WE’VE GOT THE POWER
As sporting legends go, they don’t come much bigger than 16-time world darts champion Phil Taylor – and tonight, Gold Coasters will get a rare chance to see ‘The Power’ in their own backyard. Taylor and Australia’s top two players, Simon Whitlock and Kyle
SIMON “The Wizard” Whitlock has promised a magic night of darts when the International Pro Darts Showdown Series rolls into the Gold Coast tonight.
The world No.8 is only playing two of the four legs of the series because he is playing in the World Masters later this month before rejoining the PDC’s Premier League.
Whitlock, 48, lost in the semi-finals to 16-time world champion Phil “The Power” Taylor in the inaugural event at Brisbane’s RNA Convention Centre last week.
The former world championship runner-up was happy with his form but was hoping to finish on a high at the Gold Coast Events Centre.
“I had a good tournament,” Whitlock said of his Brisbane performance. “I was a bit unlucky against Phil, but played a really good game.”
Whitlock is hoping the next two days on the Coast can help him prepare for the Masters starting on January 26 in the UK and the upcoming season-long Premier League.
“The best practice you can
get is match practice,” he said.
“Hopefully I’m in the other half of the draw to Phil and we’ll see what happens.”
Taylor last month narrowly missed out on a 17th world title, losing to Rob Cross in the final in London.
It was 57-year-old Taylor’s final match on the professional circuit in a remarkable career that began in 1987.
Gold Coaster Robbie King was just one match away from facing Taylor in the Brisbane final last week but fell in the semi-finals to England’s Andy Hamilton.
Whitlock said tournaments such as the Pro Darts Showdown Series can only be good for the future of darts in Queensland and Australia.
“Darts is pretty big in Queensland,” he said.
“I used to play here a lot and I know many players. The more the game is shown on TV and we get tournaments like this, then the bigger the game will get.
“Just having these tournaments is good for the up and coming players and newcomers who haven’t been exposed to the big games yet.
“It’s great experience for Robbie to get to play the likes of Phil, Kyle (Anderson), Andy and myself because it won’t happen otherwise.”
Whitlock will take on New Zealander Stuart Leach on the first night on the Coast.
He will be hoping to get through to the last eight but knows it will not be easy.
“They’re all great players and getting better every year,” Whitlock said of the Aussie and Kiwi qualifiers.
“I used to play against some many years ago and they have all improved.”
The International Pro Darts Showdown Series is on tonight and tomorrow. For tickets, visit www.prodartsshowdownseries.com.au