Wayne Warren achieved his darting destiny at last year’s BDO World Championship, but since then it’s been a year to forget for the Welshman, who has criticised the ‘disgusting treatment’ inflicted by the BDO hierarchy.
Continue reading “Warren: BDO treatment an ‘absolute disgrace’”
Current BDO world champion Wayne Warren admits the last few months have been a nightmare rather than a dream, labelling the current situation within the organisation as a ‘calamity’.
Continue reading “Warren: It’s a calamity, the BDO is gone”
Just over a month since tendering his resignation as chairman, Des Jacklin has remarkably been voted back onto the BDO Board of Directors.
Continue reading “Des Jacklin voted back onto BDO Board of Directors”
Des Jacklin has announced that he has resigned as BDO Chairman with immediate effect.
Continue reading “BREAKING: Des Jacklin resigns as BDO Chairman”
Teenage sensation Beau Greaves displayed maturity beyond her years to defeat ‘Queen of the Palace’ Fallon Sherrock and clinch the BDO Scottish Open women’s title on Sunday evening.
Continue reading “Greaves sees off Sherrock to seal Scottish Open glory”
Lisa Ashton became the first woman to win a PDC Tour Card via Qualifying School earlier this month and the four-time women’s world champion believes this new chapter in her career comes at the perfect time, given the uncertainty surrounding the future of the British Darts Organisation.
Continue reading “Ashton relishing ‘new chapter’ amid worrying times for BDO”
PDC Chairman Barry Hearn has urged the current BDO board of directors to ‘resign en bloc immediately’ following their controversial treatment of players at the recent BDO World Championship.
Continue reading “Hearn urges ‘disgraceful’ BDO board to resign”
Des Jacklin insists the British Darts Organisation have a positive future ahead despite the controversy that marred last week’s BDO World Championship at the Indigo at the O2.
Continue reading “Jacklin insists future is bright for the BDO”
Three-time world champion Martin Adams has admitted that he would be interested in becoming chairman of the British Darts Organisation, as the pressure continues to mount on current incumbent Des Jacklin.
Continue reading “Adams interested in becoming new BDO chairman”
Mikuru Suzuki retained her World Championship title with an emphatic 3-0 success over four-time champion Lisa Ashton on a dramatic day at the Indigo at the O2, as Keane Barry claimed World Youth Championship glory with victory over 14-year-old Leighton Bennett on Saturday.
Continue reading “2020 BDO World Championship – Day Eight Report!”
Three-time women’s world champion Anastasia Dobromyslova has criticised the significant reduction in prize money for the 2020 BDO Women’s World Championship, labelling the current situation as ‘ridiculous’.
Continue reading “Dobromyslova slams ‘ridiculous’ women’s prize fund”
The BDO have confirmed that prize money for next month’s World Championship will be ‘reduced somewhat’, after failing to secure a title sponsor and selling just 15% of tickets after moving away from the Lakeside.
Continue reading “BDO World Championship prize money reduced due to poor ticket sales!”
PDC Chairman Barry Hearn has expressed his delight at BDO world champion Glen Durrant securing his two-year PDC Tour Card at last weekend’s UK Qualifying School in Wigan. Continue reading “Hearn delighted by Durrant’s Q-School success!”
BDO world champion Glen Durrant fought back from 3-1 down to defeat Richard Veenstra and clinch his third Finder Darts Masters title on a dramatic day of action at the Hotel Zuiderduin on Sunday evening. Continue reading “Durrant and Ashton claim Finder Darts Masters glory!”
Michael Unterbuchner caused one of the biggest upsets at this year’s Grand Slam of Darts by dumping out James Wade to reach the quarter-finals, as Michael van Gerwen edged out Michael Smith in one of the greatest games in the tournament’s history. Continue reading “Unterbuchner stuns Wade at the Grand Slam!”
Jonny Clayton stunned Michael van Gerwen in one of the greatest games ever seen at the Grand Slam of Darts, as Gary Anderson posted the fourth highest average in the tournament’s history on a dramatic day of action in Wolverhampton. Continue reading “Grand Slam of Darts – Day Two Report!”
Four-time women’s world champion Lisa Ashton has slammed BDO selectors after they chose not to select a female representative to compete in this year’s Grand Slam of Darts. Continue reading “Lisa Ashton slams BDO selectors over Grand Slam snub!”
Adam Smith-Neale defeated two-time Lakeside world champion Glen Durrant 6-4 to secure the Winmau World Masters title on a thrilling day of darts in Bridlington on Sunday evening. Continue reading “Smith-Neale stuns Durrant to win World Masters crown!”
