Alan Soutar secures first PDC ranking title at Players Championship 11

Alan Soutar claimed his maiden PDC ranking title with a deciding-leg victory over Daryl Gurney in the final of Players Championship 11 in Hildesheim on Tuesday.

Soutar produced a series of blistering displays at Halle 39 to clinch the £15,000 top prize and become the 11th different winner in as many Players Championship events in 2024.

Following a promising start to his PDC career, Soutar endured a miserable 2023 campaign which left him facing a battle to save his Tour Card over the coming months.

However, the popular Scot reaffirmed his credentials with a landmark victory in Germany, producing a nerveless 11-darter to deny Gurney in a dramatic last-leg shoot-out.

“To win a ProTour in this room against 127 other players that I respect so much, it’s unbelievable,” said Soutar.

“This is possibly the best thing I’ve done in darts, apart from winning the World Cup with Scotland in the WDF.

“Last year was a disaster for me and I’ve been in danger of losing my Tour Card, so to produce the darts I have all day, I’m absolutely delighted.

“I don’t think some people understand how hard it is [in the PDC]. I can play darts; I’ve played darts for 30 years, but this is tough.

“I had a good couple of seasons in my first two years on tour. Last year was terrible, but this year has just got a whole load better!”

Soutar’s average never wavered below 93 across the entirety of the day, though he was forced to survive a scare in his opener against Steve Beaton, recovering from 5-3 down to prevail 6-5.

The Arbroath ace followed this up with successive 6-2 wins over Martin Lukeman and Dutch star Danny Noppert, before powering in a 107.7 average to deny in-form Ritchie Edhouse 6-4 in the Last 16.

Soutar also averaged 102 in an astonishing 7-0 whitewash of Dirk van Duijvenbode in the semi-finals, which was preceded by victory against another Dutchman in Niels Zonneveld.

The 46-year-old drew first blood in the final with an 11-darter, but it was Gurney who established control with a three-leg spell to move 5-3 ahead.

Soutar hit back to restore parity at five apiece, and after the next four legs were shared, the Scot kicked off the decider with back-to-back 180s, before sealing the deal with his second 11-darter of the contest.

Gurney’s run to the final began with a routine 6-2 victory over Matthew Dennant, before he averaged 108.6 to demolish George Killington by the same scoreline.

The Northern Irishman then saw off Mervyn King and Jermaine Wattimena to race into the quarter-finals – where he accounted for decorated duo James Wade and Raymond van Barneveld.

Van Barneveld impressed in his run to the semi-finals, which included a whitewash win over Luke Woodhouse and a 6-2 thumping of World Championship semi-finalist Scott Williams.

The five-time World Champion was joined in the semis by his compatriot Van Duijvenbode – who won through a brace of last-leg tussles on his way to a second Players Championship semi-final of 2024.

Wade boosted his hopes of World Matchplay qualification with a timely quarter-final run, while Latvia’s Madars Razma and Dutch duo Kevin Doets and Zonneveld also reached the Last Eight.

Stephen Bunting produced one of the performances of the day in his opening round win against Robbie Knops, averaging 107.9 and landing a nine-darter in the second leg of the contest.

Adam Hunt also achieved perfection against Belgian opposition, firing in a perfect leg of his own in a losing cause against Kim Huybrechts.

Michael van Gerwen suffered a shock 6-4 defeat at the hands of world number 107 Franz Roetzsch, while Dave Chisnall and Joe Cullen also crashed out in Round One.

