 Jose Justicia
Losers: £3,000
Semi-Finals
Dirk van Duijvenbode 7-2 Michael Smith
Ryan Searle 7-2 Damon Heta
Losers: £4,000
Final
Dirk van Duijvenbode 8-7 Ryan Searle
Winner: £12,000
Runner-up: £8,000
