Ryan Searle heeft zaterdag op Players Championship 3 in Wigan zijn eerste senior PDC-titel gewonnen, hij versloeg Michael van Gerwen met 8-6 in de finale.
Voor Ryan Searle was het zijn eerste overwinning ooit op Michael van Gerwen, en pakte daarmee ook meteen zijn eerste senior PDC-titel.
SEARLE: "I just can't believe it, 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.
Nathan Aspinall beat me in the final of his first Players Championship win and look what's happened to him since then. Maybe it will be the same for me."
Het derde Players Championship toernooi zag ook de achtste en negende 9-darter van 2020 gegooid worden. Mensur Suljovic en Danny Noppert gooiden ze in hun wedstrijden tegen Jeff Smith en Andy Boulton.
Players Championship 3
Zaterdag 15 februari
Laatste 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
Kwartfinales
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
Halve finales
Michael van Gerwen 7-3 Peter Wright
Ryan Searle 7-5 Jeffrey de Zwaan
Finale
Ryan Searle 8-6 Michael van Gerwen
© Foto: Professional Darts Corporation (PDC)