Players Championship 11 Results

Tuesday June 11

First Round
Ian White 6-3 Dave Chisnall
Andy Baetens 6-2 Berry van Peer
Scott Williams 6-5 Darren Beveridge
Dylan Slevin 6-1 Joshua Richardson
Luke Woodhouse 6-2 Rhys Griffin
Florian Hempel 6-4 Pascal Rupprecht
Raymond van Barneveld 6-3 Jeffrey De Graaf
Kai Gotthardt 6-4 Brett Claydon
Martin Schindler 6-3 Benjamin Reus
Martijn Dragt 6-5 Andy Boulton
Mike De Decker 6-2 Mickey Mansell
Lee Cocks 6-5 Stefan Bellmont
Ricardo Pietreczko 6-4 Leighton Bennett
Lee Evans 6-3 Jamie Hughes
Kevin Doets 6-4 Arron Monk
Kim Huybrechts 6-3 Adam Hunt – *Hunt hits a nine-darter*
Damon Heta 6-2 Simon Whitlock
Daniel Klose 6-5 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Maik Kuivenhoven 6-5 Richard Veenstra
Karel Sedlacek 6-5 Keane Barry
Michael Smith 6-5 James Hurrell
Mensur Suljovic 6-3 Jitse Van der Wal
James Wade 6-4 Jurjen van der Velde
Wesley Plaisier 6-5 Danny Jansen
Josh Rock 6-5 Keegan Brown
Wessel Nijman 6-1 Robert Grundy
Jermaine Wattimena 6-4 Ricky Evans
Vincent van der Voort 6-5 Danny van Trijp
Daryl Gurney 6-2 Matthew Dennant
George Killington 6-0 Rowby-John Rodriguez
Peter Wright 6-4 Jelle Klaasen
Mervyn King 6-3 Matt Campbell
Danny Noppert 6-4 Chris Landman
Dom Taylor 6-0 Ronny Huybrechts
Martin Lukeman 6-1 Radek Szaganski
Alan Soutar 6-5 Steve Beaton
Jules van Dongen 6-3 Brendan Dolan
Nick Kenny 6-3 Robert Owen
Ritchie Edhouse 6-4 William O’Connor
Geert Nentjes 6-4 Owen Bates
Ross Smith 6-3 Adam Gawlas
Jeffrey Sparidaans 6-2 Haupai Puha
Gabriel Clemens 6-3 Michele Turetta
Nathan Aspinall 6-5 Rene Eidams
Gian van Veen 6-2 Paul Krohne
Jamie Atkins 6-5 Jim Williams
Callan Rydz 6-2 Patrick Geeraets
Niels Zonneveld 6-4 Connor Scutt
Gerwyn Price 6-2 Tim Wolters
Jeffrey De Zwaan 6-4 Graham Usher
Graham Hall 6-2 Jose De Sousa
Richie Burnett 6-5 Noa-Lynn van Leuven
Danny Lauby 6-4 Joe Cullen
Madars Razma 6-4 William Borland
Andrew Gilding 6-1 Thibault Tricole
Ryan Meikle 6-5 Josh Payne
Stephen Bunting 6-4 Robbie Knops – *Bunting hits a nine-darter*
Stephen Burton 6-3 Adam Warner
Lukas Wenig 6-0 Cameron Menzies
Cam Crabtree 6-5 Darryl Pilgrim
Franz Roetzsch 6-4 Michael van Gerwen
Mario Vandenbogaerde 6-4 Owen Roelofs
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-5 Steve Lennon
Callum Goffin 6-5 Christian Perez

