INTERVIEW - Kleermaker can finally fully focus on darts in PDC: 'I spent half a year lashing out at the BDO and harassing Mr Jacklin'
PDC
After a turbulent last few months in the BDO, Martijn Kleermaker can finally fully focus on darts after winning his PDC Tour Card at the European Q-School.
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The Dutchman earned enough points at European Q-School to claim his PDC Tour Card through the European Q-School Order of Merit. A new world of darts opened up for him, Kleermaker said in an extensive interview with Dartsnieuws.com.
"The level is different of course. At the BDO and WDF tournaments, you had an easy game in the first two rounds regularly as a seeded player. You don't have that in the PDC, anyone with a Tour Card can play darts.
''If you look at the Pro Tours, it is arranged so well for the players. The lanes are good, tight time schedules and the rules are actually applied. If you do not stick to that, then you have bad luck. In my opinion that works very well. That is why I am very happy that I am currently playing in the PDC. I'm rather playing at a higher level, that also makes you stronger.''
Clear structure
Prior to his first Pro Tour weekend, Kleermaker was invited to attend a briefing for the new Tour Card holders. The Professional Darts Players Association (PDPA) explained there how things work in the PDC. The 29-year-old Dutchman learned a lot from this meeting.
''You get a lot of information, for example also about tax matters. It is always handy to know things like that. It's a complete different world. Of course it's still the darts world, but a world with much more money involved than in the BDO. Much higher amounts can be won. It is handy that you have such a briefing to get information.''
''The information is also received by e-mail. That's really nice. Things are very clear within the PDC. It's actually made pretty easy when it comes to the rules."
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No hassle with prize money and redraws, like with the BDO World Masters. After a tumultuous time, in which Kleermaker felt compelled to publicly criticize BDO chairman Des Jacklin, he can now shut himself off from these issues in order to be able to fully concentrate on his darts performances in the PDC.
''For half a year I was literally only busy lashing out at the BDO and actually harassing Mr Jacklin. But that was with a thought behind it. Not everyone said anything about it. After the BDO World Championship the book was closed, especially after winning my Tour Card. I don't have to worry about things like that anymore. Let them sort it out. I focus on my thing in the PDC."
Successful first month
With his Players Championship debut, Kleermaker immediately managed to reach the last 32. The Dutch Giant then also reached the second round twice in the following five Players Championship events. He has now also made his European Tour debut at the Belgian Darts Championship. With victories over Stephen Bunting and Joe Cullen, Kleermaker managed to reach the final day of action in Hasselt.
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"The first [two] Pro Tour weekends went pretty well. At the third Pro Tour weekend I tried my new darts, but that wasn't going very well. On the European Tour I picked up my old set-up again and immediately made it to the Sunday. I was extremely satisfied with that. It was great that I could straighten out a less Pro Tour weekend on the European Tour, which means I'm back on track for what I have in mind.''
Kleermaker isn't qualified for the second European Tour-tournament of the season, which he sees as a good opportunity to get more practice with his new darts. "That's a great time to grab my new darts for a longer period. I think a small change can still be made to the dart. They are a bit too heavy I think. But I have to practice a little more to see what did not work out with the new darts that did work with my old darts."
World Championship is the main goal
The goals for the coming months are clear. Kleermaker wants to play at Alexandra Palace at the end of the year. ''The main goal is of course to reach the World Championship. That is really my most important goal. In addition, I think the Players Championship Finals should be achievable as well.''
''The rankings for tournaments such as the World Matchplay have been running for some time. Then you have to perform really well to achieve that. So my goals are mainly the European Championship, World Championship and possibly the Players Championship Finals. If I could achieve that in my first year, then you can say I had a good first year.''
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I stumbled into the world of darts quite by accident back in 2013. For a Journalism School assignment, I had to produce a live sports report and as it happened, the European Tour event in Veldhoven was the only available option. That weekend, I caught the darts bug. The post-match interviews especially appealed to me, as darts players tend to be much more open and approachable than what you usually see with footballers on television.
After a few detours, I joined Dartsnieuws.com in 2017 as editor-in-chief. I don’t have much competitive experience myself, although I once entered a PDC Development Tour weekend just to experience what it’s like from a player’s perspective. I even managed to win a leg against a Tour Card holder and, quite by accident, earned £50 in prize money.
In 2022, I was also involved in the founding of the TOTO Dart Kings, a commercial darts team, where I worked as media manager for three years. Unfortunately, due to new legislation in the Netherlands, that project came to an end in 2025.
Through my work in darts, I’ve been fortunate to travel to some incredible events, from Premier League nights at Ahoy Rotterdam, to several World Championships, and even the US Darts Masters at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Beyond darts, I’m a passionate sports fan in general. You can always wake me up for a game of tennis or padel, and I love following football, tennis, padel, cycling, Formula 1, and ice skating.
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- And why should he listen to you?Deduce635807-11-2026
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- Probably i will receive a lot of backlash and hate for this reaction, but well, so be it. I am more than sick and tired of those lies of you Barry Hearn. How dare you defend yourself over the back of Fallon’s son! He has a disability and not an illness, so let me correct that for you! I know because I have the exact same disability. I have tried to reach out to Fallon in the past, and offered her to help her and her son, because I was struggling with the same problems, and I understood the boy. I wanted him to have finally someone who understood him. However she told me that she did not want my help, and I have respected Fallon’s choice. I have never asked Fallon for money. They don’t need money in that case. I only ever wanted the best for Fallon and Rory, but I have to be honest about the situation. Fallon should tell the true story and not be forced to tell lies. I don’t hate Fallon, and I don’t begrudge or envy a single penny that she gets, but this situation/case is just not fair. I hate the lies and the dishonesty and injustice. I don’t want Fallon to be hated because there is an unfair disadvantage created. Don’t proclaim your false lies over the back of Rory! I only stand for integrity and justice. I am precisely the one who always sticks up for Fallon. And you don't, you don't give a damn about them. You were never there for them, and now you only want to save your own position! You are just trying to talk your way out of your own bad behavior at the expense of someone with a disability. And to Fallon, I don’t know if this may ever reach you, and you read it, but I want you to know I love you and I love your son Rory very much, I am sorry how things developed and went. I hope you and Harriet are still friends. I am sorry if I were too persistent to you, or you experienced it that way, but it was never my intention. Please understand I have autism as well. As Barry Hearn would say, I am only just a human being too, and I also make mistakes and misjudge things sometimes. I promise you I did everything out of the deepest love and care for you and Rory. If I were you, I should just keep all the money, only please never be dishonest or tell lies anymore for Barry Hearn, or anyone else. I hope you have the best life, and I wish nothing more than the best for you. I have always loved the two of you. Farewell.Hiddo05-11-2026
- She is a professional. If darts is her income, she is a professional. Same as Adrian Lewis, Martin Adams. A tour card just means someone can play on the PDC tour. You could even make a case that Clayton wasn't a professional (until recently I believe) because he had employment elsewhere.BandB04-11-2026
- She's technically not a professional though as she doesn't hold a pro tour card.mr-pablo04-11-2026
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