Ryan Searle wins Players Championship 7, defies improved Gary Anderson, Raymond van Barneveld showings

Ryan Searle secures his eight PDC floor title with an 8-3 victory over Alan Souter to claim the Players Championship 7 crown.

Despite reaching the World Championship semi-finals over the Christmas and New Year period, the 38-year-old faces a battle to get back into the world's top 10.

However, a dominant day which saw him drop just 17 legs across seven matches saw him strengthen his hold of 12th position in the PDC Order of Merit.

Searle's lowest average of the day - 95.65 - came in the final, but he never came under threat from Soutar once he had established a 3-0 advantage.

SEARLE WINS PC7! ?

Ryan Searle cruises to an eighth career Players Championship title, defeating Alan Soutar 8-3 in Leicester!

? https://t.co/YyBPPwoMK8#PC7 pic.twitter.com/DW7gdFLoH4

— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) March 30, 2026

Gary Anderson had been dispatched by a 7-3 scoreline in the semi-finals, Anderson's run to the last four seeing him move into 10th place in the world rankings.

Meanwhile, Raymond van Barneveld produced an encouraged run to the last 16 before succumbing 6-2 to Searle.

The Dutchman is at genuine risk of missing the next World Championship having dropped outside of the world's top 40, and he is currently £3,250 adrift of the last available spot at Alexandra Palace via the ProTour rankings.

Fellow former Peter Wright also needs a resurgence in Players Championship events to qualify for major competitions, and the Scot enjoyed a fine run to the quarter-finals on Monday before losing to Soutar in the last eight.

Premier League duo Michael van Gerwen and Stephen Bunting were eliminated by Jeffrey Sparidaans and Keane Barry in the last 16.