Second Round
Ian White 6-2 Andy Baetens
Scott Williams 6-4 Dylan Slevin
Luke Woodhouse 6-4 Florian Hempel
Raymond van Barneveld 6-5 Kai Gotthardt
Martijn Dragt 6-5 Martin Schindler
Mike De Decker 6-5 Lee Cocks
Lee Evans 6-5 Ricardo Pietreczko
Kevin Doets 6-0 Kim Huybrechts
Damon Heta 6-3 Daniel Klose
Maik Kuivenhoven 6-3 Karel Sedlacek
Mensur Suljovic 6-5 Michael Smith
James Wade 6-1 Wesley Plaisier
Wessel Nijman 6-0 Josh Rock
Jermaine Wattimena 6-2 Vincent van der Voort
Daryl Gurney 6-2 George Killington
Mervyn King 6-3 Peter Wright
Danny Noppert 6-1 Dom Taylor
Alan Soutar 6-2 Martin Lukeman
Nick Kenny 6-1 Jules van Dongen
Ritchie Edhouse 6-1 Geert Nentjes
Jeffrey Sparidaans 6-3 Ross Smith
Nathan Aspinall 6-1 Gabriel Clemens
Gian van Veen 6-4 Jamie Atkins
Niels Zonneveld 6-5 Callan Rydz
Gerwyn Price 6-5 Jeffrey De Zwaan
Graham Hall 6-3 Richie Burnett
Madars Razma 6-3 Danny Lauby
Ryan Meikle 6-0 Andrew Gilding
Stephen Burton 6-5 Stephen Bunting
Cam Crabtree 6-4 Lukas Wenig
Mario Vandenbogaerde 6-1 Franz Roetzsch
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-3 Callum Goffin

Last 32
Scott Williams 6-2 Ian White
Raymond van Barneveld 6-0 Luke Woodhouse
Mike De Decker 6-1 Martijn Dragt
Kevin Doets 6-3 Lee Evans
Damon Heta 6-4 Maik Kuivenhoven
James Wade 6-1 Mensur Suljovic
Jermaine Wattimena 6-4 Wessel Nijman
Daryl Gurney 6-3 Mervyn King
Alan Soutar 6-2 Danny Noppert
Ritchie Edhouse 6-5 Nick Kenny
Jeffrey Sparidaans 6-2 Nathan Aspinall
Niels Zonneveld 6-1 Gian van Veen
Gerwyn Price 6-3 Graham Hall
Madars Razma 6-2 Ryan Meikle
Stephen Burton 6-0 Cam Crabtree
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-5 Mario Vandenbogaerde

Last 16
Raymond van Barneveld 6-2 Scott Williams
Kevin Doets 6-5 Mike De Decker
James Wade 6-4 Damon Heta
Daryl Gurney 6-1 Jermaine Wattimena
Alan Soutar 6-4 Ritchie Edhouse
Niels Zonneveld 6-3 Jeffrey Sparidaans
Madars Razma 6-1 Gerwyn Price
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-0 Stephen Burton

Quarter-Finals
Raymond van Barneveld 6-4 Kevin Doets
Daryl Gurney 6-4 James Wade
Alan Soutar 6-3 Niels Zonneveld
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-1 Madars Razma

Semi-Finals
Daryl Gurney 7-4 Raymond van Barneveld
Alan Soutar 7-0 Dirk van Duijvenbode

Final
Alan Soutar 8-7 Daryl Gurney

BetGoodwin Sign Up Offer | 50% back as a free bet up to £25 on first day losses

Welcome Bonus

BetGoodwin Sign Up Offer – 50% back as a free bet up to £25 on first day losses

In-Play Betting
Variety Of Sports

Excellent Review

10.0 Our Score

Alan Soutar secures first PDC ranking title at Players Championship 11

Players Championship 11 Results

Latest News

World Seniors Matchplay 2024 | Day Two Preview and Order of Play

Betano Sign Up Offer | Get 35/1 for Aston Villa to beat Man Utd

World Seniors Matchplay 2024 Betting Tips and Accumulator Predictions

World Seniors Matchplay 2024 | Draw, Live Scores, Results and Schedule of Play

World Seniors Matchplay 2024 live stream | How to watch live online

Phil Taylor withdraws from the 2024 World Seniors Matchplay

Boylesports World Grand Prix 2024 Draw | Humphries to begin title defence against Bunting

Barry Hearn urges Sky Sports to ‘raise the ante’ over darts contract negotiations

2025 PDC Calendar confirmed | Further European Tour and Players Championships added

Premier League Darts 2025 Dates and Venues | Roadshow to begin in Belfast