Ryan Searle (darts player)

Ryan Searle
Searle at the 2024 European Championship
Personal information
Nickname	"Heavy Metal"
Born	(1987-10-21) 21 October 1987 (age 37) [1] Tiverton, Devon, England
Home town	Holcombe Rogus, Devon, England
Darts information
Darts	32g Harrows Signature
Laterality	Right-handed
Walk-on music	"Paranoid" by Black Sabbath
Organisation (see split in darts)
BDO	2011–2016
PDC	2016– (Tour Card: 2017–)
Current world ranking	( PDC ) 20 (10 September 2025) [2]
WDF major events – best performances
World Masters	Last 16: 2013
PDC premier events – best performances
World Championship	Last 16: 2019, 2021, 2022
World Matchplay	Quarter-final: 2023
World Grand Prix	Quarter-final: 2021
UK Open	Last 16: 2022
Grand Slam	Last 16: 2023
European Championship	Last 16: 2021, 2022, 2024
PC Finals	Runner-up: 2021
Masters	Last 16: 2022, 2025
Other tournament wins
PDC Challenge Tour 2016 (x2) Players Championships (x6) 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025

Ryan Searle (born 21 October 1987) is an English professional darts player who competes in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events, where he is currently ranked world number twenty. Nicknamed "Heavy Metal", Searle has won six ranking titles in PDC Players Championship events. He reached his first major final at the 2021 Players Championship Finals, finishing as runner-up after losing to Peter Wright 11–10.

Career

Early career

Searle began his career competing in British Darts Organisation (BDO) events, where he participated in three World Masters tournaments. ^[1] He reached the last 16 of the 2013 edition after a controversial win over Richie George, when his winning dart at double 10 did not actually hit the target. Referee Nick Rolls wrongly called 'game shot', ending the leg and awarding Searle the match. ^{[3] [4]}

2016–2018

In 2016, Searle won two PDC Challenge Tour events. He finished second on the 2016 Challenge Tour Order of Merit behind Rob Cross, which granted him a PDC Tour Card for the first time. ^[5] He reached his first PDC ranking final in September 2018, where he lost 6–4 to Nathan Aspinall. ^[6]

2019–2020

Searle reached the fourth round of the 2019 PDC World Darts Championship on his debut. He defeated Stephen Burton in his opening match, ^[7] before eliminating seventh seed Mensur Suljović 3–1 in an upset victory; Searle was ranked world number 61. ^[8] After beating William O'Connor 4–1, ^[9] he was eliminated by Michael Smith in the fourth round. ^[10]

At the 2020 World Championship, he reached the third round, where he led Gary Anderson 3–1 but was eventually defeated 4–3. ^[11] In February 2020, Searle won the first PDC title of his career by beating world number one Michael van Gerwen 8–6 in the final of Players Championship 3. ^[12]

2021: First major final

In 2021, Searle added a second PDC title at Players Championship 22, where he won the final in a deciding leg against Peter Wright. ^[13] He reached his maiden PDC major quarter-final at the 2021 World Grand Prix, following victories over Dimitri Van den Bergh and Luke Humphries. ^{[14] [15]} He lost to Stephen Bunting in the quarter-finals, by a score of 3–1 in sets. ^[16] Searle competed in his first PDC major final at the 2021 Players Championship Finals. After wins over Daryl Gurney in the quarter-finals and Brendan Dolan in the semi-finals, ^[17] he took Peter Wright to a deciding leg in the final, but ultimately lost to Wright 11–10. ^{[18] [19]}

2022–2024

Searle in 2023

In 2022, Searle won his third PDC title at Players Championship 11 with an 8–3 victory over Nathan Aspinall in the final. ^[20] He claimed another title by winning the final of the opening Players Championship event of 2023, defeating Jamie Hughes 8–4. ^[21] He reached the quarter-finals of the 2023 World Matchplay for the first time after beating Peter Wright 11–8 in the second round. ^[22] He then faced Jonny Clayton, but was eliminated in a 16–12 loss. ^[23] Searle hit his first televised nine-dart finish at the 2023 Grand Slam of Darts in his final group stage match against Nathan Rafferty. ^[24]

In January 2024, it was announced that Searle had left darts manufacturer Loxley Darts and signed a contract with Harrows Darts. ^[25] On the 2024 PDC Pro Tour, Searle was runner-up in the opening two Players Championship events of the season, losing to Luke Littler 8–7 and Gary Anderson 8–5 in the respective finals. ^{[26] [27]} The following week at Players Championship 3, he defeated Anderson 8–7 in a repeat of the previous event's final. ^{[28] [29]} At the 2024 Swiss Darts Trophy, Searle appeared in his first European Tour final, where he faced Martin Schindler. Leading the match 7–4 with one more leg required to win the title, Searle missed seven match darts and allowed Schindler to claim an 8–7 comeback victory. ^{[30] [31]}

