SEARLE STORMS TO PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP SEVEN GLORY
30/03/2026 By Aaron Nijjar
RYAN SEARLE admits he would rather play Call of Duty with Luke Humphries than practice after winning Players Championship Seven.
World No.12 Searle beat Alan Soutar 8-3 in the final to pick up his EIGHTH ProTour title and the £15,000 top prize at the Leicester Arena.
‘Heavy Metal’ defeated practice partner and close friend Gary Anderson 7-3 in the semi-final, having earlier seen off Charlie Manby 6-3 in the quarter-final.
The Devon thrower averaged a stellar 104.50 to dump out Raymond van Barneveld 6-3 in the last 16.
Searle explained he has not been practising away from the oche and has lacked motivation since reaching the semi-final of the World Championship, but is now determined to win on the Euro Tour.
He said: “It’s probably not a good thing because I have said in previous interviews I have been practising 10 minutes a day.
“To turn up today and win is not a good thing because it’s not going to kick me up the backside to do any more practice.
“I played really solid. Averages-wise my best was against Barney and feeling-wise that felt the worst, which was a bit odd.
“In that final Alan played decent and if he didn’t miss those doubles it would have been a lot closer than it was.
“If I can pick up another one or two to break new ground I will try to be doing that.
“I have had a bit more attention with interviews and stuff, which has been really good because I have been able to raise awareness for the Cure ADOA foundation for the eyesight for my daughter.
“Motivation-wise I have not had a huge amount since the Worlds. I have literally not been practising.
“I am more interested in playing Call of Duty, that is the problem. Me and Humphries on Call of Duty, that is not good.
“The next thing I would like to do is win a Euro Tour just to prove I can win one on the big stage. I will be in all of them.”
Elsewhere, James Wade became the first player to record 1000 Players Championship wins as he thrashed Lukas Wenig 6-1 in round one.
Peter Wright returned to form by reaching the quarter-final before falling 6-1 to fellow Scot Soutar.
Premier League duo Stephen Bunting and Michael van Gerwen both fell in the fourth round, losing to Barry Keane and Jeffrey Sparidaans respectively.
Image by Taylor Lanning.
