“It’s just too difficult as a North American” - Jim Long reflects on likely end of PDC Tour journey after stunning 4-0 comeback in Amsterdam

Jim Long produced one of the comebacks of the opening round at the World Series of Darts Finals on Friday night, recovering from 4-0 down and surviving a match dart before edging Adam Leek 6-5 in Amsterdam.

The Canadian looked in serious trouble as Leek raced clear while feeding off the AFAS Live crowd, but Long slowly dragged himself back into the contest before punishing a missed match dart at tops in the tenth leg. Left on 99, Long took it out to force a decider and then completed the turnaround with his first match dart.

Afterwards, attention quickly turned towards the bigger uncertainty surrounding Long’s PDC future. Currently well outside the provisional top 64 on the PDC Order of Merit, the 57-year-old is facing the likelihood of losing the Tour Card he won at Q School in 2025.

And if that happens, Long has given little indication that he intends to make another serious attempt to return to the full PDC circuit.

Long has never hidden the difficulties involved in maintaining a full PDC schedule while living in Canada, and he was particularly candid in Amsterdam when asked whether players based on the other side of the Atlantic almost have to relocate if they want to make Tour Card life sustainable.

“Pretty much,” Long said. “Maybe a younger guy could do it. Matt Campbell had success doing it, but I’ve got 20 years on Matt and, for me at my age, going through a sleepless night on an airplane on the way over and then trying to adjust to the time change, losing five hours or six hours..."

“Maybe younger guys could do it. Matt and Jeff both had some success doing it, but it is tough," he added. “There are more Tour events now. There are more European Tours now. So yeah, it’s tough.”

Long was even more direct when discussing his own future. “If I was a European dart player, I would do anything to stay on this Tour,” he said. “But I’m loving every second of it. It’s hard to get on the Euro Tours, to win those qualifying games against such good players, but I just love going to play those too and seeing new cities and new fans and stuff. It’s fantastic.”

Asked whether anything had changed since he previously discussed the likelihood of his Tour Card spell ending, Long admitted that a sufficiently deep run at the World Championship could force him to think again.

“No, it’s pretty much set,” he said. “Honestly, if I was to have a good run at the Worlds, and I mean a good run, then I could maybe consider that apartment for six months or something. But it’s just too difficult as a North American that’s not willing to move over here full-time.”

Long is still making the most of the stages in front of him. His win over Leek certainly required some persistence. The Australian won each of the opening four legs and thrived off the crowd, while Long admitted even the reaction to his first dart of the match had briefly knocked him out of rhythm.

“My first dart was a five and the crowd booed me, and that distracted me a little bit at the beginning as well,” he said. “I need to become a little mentally tougher on that. I expect that over here.”

Leek continued to put on a show as the match wore on, opening the ninth leg with a no-look 180 before checking out 140 for a 12-darter to move 5-4 ahead.

Long had no complaints about the theatrics. “Adam was hilarious in the beginning,” he said. “Just playing to the crowd, stuff I would never do, you know, and he was thriving with it. Honestly, I like it and I like Adam. I would just never do it. I’m pretty low-key. I like to stay calm. But Adam was getting the crowd working and going and I didn’t blame him for that at all. Not a bit.”

Leek then had the chance to finish the contest in the following leg, missing tops for a 104 checkout before Long responded with the 99 that changed the match. From 4-0 down, the Canadian eventually walked off stage a 6-5 winner with a 94.52 average and a place in the second round.

Gerwyn Price now waits in Amsterdam, while Long’s longer-term future remains unresolved. His Tour Card spell may be nearing its end, but after dragging himself back from the brink against Leek, the Canadian still has time to add a few more big-stage moments before 2026 is over.