The late Eric Bristow MBE is to be honoured by the Professional Darts Corporation with the naming of the Grand Slam of Darts trophy in memory of the five-time world champion. Continue reading “Grand Slam trophy renamed in honour of Bristow!”
Young darting sensation Beau Greaves produced an astonishing display to further underline her credentials in a local men’s league game on Thursday night. The fourteen-year-old Yorkshire schoolgirl burst on to the darting scene in 2016 and is regarded by many as one of the most exciting talents in the sport. Continue reading “14-year-old wonder-girl Beau Greaves posts incredible 99 average in local league!”
Reigning Lakeside world champion Glen Durrant produced some astonishing darts to reach the final of the Isle of Man Classic, where he will face Mark McGeeney in a repeat of January’s BDO World Championship Final on Sunday. Continue reading “Durrant posts incredible 133.60 average at the Isle of Man Classic!”
Three-time Lakeside World Championship finalist Tony O’Shea has blasted ‘ridiculous’ eligibility rules imposed by the BDO, due to the restrictions placed on those who have switched codes to compete in the recent PDC Qualifying School. Continue reading “Tony O’Shea blasts ‘ridiculous’ eligibility rules in the BDO!”
The list of high-profile stars departing the BDO in order to compete at this week’s PDC Qualifying School continues, with Jamie Hughes and Darryl Fitton joining the likes of Danny Noppert, Jeff Smith and Tony O’Shea in switching allegiances. Continue reading “Hughes, Fitton & O’Shea join growing list of BDO departures!”
Former BDO World Championship finalists Danny Noppert and Jeff Smith have both confirmed that they will be attempting to secure PDC Tour Cards at Q-School later this month. Continue reading “Noppert & Jeff Smith to compete at PDC Q-School!”
Reigning BDO world champion Glen Durrant has admitted that he would love to join the Professional Darts Corporation next year if he was offered a tour-card by PDC chairman Barry Hearn. Continue reading “Durrant issues tour-card plea to PDC chairman Barry Hearn!”
Former Lakeside world finalist Jeff Smith has controversially had his wildcard for December’s Finder Darts Masters revoked, a week after it was revealed that the Canadian would be competing at the PDC’s World Championship later this year. Continue reading “Smith’s Finder Darts Masters wildcard revoked!”
Glen Durrant, Danny Noppert and Scott Mitchell will return to compete in November’s Grand Slam of Darts after the eight BDO representatives for next month’s cross code event were confirmed, but there’s no place for legendary three-time world champion Martin Adams. Continue reading “BDO participants for the Grand Slam of Darts revealed!”
Three-time women’s world champion Lisa Ashton enjoyed her first taste of PDC action as the 2017 PDC Challenge Tour got underway in Milton Keynes over the weekend. ‘The Lancashire Rose’ enjoyed mixed fortunes in the opening four events of the year, but produced a string of fine performances to reach the latter stages of Sunday’s final event. Continue reading “Lisa Ashton makes her PDC debut in Milton Keynes!”
Newly crowned Lakeside world champion Glen Durrant will remain a BDO player for at least the next twelve months, after confirming that he will aim to defend his World Championship title in January 2018.
The 46-year-old has dominated the BDO circuit for the last 18 months, having won successive World Masters crowns and twelve ranking titles in 2016. However, he finally achieved “the culmination of his dream” by defeating Dutch debutant Danny Noppert 7-3 to win his maiden world title at the Lakeside Country Club on Sunday evening.
Speculation was rife that Durrant would join up with his stablemates at the Sportsman Management Company, which includes the Premier League duo of Jelle Klaasen and Kim Huybrechts, as well as world number eight Mensur Suljovic, all of whom are managed by Mac Elkin.
Yet ‘Duzza’ put an end to speculation, confirming to local tv: “I’m delighted to say I’m going to stay on the BDO tour and I’ll be back at Lakeside next year to try and retain the title. I’m going to take a bit of time out now. If I was a car, I’d be running on empty. I need to recharge the batteries, whether that’s a month or three months out of the game, just whatever it takes.” Continue reading “Durrant opts to reject PDC switch but set for up to three month lay-off!”
BDO world number one and reigning champion Glen Durrant will begin the defence of his Winmau World Masters title against Malta’s Norbert Attard at the Lakeside tomorrow, after the final 16 qualifiers for this year’s event were confirmed earlier today.
Durrant will kick off the televised coverage of this year’s event on Premier Sports at noon tomorrow, when he faces Attard in the last 32. Current world champion Scott Waites is in action against David Copley, whilst three-time World Masters winner Martin Adams meets Irish qualifier John O’Shea.
