Dirk van Duijvenbode and Kim Huybrechts wins Players Championship titles

Dirk van Duijvenbode dispatched Ryan Searle 8-2 to clinch Players Championship 4 success in Barnsley on Sunday.

Van Duijvenbode came through three last-leg shoot-outs to scoop his fourth PDC crown on a thrilling day of action, before winning eight of the last nine legs in the final to deny Searle a second title in as many weeks.

The Dutchman also landed 35 maximums to equal the record for the most 180s recorded in a Players Championship event - a tally previously achieved by Dave Chisnall 12 months ago.

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Searle drew first blood in a scrappy start to Sunday's showpiece, but Van Duijvenbode soon exerted control, winning the next two legs in 12 and 10 darts to seize the initiative.

Searle responded with a 124 checkout on the bull to restore parity at two apiece, only for Van Duijvenbode to reel off six successive legs to triumph with a 100 average.

"I think I was at the top level of my focus," admitted Van Duijvenbode, who claimed two Players Championship titles in 2022.

"I love playing Ryan because he plays at a nice tempo. He's very good so you know you have to perform well, but he doesn't try any tactics. I love the man.

"I didn't love it last week when he beat me from 5-3 down, and he went on to win the event! I am glad I won it today though.

"This is my fourth ProTour title, so hopefully now I can win a European Tour title or a televised title this year, but every win is special.

"I want to improve every year. Eventually, my main goal is to be World Champion. In my mind, I'm still a long way from that, but I'm just trying to improve every year and look critically at my game."

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Van Duijvenbode began his campaign with a battling 6-4 success against Mervyn King, recovering from 4-2 down to avoid a second straight opening round exit this weekend.

The 30-year-old fired in a 12-darter to win through in a deciding leg against his compatriot Geert Nentjes in round two, before coming through another tough tie in his board final against Callan Rydz.

Van Duijvenbode produced his performance of the day in his last-16 showdown against Jonny Clayton, defying a 104 average from the Welshman to triumph with a 108 average of his own.

After edging out Stephen Bunting in another 11-leg tussle, Van Duijvenbode then survived three match darts to stun Joe Cullen in a breathless semi-final, landing nine 180s to prevail in a classic.

Searle - the winner of Players Championship One last Saturday - continued his scintillating start to 2023, posting four ton-plus averages in claiming the £8,000 runner-up prize.

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Kim Huybrechts stormed to Players Championship 3 victory in Barnsley on Saturday, courtesy of a comprehensive 8-1 win against Germany's No 1 Gabriel Clemens.

Huybrechts produced a series of dominant displays to scoop the £12,000 top prize at the Barnsley Metrodome, before dispatching Clemens in Saturday's showpiece to clinch his first PDC title since 2015.

"This means the world to me. I'm so happy," reflected Huybrechts, celebrating his fifth PDC title. "I've been working really hard since the World Championship. I lost two games last weekend with a 103 and 98 average and I was thinking this can't happen all the time, but the level is so high these days.

"When I won my last title, I was on the up. My name was always there and now I wasn't even in the conversation, so this win means everything.

"I want to be back in that top 16. I want to be qualified for everything. I want to be up there again in the top 10 of the world.

"That is my goal and some people will say I won't reach it, but you have to set goals in your life, and I believe in my own ability."

2023 Players Championship 3
Saturday February 18
Barnsley Metrodome
Last 16
Andrew Gilding 6-3 Jamie Hughes
Gerwyn Price 6-2 Richard Veenstra
Kim Huybrechts 6-2 Ricardo Pietreczko
Josh Rock 6-3 Adam Warner
Gabriel Clemens 6-3 Ross Smith
Madars Razma 6-4 Danny Noppert
Matt Campbell 6-2 Niels Zonneveld
Gian van Veen 6-4 Jonny Clayton

Quarter-Finals
Gerwyn Price 6-5 Andrew Gilding
Kim Huybrechts 6-5 Josh Rock
Gabriel Clemens 6-3 Madars Razma
Matt Campbell 6-3 Gian van Veen

Semi-Finals
Kim Huybrechts 7-3 Gerwyn Price
Gabriel Clemens 7-4 Matt Campbell

Final
Kim Huybrechts 8-1 Gabriel Clemens

Players Championship 4
Sunday February 19
The Barnsley Metrodome
Last 16
Maik Kuivenhoven 6-2 Keane Barry
Ryan Searle 6-3 Jeffrey Sparidaans
Krzysztof Kciuk 6-4 Martin Schindler
Dave Chisnall 6-4 Josh Rock
Jim Williams 6-3 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Joe Cullen 6-2 Raymond van Barneveld
Stephen Bunting 6-5 Simon Whitlock
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-3 Jonny Clayton

Quarter-Finals
Ryan Searle 6-5 Maik Kuivenhoven
Dave Chisnall 6-0 Krzysztof Kciuk
Joe Cullen 6-3 Jim Williams
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-5 Stephen Bunting

Semi-Finals
Ryan Searle 7-4 Dave Chisnall
Dirk van Duijvenbode 7-6 Joe Cullen

Final
Dirk van Duijvenbode 8-2 Ryan Searle