"Around five years ago I started suffering mini strokes": From health problems to the dream of a Tour Card: Jack Tweddell’s impressive story

In recent years, Swindon has gained an unlikely ambassador in the world of darts. Jack Tweddell has been making serious strides, emerging as one of the most talked-about names outside the PDC. Following his victory at the ADC Global Championship and a string of impressive performances on the MODUS Super Series, earning a PDC Tour Card appears to be a matter of when rather than if.

Away from the oche, Tweddell leads a relatively normal life. He has been with his partner, Ellen, for 13 years, and together they have two daughters. He also works as a data analyst for Amazon. While his job keeps him busy away from darts, it is his remarkable rise in the sport that has gathered momentum over the past few years.

The defining moment of Tweddell's career came over the Christmas period last year when he won the ADC Global Championship at the MODUS Live Lounge. The title not only brought him widespread recognition but also a £60,000 first prize.

Tweddell sensed early on that something special was possible. “From Stage Two onwards it felt completely different. I won my first four games 4-0. I hadn’t really practised leading up to Stage One because I just wasn’t feeling great, both mentally and physically. I’ve had a few ongoing health issues," he said as per Bang on Target.

“I almost forced myself to get on the board. The mindset was simply to turn up, average a ton every game and just get the job done. Those first four matches were all mid to high averages.

Tweddell believes the ADC has firmly established itself as the leading organisation outside the PDC, placing the ADC Global Championship on the same level as the WDF World Championship at Lakeside.

“Yes for sure. But for me, I wouldn’t necessarily put my title above Lakeside, I see them on the same level. People had to choose between qualifying for one or the other because they couldn’t play both. There’s so much quality in both. Jeff Smith came to the Globals and didn’t even reach Stage Two, which shows how strong the standard was.”

“But I’d agree that the ADC is now second only to the PDC. The WDF gave everyone a starting point, but the ADC has done so much for the game by making it far more accessible.”

“I looked at trying to qualify for Lakeside last year, but I didn’t really understand how the qualifying system worked. There was an event in Weston-Super-Mare and even if you won it, it wasn’t classed as a Gold event so wouldn’t have gotten me in.

“When competitions run on the same weekends, it’s difficult. The ADC is simply more accessible for everyone through the Vaults and the MODUS pathways.”

Years ago, Tweddell was regarded as one of England's brightest young talents. However, his progress came to an abrupt stop after developing serious health problems.

The temporary interruptions to the brain's blood supply had a major impact on his life. The consequences remain significant today.

“Around five years ago I started suffering mini strokes – or more a medical term, Transient Ischemic Attacks (TIA).”

“They weren’t epileptic episodes, but I had instances where I would pass out. I’m still under the care of a neurologist and have had medication changes. It’s been a bit of a grind.”

“I can’t drive, which makes a huge difference. If I could, with the opportunities available through the ADC, I’d be playing Vaults all the time. Unfortunately, without transport and with no venues in close proximity, it restricts the number of those events I can compete in.”

Just when it looked as though his darts career might be over, his partner Ellen played a crucial role in his comeback. Without telling him, Ellen decided to buy him a dartboard and it proved to be the beginning of a remarkable revival.

“I actually started throwing again around 2023. At the time, I was on crutches going through rehabilitation and was getting frustrated with the physio.

"My partner Ellen noticed that. So unbeknown to me, she went to Argos, bought a board with all the extras and put it up in the kitchen. She basically said, “Even on crutches you can still do this.”

“I started throwing at home, then played a few online competitions. I was playing well and winning a few games. Then Ellen said there was a Vault the following week in Royal Wootton Bassett. So I went along.

“There were only fourteen players there, including Johnny Haines and a few other local lads. I didn’t even realise who was playing until I arrived and thought, “What are you doing here?“

“Then first night back, I won it. I beat Johnny in the final and played pretty well.”

Tweddell has since demonstrated on the Challenge Tour that he can compete with professional-level opposition. With several Tour Card holders regularly skipping Players Championship events, Challenge Tour players have been given more opportunities.

Tweddell made the most of them. “Yes. I made the quarter-finals. Good start alright. The first couple of weekends were good, then I became unwell, came back and played terribly.”

Although Tweddell continues to compete on the Challenge Tour, his sights are firmly set on securing a PDC Tour Card.

“Everyone says it gives you less options, but I don’t completely agree. It gives you the chance to play on the Euro Tour which is something that really appeals.”

“Because I’m English and there are no Euro Tour events staged in the UK or Ireland, there aren’t any home nation qualifiers for me. I understand the reasoning from the players’ perspective, but I wish I could play in them because darts fans here want to see those events. The PDPA does a great job with the World Championship qualifiers though. That’s a genuine level playing field.”

Given his performances over the past 18 months, his ADC Global Championship triumph, strong Challenge Tour displays and consistently high standard on the MODUS Super Series, the question no longer seems to be if Jack Tweddell will earn a PDC Tour Card, but when.