Another former World Masters champion Martin Phillips faces Belgian Davy van Baelen, who also qualified for the 2017 BDO World Championships just 24 hours earlier, as BDO World Trophy winner Darryl Fitton meets Welsh Open semi-finalist Dave Parletti
Former world champion Scott Mitchell will contest the final game of the first-round when he takes on Swedish qualifier Oskar Lukasiak, who last appeared at the World Masters in 2009. Elsewhere, BDO number three and German Open winner Danny Noppert plays Canada’s Kiley Edmunds. Continue reading “2016 Winmau World Masters Draw!”
Raymond van Barneveld and Scott Mitchell stole the show on the opening day of the 2016 Grand Slam of Darts, as Michael van Gerwen, Phil Taylor & Gary Anderson all kicked off their campaigns with victories at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall on Saturday evening.
The highlight of the day saw Raymond van Barneveld produce a vintage performance to power past World Youth-finalist Nathan Aspinall 5-1 with a 110.15 average. The five-time world champion, who won the Grand Slam title back in 2012, kicked off the contest with a maximum and that set the tone for a sumptuous performance.
Van Barneveld posted three maximums and converted 63% of his attempts at double to begin his campaign in style. Aspinall acquitted himself extremely well and averaged 97 but he faced an inspired Barney, evidenced in the fifth leg when Aspinall was denied a dart at double despite leaving 36 after nine darts, as RvB fired in a stunning 140 finish.
The Dutch legend was unsurprisingly in bullish mood after his scintillating display. He told PDC media manager Dave Allen: “That 140 was a killer, and I’m really happy and satisfied with the 110 average of course. I’m really focused, I feel good and I’m looking forward to tomorrow afternoon.” Continue reading “Grand Slam of Darts Day One: Barney & Mitchell steal the show in Wolverhampton!”
Three-time Lakeside world champion Martin Adams will make a highly-anticipated return to the Grand Slam of Darts in 2016, whilst Glen Durrant, Jeff Smith, Jamie Hughes and Danny Noppert will all make their Wolves Civic debuts after being confirmed as BDO qualifiers for the cross-code event in November.
The Grand Slam of Darts, televised live on Sky Sports, features eight BDO representatives competing against 24 of the PDC’s biggest stars, from November 12-20.
However, the biggest story is the return of Martin Adams. ‘Wolfie’ lit up the Civic Hall on his debut last year, winning his three group games against Ian White, Jelle Klaasen and Steve Beaton respectively, before losing to Kim Huybrechts in a thrilling last-leg decider in the last 16.
Nevertheless, it wasn’t just Adams’ performances which were memorable. There were question-marks about how he’d combat the more boisterous PDC crowds but he relished the atmosphere and played with a refreshing exuberance.
There were doubts about whether he would compete in this year’s competition after it was revealed last week that he was undergoing treatment for prostrate cancer, but the 60-year-old has been cleared to compete. Continue reading “BDO participants for the Grand Slam of Darts revealed!”
Lisa Ashton posted the highest ever televised ladies average in the quarter-finals of the BDO World Trophy, whilst Glen Durrant, Scott Mitchell and Martin Adams were all beaten in the last 16 of the men’s draw, on an eventful day of action at the Lakeside on Sunday.
Ashton was in tremendous form as she thrashed Corrine Hammond 5-1. The two-time world champion averaged 98.44, hitting 45% of her doubles and producing legs of 12, 15, 17, 14 and 15 darts. The Lancashire ace subsequently broke the previous record average of 97.56, which Trina Gulliver had held for an astonishing 17-years.
Ashton’s reward for her record-breaking display is a last-four showdown against three-time world champion Anastasia Dobromyslova. The Russian was in clinical form as she dispatched talented Dutch ace Aileen de Graaf by a 5-2 scoreline in the quarter-finals.
Deta Hedman avenged this year’s World Championship final loss to Trina Gulliver by dismantling the ten-time world champion 5-1. Gulliver was way below par, but Hedman was clinical, taking out finishes of 86, 92, 105 and 122 to set up a semi-final meeting with Rhian Griffiths, who comfortably saw off Lorraine Winstanley 5-2.
Nevertheless, in the men’s draw, BDO world number one Glen Durrant suffered a shock 7-3 defeat to Lithuania’s Darius Labanauskas, despite averaging 104.55. Labanauskas stormed into a 3-0 lead with an average in excess of 110, but Duzza reduced the arrears to 4-2 heading into the interval.
The British Darts Organisation’s World-Trophy will be aired on Dave, after a deal was struck with Pay-TV company UKTV.
UKTV, who own channels such as Gold and Alibi, have to decided to extend their coverage of live sport after David Haye’s comeback fight against Australian Mark de Mori in January an unprecedented peak audience of over 3 million viewers.