2025

After winning his opening match of the 2025 World Championship 3–0 against Matt Campbell, ^[32] Searle was eliminated by Ryan Joyce in the third round. Searle came back from 3–1 down to take the match to a deciding set, where Joyce completed a 4–3 win. ^[33] Searle won his sixth PDC title at the fourth Players Championship event of 2025 by defeating Cameron Menzies 8–3 in the final. ^[34]

Personal life

Searle has dominant optic atrophy, ^[35] and often cannot even see where his darts land. ^[36] He previously worked as a window cleaner before pursuing darts professionally. ^[37] He is married and has two children. ^[38]

World Championship results

PDC

• 2019: Fourth round (lost to Michael Smith 1–4)
• 2020: Third round (lost to Gary Anderson 3–4)
• 2021: Fourth round (lost to Stephen Bunting 3–4)
• 2022: Fourth round (lost to Peter Wright 1–4)
• 2023: Third round (lost to José de Sousa 3–4)
• 2024: Third round (lost to Joe Cullen 2–4)
• 2025: Third round (lost to Ryan Joyce 3–4)

PDC career finals

PDC major finals: 1 (1 runner-up)

Legend
Players Championship Finals (0–1)

Outcome	No.	Year	Championship	Opponent in the final	Score [N 1]
Runner-up	1.	2021	Players Championship Finals	Peter Wright	10–11 (l)

1. (l) = score in legs, (s) = score in sets.

Performance timeline

BDO

Tournament	2011	2013	2015
World Masters	1R	6R	3R

PDC

Tournament	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025
World Championship	DNQ		4R	3R	4R	4R	3R	3R	3R
World Masters	DNQ					2R	1R	1R	2R
UK Open	4R	DNQ	4R	4R	5R	6R	4R	4R	5R
World Matchplay	DNQ				1R	1R	QF	2R	1R
World Grand Prix	DNQ			1R	QF	1R	2R	1R
European Championship	DNQ				2R	2R	1R	2R
Grand Slam	DNQ	RR	DNQ	RR	DNQ	RR	2R	DNQ
Players Championship Finals	1R	2R	1R	2R	F	3R	3R	1R
Career statistics
Year-end ranking	85	50	52	38	16	15	20	19

PDC European Tour

Season	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14
2017	GDC 1R	Did not qualify							DDM 1R	Did not qualify
2018	Did not qualify										DDC 2R	IDO QF	EDT DNQ
2019	Did not qualify				ADO 2R	EDG 3R	Did not qualify
2020	BDC 2R	Did not qualify
2021	HDT DNQ	GDT 2R
2022	IDO 1R	GDC 3R	GDG 3R	ADO 2R	EDO QF	CDO 3R	EDG 3R	DDC 3R	EDM 2R	HDT 2R	GDO 2R	BDO 3R	GDT 3R
2023	BSD SF	EDO 2R	DNQ		ADO QF	DDC 3R	BDO 2R	CDO 3R	EDG 2R	EDM 3R	GDO 3R	HDT 2R	GDC 2R
2024	BDO QF	GDG 3R	IDO QF	EDG 2R	ADO 2R	BSD QF	DDC QF	EDO QF	GDC 3R	FDT QF	HDT SF	SDT F	CDO 2R
2025	BDO 2R	EDT 2R	IDO 1R	GDG 3R	ADO 2R	EDG 1R	DDC QF	EDO 2R	BSD 3R	FDT 3R	CDO 3R	HDT 1R	SDT	GDC

