In a thrilling final, Schindler staged an incredible comeback after being 7-4 down, as Searle missed a whopping seven match darts that would have secured his first European Tour victory.
Schindler made history by becoming the first German player to win two European Tour titles, having previously emerged victorious at the International Darts Open in April. “I’m so happy to win this title,” exclaimed Schindler, who climbed two spots to 22nd on the PDC Order of Merit. “I always believed that I have the ability to come back but I was lucky to win this one. Ryan was the better player but that’s darts sometimes.”
Reflecting on his journey to success, Schindler shared, “Ten years ago I was working as a steward on these events; I’ve worked very hard to get to where I am today and I’m proud of myself. I fancy myself to do well in the big TV events coming up, but today is just about winning this trophy; that’s all that matters to me now.”
The final kicked off with Searle sprinting ahead, landing a remarkable 124 checkout en route to a commanding 4-0 lead. However, Schindler fought back and notched his first leg on the board. Searle extended his lead to four legs, but Schindler’s determination shone through as he hit a brilliant 142 checkout to close the gap.
With Searle inching closer to victory at 7-4, a crucial miss on his favorite double top and subsequent failed attempts at double ten allowed Schindler to claw back. Schindler capitalised on Searle’s slip-ups, nailing a 100 checkout to force a nail-biting deciding leg. In a tense final leg, Schindler outperformed a dejected Searle to clinch the £30,000 winner’s prize.