The World Trophy runs from May 28th-May 30th, with £150,000 worth of prize money on offer. Belgium’s Geert de Vos is the reigning men’s champion, after securing his maiden ranking major title with a deciding-leg victory against former BDO star Jeffrey de Graaf, whilst two-time women’s world champion Lisa Ashton will also be defending her crown.
The BDO World Trophy began in 2014 and was broadcast by Eurosport for its first two years of competition. However, Dave will be televising ten hours of live coverage across each day of competition, from 12pm to 10pm.
Richard Watsham, director of commissioning at UKTV, said: “This is an exciting time for the BDO and I’m thrilled that we’re able to bring Dave viewers the BDO World Trophy, free to air and live from Lakeside. This is an important step for Dave as we continue to expand into important new genres such as live sport.”
Continue reading “BDO World Trophy to be televised on Dave!”
Ten years ago today, one of the biggest events in darting history transpired, as Raymond van Barneveld joined the Professional Darts Corporation. Josh’s Dartistry looks back at this ground-breaking darting moment which was the catalyst behind the PDC’s rise, by setting the precedent for other BDO players to switch codes in the future.
Raymond van Barneveld was a four-time world champion in the British Darts Organisation. The Dutchman was also a four-time Zuiderduin Masters winner and a two-time World Master. Nevertheless, above all else, he was the figurehead of the BDO; their number one and greatest asset.
Just days earlier, van Barneveld had gone in search of his fifth World Championship title against his young compatriot, 21-year-old qualifier Jelle Klaasen. Victory for Raymond would have seen him equal Eric Bristow’s haul of five world-titles, but Klaasen caused a big upset, and Barney decided it was time for change.
It was a significant coup for the PDC, and PDC co-founder and former tournament director Tommy Cox insisted that van Barneveld’s decision to switch codes was arguably the single biggest factor in the PDC overcoming the BDO in the darting-power struggle.
Losing van Barneveld was of course a major blow for the BDO, but more significantly it gave the PDC an enormous boost. Van Barneveld was rightfully considered the second greatest-player in the world of darts behind a certain Phil Taylor, but barring a handful of meetings between the pair, they hadn’t locked horns on the biggest darting stages.
Former World finalists Peter Manley, Mark Dudbridge and Kirk Shepherd, as well as former BDO world number 3 Jeffrey De Graaf, will be among the field of 400 players competing to secure a PDC tour card at Q-School; after the full list of entries were confirmed on Monday evening.
The four day event, which takes place at the Robin Park Tennis Centre in Wigan from January 13th-16th, offers 16 automatic two-year tour cards, with the final four players remaining on each day securing a card.
Ranking points are awarded throughout the four days based on the overall finishing positions, and further tour cards are subsequently awarded based on the final standings on the Q-School Order of Merit.
Players who secure a tour card will be eligible to compete in all Players Championship events throughout the year. They will also be able to participate in UK Open qualifiers and European Tour qualifiers, with the potential incentive of qualifying for major TV events.
Glen Durrant and Fallon Sherrock secured Finder Darts Masters glory on Sunday, after an enthralling day of action in Zuiderduin.
Sherrock defeated 3-Time World Champion Anastasia Dobromyslova comprehensively in the final, failing to drop a leg against the Russian.
Anastasia had a wonderful opportunity to break throw in the opening leg of the contest, but squandered multiple chances at doubles and Ana never really recovered from that setback.
Continue reading “Durrant and Sherrock secure Finder Darts Masters glory!”
The 2015 Grand Slam of Darts begins in Wolverhampton on Saturday afternoon and the anticipation and excitement surrounding the event is tangible. It’s the only tournament on the darting calendar where the two darting codes, the PDC and BDO, lock horns.
The addition of Martin Adams and Andy Fordham to this year’s tournament simply adds to the overall spectacle and it will be absolutely fascinating to see how the BDO players fare against their PDC counterparts.
Here is my lowdown on this year’s eight BDO participants, as I also share my views on the ‘friction’ surrounding players from the different codes.
In one of the most incredible darting fairy tales in recent memory, former Lakeside Champion Andy Fordham has qualified for the Grand Slam of Darts in November, after winning SEVEN matches at the BDO qualifier in Hull today!
The 2004 World Champion has been in the abyss in recent years, but rolled back the years to secure qualification. The Viking certainly wasn’t viewed as a realistic contender, with the likes of Glenn Durrant, Jamie Hughes, Tony O’Shea, Jeff Smith and Daryl Fitton and former Grand Slam winner Scott Waites all competing.
However, Fordham upset the odds by coming back from 4-3 down against Neil Duff to seal his spot and send the darting twitter-sphere into a state of mass hysteria!
Continue reading “Fairytale Grand Slam Appearance for Fordham!”