Ryan Searle has converted his recent outstanding form into a title with victory in Players Championship 3 on Monday.
Last week, Searle lost out in high-quality finals to Luke Littler and Gary Anderson, yet he was able to get revenge on the latter in the third event in Leicester.
Although the standard of a rip-roaring showpiece dropped slightly in the closing stages, Searle held on for an 8-7 triumph with a 107.63 average having initially been 3-0 up.
Anderson put on a spurt during the closing stages, but he was powerless to prevent a Searle win after his opponent hit two 180s in the deciding leg.
HEAVY METAL TAKES THE TITLE! 🤘🏆
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) February 19, 2024
Ryan Searle wins Players Championship 3!
Having finished runner-up in the first two PCs, Searle gets over the line in an epic with Gary Anderson!
📺 https://t.co/YyBPPwoMK8#PC3 pic.twitter.com/WPlIduJACI
Overcoming Anderson was the latest high-profile scalp of the day for Searle with Patrick Geeraets, Owen Bates, Simon Whitlock, Damon Heta, Danny Noppert and Michael van Gerwen all falling by the wayside.
As well as moving up to 18th in the PDC Order of Merit, Searle also went clear in the Players Championship Finals rankings, with only Anderson and Littler earning over £10,000 across the first three events.
Seventeen-year-old Littler enjoyed another impressive day, reaching the quarter-finals with wins over the likes of Cameron Menzies and Dirk van Duijvenbode before suffering a 6-4 defeat to Callum Rydz in the last eight.
The teenager is now in 24th position in the race for the World Matchplay, Littler needing to finish in the top 16 of players who have not already qualified through the PDC Order of Merit.
Darren Plant
