“It feels a bit weird” – Ryan Searle reacts to breaking new ground with Players Championship 28 title

Ryan Searle admitted his relief after clinching his second Players Championship title of 2025 in Leicester, overcoming debut finalist Mario Vandenbogaerde 8-6 in a tense conclusion to PC28.

The Somerset thrower, who had previously lifted one floor crown this season but fallen short of doubling up, finally got over the line to secure multiple titles in a single year for the first time in his career.

“It was difficult,” admitted Searle, a former Players Championship Finals runner-up. “I have been in really good positions all day and missed a few chances, let people in and made harder work of games than I should have. I missed a chance to break in the first leg. I was trying to hold on and I am just happy to get over the line now, really.”

Searle’s path to the title was anything but straightforward. He began with a 6-4 win over Ritchie Edhouse before easing past Jamai van der Herik 6-2. Nail-biting last-leg deciders against Nathan Aspinall and Karel Sedlacek tested his resolve, while further victories over Darren Beveridge (6-4) and Kevin Doets (7-4) sealed his 18th career Players Championship final.

In the decider, he faced “Super Mario” Vandenbogaerde, who enjoyed a breakout run of his own. The Belgian saw off Michael Smith, Daryl Gurney, Ross Smith and Brendan Dolan among others to reach his first PDC final, moving inside the top 64 of the Players Championship Finals race in the process.

Vandenbogaerde pushed Searle all the way. The match swung back and forth with both men missing key doubles, particularly on double 10, while Searle’s finishing proved the sharper. He took out 110 on double 18 and 92 in two darts, while Vandenbogaerde missed chances to move 7-6 up before Searle clinically cleaned up 71 on double 10 and pinned tops to seal victory.

Reflecting on the milestone, Searle admitted it felt like uncharted territory: “It feels a bit weird to be honest. There have been plenty of times where I have won an event early on in the season and I get to the quarter-finals, I am playing well and I am already preparing what I am going to say, but I end up losing. It is cool to finally break that duck and win more than one. The draw opened up for me a bit today, which happens sometimes and it's normally Chris Dobey’s little trick!”

The numbers backed up Searle’s composure in the key moments. He averaged 95.43 in the final compared to Vandenbogaerde’s 89.38, with a checkout rate of 44.4% against the Belgian’s 31.6%. Both hit three maximums, but it was Searle’s 110 finish and superior accuracy that tipped the balance.

For “Heavy Metal,” the win provides momentum at the perfect time, breaking new ground in his career just weeks out from the televised majors. For Vandenbogaerde, the defeat stung, but his run signalled a timely breakthrough.

Searle now heads towards Minehead knowing he has finally proved he can back up one title with another in the same season.