Debutant Mol on first months on Pro Tour: “You can hardly miss a double, because that is punished immediately”

Damian Mol conquered a PDC Tour Card for the first time in his career earlier this year. The 23-year old Dutchman looks back on his first months on the Pro Tour with satisfaction.

"It suits me fine so far", Mol says to BN De Stem. "The level is really different than I am used to. You can't miss a double here, because that is punished immediately.

Mol was quite busy the past period. "The last four weeks there was always a tournament. You travel to England on Thursday, play the tournaments on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and then you are back late on Sunday. And on Monday we have to work again, of course," says Mol, who is also still working as a painter. "The weekends are tough, but because it is super cool to throw at this level, I really do it with all the love and pleasure."

Training for several hours a day

Meanwhile, Mol has climbed to 118th place in the world rankings, but he dreams of more. "I really do more to get better. I train almost every day for several hours now and I see the result on the board. A low score is now 60, whereas before it was many times lower."

At the fourth Players Championship of the year, Mol managed to record his first victory, when he won against Englishman Brett Claydon in the first round. "Man, a big weight fell off my shoulders. It felt great, what a first victory. I compared it to my first win in the pub, that was liberating too. Though it's more important here now, of course."

Dream fulfilled

For Mol, obtaining a Tour Card was a dream come true. "Of course I am very proud. When you come back to one of those floor tournaments and see the names of Gerwyn Price, Peter Wright and Michael van Gerwen... Those are guys you normally only see on television. Yes, it's great to be among them.

The 23-year-old Dutchman is also getting support from fellow countrymen on the Pro Tour. "I have indeed received very useful tips from a number of Dutch players. Like Dirk van Duijvenbode. He pointed out to me that 128 dart players play every day, and 127 always lose. 'Don't just look at the defeat, but take out the positive points'. That really helped me."

Not too much pressure

Mol does not want to put too much pressure on himself in his first year on the Pro Tour. "The first year I mainly want to gain experience, reach my level and of course pick up some prize money here and there. In the second year I really have to perform. It is a difficult, but also very nice challenge to be among the best 64 in the world by the end of 2023. And even if that doesn't work out, there is still a future. I am 23 years old now, and I am throwing against guys who are sometimes twice my age. So I still have some way to go. My dream is not over if I don't make it. That thought ensures that I can throw very freely and that is only good for the performance.