“If I return, it has to be at Q School this year. Otherwise I won’t do it anymore” – Is Van der Voort hinting at a comeback?

Vincent van der Voort has long been a familiar face on the international darts scene. The towering Dutchman made his mark in both the BDO and PDC, but in recent years has also become known as a forthright pundit and businessman.

In a wide-ranging interview on Tungsten Talk during the MODUS Super Series, he reflected on his early days, spoke candidly about his career, the influence of Raymond van Barneveld, the highs and lows of life on tour, and looked ahead to what the future might hold.

Although many believe the Dutch darts boom began with Van Barneveld’s breakthrough, Van der Voort was already active on the scene. “In a way Raymond did inspire me, but I was playing long before he came through,” he explained. “I’ve known Raymond since 1990 or 1991, so I was already involved before he made his debut.”

Van der Voort first picked up darts at home, aged ten. “A friend said to me: why don’t you come to a youth tournament? I did well, and a year and a half later I was Dutch Under-14 champion. From that moment, things moved quickly.”

In the Netherlands, darts became huge in pubs, where four-a-side competitions were the norm. The best players would qualify for national leagues and even the national team. “That was the main goal back then,” Van der Voort recalled. “These days there are far more tournaments, but back then it all started in the pub.”

Alongside darts, the young Vincent also played tennis, even briefly crossing paths with Richard Krajicek. “He was recovering from injury and we hit a few balls with him while he was rehabbing. I thought I was pretty good, but the first time he served I didn’t even see the ball. That was when I realised I wasn’t as good as I thought,” he laughed.

The real turning point for Dutch darts came in the mid-90s, when Raymond van Barneveld broke into the world’s elite. “At first it didn’t mean much. The first Dutchman at Lakeside was Bert Vlaardingenbroek, but nobody noticed. Darts was seen as an English sport,” Van der Voort explained.

“When Raymond lost the 1995 final to Richie Burnett, suddenly there was media attention. Then when he won in 1998 as the first non-English-speaking player, it exploded. I remember the photos from Schiphol Airport, it was packed. He became a national hero.”

That breakthrough led to a huge increase in participation. “Where I used to play with 12 kids, suddenly there were 350. Raymond made it massive in the Netherlands, and with TV and sponsors we all benefited.”

Van der Voort made his BDO World Championship debut in 2002 and appeared several times at Lakeside, but struggled on the big stage. “I was too distracted by the cameras and everything around me. I found the stage too small – it just didn’t suit me. It was only at the PDC that I thought: this is what a proper stage should feel like.”

His BDO years brought titles such as the Denmark Open and German Gold Cup, but financially it was tough. “You earned nothing. You needed sponsors and had to sort everything else out yourself. I worked full-time, first in a sauna business and later a kitchen company. At first I just wanted to have fun. Later I thought: I want to be professional. My wife supported me, but we had to make a lot of sacrifices.”

The mid-2000s brought major change. Thanks to Van Barneveld, the International Darts League and the World Darts Trophy, Dutch fans got to know Phil Taylor and other PDC stars. “I got more and more frustrated with the BDO. The venues were poor, and I didn’t understand why they couldn’t be better. The PDC tried harder. When Raymond moved, I knew all the sponsors would follow – so we had to as well. Barry Hearn even came to Schiphol to talk to us.”

In 2007 Van der Voort made the switch, along with Michael van Gerwen, Jelle Klaasen and Mervyn King. He made an immediate impact at his first big PDC event, the UK Open in Bolton, reaching the final. “That was unbelievable. Financially it was still uncertain, but that result gave me confidence.”

He lost the final to Van Barneveld, but the Dutch presence on the world darts map was cemented. “With Jelle winning Lakeside and Michael already achieving success, Dutch darts was riding a great wave.”

The wait for his first PDC titles was a long one. “I played three or four finals but didn’t win. That eats away at you. You just want that first trophy.”

It finally came in 2010. “I won two tournaments in Haarlem and Gladbeck, both against Wayne Jones. He was the only top-16 player without a title, so I thought: let’s keep it that way,” Van der Voort joked.

A particular highlight was beating Phil Taylor in a Players Championship final. “That makes it even more special. Phil was the best ever, and beating him felt different. That same year I also beat Raymond in a final with a 107 average. Those are matches you never forget.”

His biggest title came on the European Tour in Austria. “Jamie Caven was 5-2 up, but I knew he struggled to close games out. I stayed in the match and nicked it with an 83 finish. That was probably my best win.”

Van der Voort’s career has been blighted by back problems since 2008. “I even won tournaments in pain, but I couldn’t perform consistently. My stance kept changing, and you want to do the same thing every time. Looking back, I should have skipped more tournaments, but I didn’t because of the rankings.”

In 2020 he enjoyed a resurgence with a World Matchplay quarter-final, played behind closed doors due to Covid. “That was strange. They played crowd noise, but you knew exactly when the tape was going to end. For me it didn’t matter much – I just focus on myself anyway.”

Today, Van der Voort runs a successful darts shop with his wife and son. “It wasn’t because I stopped playing – my wife wanted to work again. She was tired of sitting at home watching me on TV. She started the shop with a friend, then my son Kevin joined. Now they run it together, and I love that.”

Kevin has become an expert in equipment and technique. “He can watch someone’s throw and immediately spot what needs changing. He’s always honest. It works well with Niels Zonneveld, who he helps.”

Van der Voort is also a regular analyst on Viaplay in the Netherlands, known for his straight-talking style. “I just say what I think, on or off camera. Some people don’t like it, but I don’t care. The only opinions that matter to me are from the people close to me.”

For now, his playing career is on hold due to injury. “I wanted to compete here in the Super Series, but the pain came back. If I return, it has to be at Q School this year. Otherwise I won’t do it anymore – then it’s finished.”