"I was considering not coming this weekend"- Raymond van Barneveld nearly withdrew from Dutch Darts Masters before Dobey win
PDC
Raymond van Barneveld has qualified in Den Bosch for the quarterfinals of the Dutch Darts Masters, the second tournament of the World Series of Darts 2025. 'Barney' did so in style by throwing a 144 finish in the deciding leg. In the quarterfinals he will face Stephen Bunting, who won the Bahrain Darts Masters last week.
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Van Barneveld came to Den Bosch with modest expectations. "I have quite a flu to contend with. I even considered not coming this weekend," he told Sportnieuws.nl.
"I start off pretty good. I mess up on that 61. After that, you fall behind. Pushing and pulling. It wasn't going well since the 2025 World Championship. I haven't practiced much since then."

Raymond van Barneveld takes on Stephen Bunting in quarter-finals
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It was said beforehand that Van Barneveld could not complain with Dobey as an opponent in his first round. "I disagree with that, he just made it to the semifinals at the World Darts Championships. I get a chance at 144. After the World Darts Championship I had a talk with myself. I put too much pressure on myself there. I have resolved to just enjoy myself this year."
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"Right before I went to throw that 144, you could see a little smile on my face," Van Barneveld continued. "I was like, who can make me do this? This crowd, all this, this is so fantastic. I'm not even a hundred percent. And then hitting it, I'm pretty proud of myself and you don't hear me say that very often."
BARNEY BRILLIANCE! 👁️🐅
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) January 24, 2025
That is INCREDIBLE!
Raymond van Barneveld sends the home crowd wild here in Den Bosch, producing a sensational 144 checkout to edge out Chris Dobey in a decider!
📺 https://t.co/bKw0qCqi9J #DutchDartsMasters pic.twitter.com/thpyxFE29h
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Samuel GillChief Content Officer
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of DartsNews.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy across professional darts coverage. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces, playing a central role in the development and daily operation of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has extensive experience in darts media and has been closely involved in coverage of the professional darts circuit for several years. Within the UK darts community, he is a recognised figure known for his consistent editorial output and ongoing reporting on major tournaments and developments across the PDC calendar.
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- Everyone knows what a fantastic champion Taylor was,but his performances in the seniors were poor. He wouldn't throw littler off stage,as he'd miss these days!!rick6712-11-2026
- He produced some impressive numbers in that qualifying campaign. I'm excited to see him compete at the World Championship once again, even if it will be difficult to replicate last year's success even with an improved performance, with the draw playing a huge role in determining his fortunes.Deduce635811-11-2026
- I often think about this very question. I think they should revive the format. They could even invite representatives from MODUS Super Series, with four series winners from the past year, and the ADC, with finalists from the Global Championship and perhaps other events. Why not throw in eligible representatives from the JDC and even the soft-tip game too?Deduce635811-11-2026
- So what if littler missed out, he doesnt have to enter everythingant10-11-2026
- Good, absolutely no loss if we never see this dancing goof ever again......no that is not fair. He absolutely cannot and has never been remotely able to dance!richieburnettrocks10-11-2026
- Yes Phil,now the money in the game is bigger than ever,you'd play littler. Well so would I! Retire on your memory Phil,and your successful careerrick6709-11-2026
- And why should he listen to you?Deduce635807-11-2026
- Ultimately it is a bye for whoever draws Barney. It will be another stroppy and sulky performance once he goes behind. Barney was excellent but really must completely call it a day now.richieburnettrocks07-11-2026
- I'm disappointed he was not able to secure a spot at the Grand Slam. With Carl Sneyd taking care of Daryl Gurney, he would have had to beat Andy Boulton before facing the winner of Sneyd vs Mensur Suljović for a Grand Slam spot. Unfortunately, after beating Filip Bereza comfortably, he succumbed to Boulton, and the board would ultimately be won by the highly inconsistent Carl Sneyd. Since he could instead have been drawn against the likes of Cristo Reyes, Dirk van Duijvenbode and Stephen Bunting, I think once Gurney was out of the picture he would have been favourite to win his board, and it seems like a massive missed opportunity to put 5 grand on his ranking and seal another major TV appearance ahead of the Worlds. The highs and lows of following Raymond van Barneveld!Deduce635806-11-2026