PDC Players Championships

Season	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	34
2017	BAR 2R	BAR 2R	BAR 1R	BAR 1R	MIL 1R	MIL 1R	BAR DNP		WIG 2R	WIG QF	MIL 4R	MIL 1R	WIG 2R	WIG 2R	BAR 4R	BAR 3R	BAR 2R	BAR SF	DUB 4R	DUB 1R	BAR 1R	BAR 2R
2018	BAR 1R	BAR 3R	BAR 1R	BAR 2R	MIL SF	MIL 1R	BAR 2R	BAR 1R	WIG 1R	WIG 1R	MIL 1R	MIL 1R	WIG 1R	WIG 1R	BAR 1R	BAR 1R	BAR 3R	BAR F	DUB 1R	DUB 2R	BAR 1R	BAR 1R
2019	WIG 3R	WIG QF	WIG 1R	WIG 1R	BAR QF	BAR 1R	WIG QF	WIG 1R	BAR 4R	BAR 3R	BAR 1R	BAR 2R	BAR 3R	BAR 2R	BAR 3R	BAR 1R	WIG 1R	WIG 2R	BAR 2R	BAR 3R	HIL 1R	HIL 3R	BAR 1R	BAR 2R	BAR 1R	BAR 1R	DUB 1R	DUB 1R	BAR 1R	BAR 2R
2020	BAR 2R	BAR 3R	WIG W	WIG 3R	WIG 1R	WIG 1R	BAR 1R	BAR 3R	MIL 3R	MIL 1R	MIL 3R	MIL 2R	MIL 1R	NIE 2R	NIE 3R	NIE 2R	NIE SF	NIE 1R	COV 1R	COV 1R	COV QF	COV 4R	COV 1R
2021	BOL 3R	BOL 1R	BOL 3R	BOL 3R	MIL QF	MIL 3R	MIL 1R	MIL 3R	NIE 1R	NIE 3R	NIE 2R	NIE 4R	MIL 3R	MIL 1R	MIL F	MIL 1R	COV 1R	COV SF	COV 1R	COV 4R	BAR 1R	BAR W	BAR QF	BAR QF	BAR 4R	BAR F	BAR 1R	BAR F	BAR QF	BAR 1R
2022	BAR F	BAR 2R	WIG 2R	WIG 1R	BAR 2R	BAR 2R	HIL DNP		BAR 3R	BAR 3R	BAR W	BAR F	BAR 2R	Did not participate				BAR 2R	BAR SF	BAR 2R	BAR 1R	BAR SF	BAR 1R	BAR 1R	BAR 1R	BAR 2R	BAR 1R	BAR 1R	BAR 3R	BAR 2R
2023	BAR W	BAR 1R	BAR 2R	BAR F	BAR 1R	BAR F	HIL DNP		WIG 4R	WIG 1R	LEI 1R	LEI 2R	HIL DNP		LEI SF	LEI 2R	HIL DNP		BAR 3R	BAR 4R	BAR 4R	BAR 1R	BAR 4R	BAR 3R	BAR 2R	BAR 2R	BAR QF	BAR DNP	BAR QF	BAR 3R
2024	WIG F	WIG F	LEI W	LEI 4R	HIL 2R	HIL 2R	LEI 4R	LEI 2R	Did not participate				MIL 1R	MIL 3R	MIL 2R	MIL 2R	MIL QF	MIL F	MIL 1R	WIG QF	WIG 2R	LEI DNP		WIG 3R	WIG 1R	WIG 2R	WIG SF	WIG 4R	LEI DNP	LEI SF
2025	WIG 1R	WIG SF	ROS 4R	ROS W	LEI 3R	LEI 1R	HIL 2R	HIL QF	LEI 1R	LEI DNP	LEI 3R	LEI 4R	ROS 1R	ROS 2R	HIL 2R	HIL 4R	LEI 1R	LEI 4R	LEI 1R	LEI 3R	DNP			MIL 2R	MIL 2R	HIL	HIL	LEI	LEI	LEI	WIG	WIG	WIG	WIG

Performance Table Legend
W	Won the tournament	F	Finalist	SF	Semifinalist	QF	Quarterfinalist	#R RR L#	Lost in # round Round-robin Last # stage	DQ	Disqualified
DNQ	Did not qualify	DNP	Did not participate	WD	Withdrew	NH	Tournament not held			NYF	Not yet founded

Nine-dart finishes

See also: Nine-dart finish

Ryan Searle televised nine-dart finishes

Date	Opponent	Tournament	Method	Prize
13 November 2023	Nathan Rafferty	Grand Slam	3 x T20; 3 x T20; T20, T19, D12	£10,000

