"In darts terms it’s my best year, but personally my worst year" – Kevin Doets enjoys a stellar season despite personal loss
PDC
At Antwerp Expo, “Hawkeye” Kevin Doets had little to fear from James Hurrell. Doets was satisfied with his own display afterwards, while noting his English opponent failed to find his usual level at the Flanders Darts Trophy.
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“James played below par,” Doets analysed to Het Nieuwsblad. “He didn’t throw that well. I was solid from start to finish. I did get a bit nervous at the end, but fine. You couldn’t really see it, I still produced two strong legs.”
According to Doets, nerves were not the main issue as he closed in on the finish. He was mostly bracing for a possible surge from Hurrell. “Why the nerves? Maybe that’s not the right word, but I started thinking. He can play much better and I thought he might kick on. He didn’t, luckily for me.”
Tough personal spell
The win fits into the best sporting year of Doets’ career. The Dutchman made his World Matchplay debut and will soon appear at the World Grand Prix for the first time. He also reached his first European Tour final and claimed his maiden floor title earlier this season.
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Behind the scenes his year looks very different. Doets separated in 2025 from the mother of his son Aiden and moved at the start of this year. He is now in a relationship with Brazilian Bianca Rangel. Last month, Doets also suffered a heavy blow with the passing of his father.
“A lot has changed this year,” he says. “I moved at the start of the year and I have much more time to practise. But I’m back in a difficult period because my father passed away last month. It all feels very different again now.”
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Those circumstances are also affecting his inconsistency on the oche, Doets believes.
“I’m still throwing reasonably and today was a good match, but last week it wasn’t good and the week before was very poor. It’s a bit up and down at the moment. Overall, in darts terms it’s my best year, but personally my worst year.”
Kevin Doets swept past James Hurrell in the first round
“The mental side is at least 80 percent”
Doets tries to keep his private life and his career as a professional darter as separate as possible. In practice, that’s not always simple.
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“Yeah, good question,” he laughs when asked how he keeps performing despite everything. “If I knew myself, I’d do even better. The mental side of darts is at least 80 percent, and if something goes wrong privately, something often goes wrong in darts. I try to keep them as separate as possible, but that’s not always easy. Luckily, it’s been okay so far.”
WRAPPED UP IN STYLE! 👀
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) September 11, 2026
Kevin Doets produces his second 100+ checkout of the match to seal a routine 6-1 victory over James Hurrell!
📺 https://t.co/Dogi6ykEH5 #ET13 pic.twitter.com/xbI9EMMb2J
Doets has only held a Tour Card since 2022, but in that relatively short time he has climbed strongly. With the Worlds approaching, he now sits just outside the world’s top 20.
“Have I really had a Tour Card for such a short time? To me it feels like ten years or something,” ‘Hawkeye’ roars. His development, he says, is exactly on the path he envisioned.
“I’m 100 percent where I want to be at this point in my career. I’m not Luke Littler or Gian van Veen. I’m not bursting into the world’s top eight out of nowhere. That’s never been me, not in youth and not now. I get better every year, I keep learning and I climb step by step. Where I am now is exactly where I hoped to be. In five years I hope to be further on.”
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Popularity on the rise
His results have earned Doets growing recognition among darts fans. During his matches the chant “Doets there it is” regularly rolls from the stands. He can’t fully explain the line’s popularity himself.
“That I seem to be so popular? Yeah, everyone knows that one line. I don’t really know why either,” he laughs. “It’s not like I do anything special on stage or on social media. But I won’t complain, I like it when people do that. So: keep going!”
His World Championship showings have also boosted his profile. Over the past three editions Doets faced, among others, Michael Smith, Chris Dobey and Luke Humphries. Against Smith he first lost a thriller when the Englishman was defending champion, only to beat ‘Bully Boy’ a year later. At the most recent edition, Doets reached the fourth round.
His climb up the Order of Merit and this season’s results have not changed how he approaches a match. “I have totally the same mindset as before,” Doets concludes. “I just want to win every match. If I don’t, I’m grumpy anyway!”
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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.
In his current role, Samuel works closely with editors and writers to ensure content meets clear journalistic standards, with a focus on source verification, editorial consistency, and timely updates when new, confirmed information becomes available.
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