Damon Heta secured his second PDC ranking title of the year with a comprehensive 8-3 victory over Ryan Searle in Wednesday’s Players Championship 18 final in Milton Keynes.
Heta – a runner-up at last weekend’s New Zealand Darts Masters – made a winning return at the Marshall Arena, joining Luke Littler in becoming the second player to win multiple Players Championship titles in 2024.
The 37-year-old sealed the deal with a stunning display against Searle in Wednesday’s showpiece, averaging 106.80 to add to his Players Championship Four triumph back in February.
The Australian number one established an early lead with legs of 16, 11 and 13 darts, only for Searle to reply with a three-leg burst of his own to level proceedings at three apiece.
However, Heta regained control with legs of 14 and 13 darts, before following up a sublime 140 combination with an 11-dart break on his way to pocketing the £15,000 top prize.
“I’m really stoked about today,” insisted Heta, who now moves into double figures in terms of PDC titles.
“I look at my world ranking and my ProTour ranking, and I don’t want to slip. I don’t want to put pressure on myself in other tournaments.
“I’m going to play in everything while I’m here, because I’m not here forever and I’m trying to make a massive impact.
“You take what you can get in this environment, and so many players are producing some incredible darts at the moment.
“I’m really pleased with the way I played today. This is a massive bonus for me, and I’m going to keep working hard and keep plugging away.”
Heta was forced to defy a 104 average from Rowby-John Rodriguez in winning through a brutal first round tussle, before conceding just four legs in as many matches in advancing to the semi-finals.
The former World Cup winner dispatched Keegan Brown, Niels Zonneveld, Callum Goffin and Danny Noppert during this run, and he booked his place in the final with an epic 7-6 success against Cameron Menzies.
The world number nine converted a skin-saving 132 finish on tops to force a decider against the exuberant Scot, and he capped off a brilliant comeback with an 11-dart break, despite Menzies averaging 106 in defeat.
Searle, meanwhile, claimed the £10,000 runner-up prize to extend his lead at the top of the Players Championship Order of Merit, averaging 101.18 across his seven matches.
The 36-year-old reached the final in each of the year’s first three ProTour events, and he returned to form with a string of superb displays at the Marshall Arena.
Searle averaged 106 in wins over Kai Gotthardt and Ross Smith respectively, while accounting for former UK Open champion Andrew Gilding in the pair’s third round showdown.
The Somerset star also overcame Steve Beaton in the semi-finals, after the 60-year-old rolled back the years to stun Michael van Gerwen and revive his hopes of World Championship qualification in his final year on the professional circuit.
Beaton was joined in the semi-finals by an inspired Menzies, who averaged 107 and 106 in thrilling victories against Chris Dobey and James Wade respectively.
The Scot also whitewashed Jim Williams in the quarter-finals, although his hopes of featuring in a maiden ProTour final were cruelly thwarted by Heta in an absorbing last four tussle.
Van Gerwen progressed to the quarter-finals in his first appearance since last month’s World Matchplay, posting ton-plus averages in wins against Lee Evans and Scott Williams before succumbing to Beaton.
Ross Smith landed his second nine-darter of 2024 in his second round win over Dom Taylor, averaging 108 before losing out to Searle in the last eight.
Williams saw off two-time World Champion Peter Wright and top seed Dave Chisnall in his run to the quarter-finals, while Noppert defeated German duo Florian Hempel and Gabriel Clemens in reaching the same stage.