"I'm playing the best darts I've ever played and I feel like I'm getting better" - Jim Long (56) ready to make an impact on PDC Pro Tour debut
PDC
At UK Q-School 2025, Jim Long recently captured a PDC Tour Card for the first time in his career. The 56-year-old Canadian won the last tournament at the Final Stage, allowing him to compete on the Pro Tour for the next two years.
For Long, the Tour Card came as a surprise. "I thought there was a an opportunity of course, but there's such a strong field there," reflects the two-time PDC World Darts Championship competitor in conversation with Tungsten Tales. "It's terribly difficult to get your Tour Card, so I didn't it at all. I just wanted to go and play, and now I've got to plan things differently."
Given he now has a Tour Card though, Long is looking to make the most of it. "I got the PDC calendar on my phone and I started filling in where we travel to and from. I wasn't aware that it would be like England for two or three days, and then the next week it's in the Netherlands. So it's going to be pretty crazy," says the Canadian. "It's pretty exciting honestly!"
Long has played on the MODUS Super Series and on the Seniors Tour in recent years. He also competed domestically on the CDC Tour (for players from North America). "I planned on going to Q-School years ago. But it was right after I was retiring and then it was covid and I was like man, I don't want to go pay my money, get tested for being positive for covid and then not even be able to play," he recalls. "I was pretty pretty happy and content to be playing the Challenge Tour this upcoming year. That's where I kind of expected to be.
Following in the footsteps of the likes of John Part, Jeff Smith and Matt Campbell, Long also continues the Canadian darting story. "I'm playing the best darts I've ever played and I feel like I'm getting better still," Long adds in conclusion, outlining his excitement to join the aforementioned Campbell in the Canadian World Cup of Darts team. "Matt and I get along great. So yeah, it could be the high point of getting my Tour Card!"
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- Beau also skipped Players Championships 7 & 8 next week, and PC 3 & 4 four weeks ago. If she next chooses to miss the Women's Series and PC 13 & 14 in mid-April then we can make a fair guess as to her reason.Scoobedybop13-03-2025
- I've commented before,Phil should let us all remember how great he was,and leave your darts in the drawer. Another humiliation will tarnish everything,you couldn't even beat old blokes who you would have beaten before the game started !!rick6712-03-2025
- I've commented before,Phil should let us all remember how great he was,and leave your darts in the drawer. Another humiliation will tarnish everything,you couldn't even beat old blokes who you would have beaten before the game started !!rick6712-03-2025
- Aspinall was a no-show: Carl Sneyd steps in from the Challenge Tour.Scoobedybop11-03-2025
- Likewise, I have always been a fan of Mervyn and with this worry on his mind, it explains why his form and ranking plummeted. It is really sad to hear this, often chatted to Mervyn and Tracey during the Lakeside days, both are lovely people. It does seem naive not acknowledging the fact it was earnings, surely there must be others in the same situation. I really hope the Kings can get through this....would a go fund me be permittedrichieburnettrocks11-03-2025
- I always like Merv,but he does he seems slightly naive with his comments. I wish you all the best, hope you can get sorted,and try and get back to a decent game,a bit of money.....and get rid of the dogs,if that's your main concern,I believe your priorities may be slightly wrongrick6710-03-2025
- What’s with the dogs element to this story, trying to pull at the heart strings? Just goes to show that being a good dart player does not equate to being that bright. Seriously, ‘I thought you didn’t have to pay tax on winnings’ , your a pro dart player and its your line of work, your not playing the lottery or placing a bet. I think it was Phil Taylor who said you should put a third to one side of all winnings into a bank account, obviously Merv was wearing his earplugs at the time.Mysstree10-03-2025
- The thing is... the folks who "humiliated" Taylor in the Seniors Events never really achieved anything in the important events - like Taylor did. Taylor had/has nothing to prove... and beating Taylor after he had retired is of zero value. Taylor in his prime would have made easy work of all of them. Cheers.MrYnyslas197107-03-2025
- Taylor was humiliated in the seniors events,so he really has nothing to lose by playing littler. I think he should put his darts away,and let us remember what a great player he wasrick6706-03-2025
- actually, since you're asking... yes. yes i do.colt06-03-2025