References

1. "Ryan Searle". Mastercaller.
2. "PDC Order of Merit". PDPA. 10 September 2025. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
3. Deacon, Henry (25 September 2024). "Ryan's Rise: The sensational Searle story so far from PDC Challenge Tour to major finalist". dartsplanet.tv. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
4. Paul Nicholson (5 December 2023). "Referees in darts: Paul Nicholson reflects on how their unique styles have evolved down the years and what their job entails". Sporting Life. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
5. Murphy, Chris (28 December 2021). "Ryan's rise: How Searle has soared to new heights". Professional Darts Corporation. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
6. "Nathan Aspinall wins Players Championship 18 in Barnsley". Sky Sports. 5 September 2018. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
7. Mirza, Raz (16 December 2018). "Michael van Gerwen showered in beer but recovers to win World Darts Championship opener". Sky Sports. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
8. "PDC World Darts Championship: Mensur Suljovic shocked by Ryan Searle". BBC Sport. 20 December 2018. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
9. Considine, Tony (22 December 2018). "'Magpie' O'Connor exits PDC World Championship in disappointing fashion after 4-1 defeat to Ryan Searle". Irish Independent. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
10. Browne, Richard (29 December 2018). "DARTS: Michael Smith knocks Ryan Searle out of World Championship". Somerset County Gazette. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
11. Gorton, Josh (24 December 2019). "Gary Anderson survives a major scare to progress to World Darts Championship last 16". Sky Sports. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
12. Prenderville, Paul (17 February 2020). "PDC Darts: Ryan Searle becomes third 2020 Pro Tour winner". Sky Sports. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
13. "Darts results: Ryan Searle secures Players Championship 21 title". Sporting Life. 3 August 2021. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
14. Hudd, Ben (4 October 2021). "Searle stuns Van den Bergh as Price gets World Grand Prix defence off and running". dartsplanet.tv. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
15. Allen, Dave (5 October 2021). "Chisnall completes remarkable fightback as Price avoids scare". Professional Darts Corporation. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
16. "World Grand Prix 2021: Gerwyn Price beats Dave Chisnall and takes on crowd after quarter-final boos". Sky Sports. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
17. "Players Championship: Fermanagh man Brendan Dolan loses to Ryan Searle in semi-final". BBC Sport. 28 November 2021. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
18. Price, Sian (28 November 2021). "PDC Players Championship Finals: Peter Wright wins thriller against Ryan Searle". BBC Sport. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
19. "Players Championship Finals: Peter Wright wins title in Minehead ahead of World Darts Championship". Sky Sports. 29 November 2021. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
20. "Darts results: Ryan Searle defeats Nathan Aspinall to win the Players Championship 11 title". Sporting Life. 7 April 2022. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
21. "Ryan Searle beats Jamie Hughes to win Players Championship 1 title". Sky Sports. 12 February 2023. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
22. "Ryan Searle eliminates Peter Wright at World Matchplay". RTÉ. 19 July 2023. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
23. Mirza, Raz (22 July 2023). "World Matchplay Darts: Jonny Clayton to meet Luke Humphries in semi-finals". Sky Sports. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
24. "Searle lands sensational nine-darter at Grand Slam, as Smith crashes out". www.pdc.tv. 14 November 2023. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
25. Wood, Kieran (17 January 2024). "Ryan Searle signs contract with darts manufacturer Harrows". DartsNews. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
26. Gorton, Josh (12 February 2024). "Nine-dart Littler denies superb Searle to celebrate PC1 victory". PDC.
27. "Luke Littler knocked out in second round of Players Championship in Wigan as Gary Anderson claims victory". Sky Sports. 13 February 2024.
28. Gorton, Josh (19 February 2024). "Sensational Searle denies Anderson to clinch PC3 title". PDC. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
29. "Luke Littler: Teenager suffers Players Championship 3 defeat to Callan Rydz in Leicester". Sky Sports. 20 February 2024. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
30. Phillips, Josh (29 September 2024). "Schindler stuns Searle with epic comeback in Swiss Trophy final". Professional Darts Corporation. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
31. "Martin Schindler wins Swiss Trophy final after stirring comeback". RTÉ. PA. 29 September 2024. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
32. Keogh, Frank (22 December 2024). "Two-time champion Anderson knocked out by De Graaf". BBC Sport. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
33. Drury, Sam (28 December 2024). "Searle loses thriller but Aspinall advances at Worlds". BBC Sport. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
34. "Ryan Searle records ProTour success in Rosmalen". RTÉ. 19 February 2025. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
35. Ward, Toby (1 April 2025). "Ryan Searle: Professional darts with Dominant Optic Atrophy". Look After Your Eyes. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
36. "Searle back at the PDC World Championship despite struggling to see the board". 17 December 2019.
37. "Ryan Searle sees off Michael van Gerwen to win maiden PDC title". RTÉ. 15 February 2020. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
38. pwoodage (15 February 2022). "Rockin' Ryan Goes His Own Way". Darts World Magazine. Retrieved 7 July 2025.

External links

• Media related to Ryan Searle at Wikimedia Commons
• Ryan Searle player profile at Darts Orakel