To begin the tie, it was all square with Whitlock landing a 56 checkout before Kleermaker was then throwing for the set. But with a 48 checkout to hold, he took the opening set.
Whitlock lead the second set 2-1 and if he could hold throw, he would take it which he did on double 16. He produced another moment of brilliance taking out a 135 checkout to save the third set with Kleermaker throwing for a 2-1 lead.
But in the end with a 78 checkout on double six saw him break and he was soon one away. This seemingly broke the spirit of 'The Wizard' who was swept in the final set with Kleermaker hitting double 10 after initially dropping the dart.
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.
𝗞𝗟𝗘𝗘𝗥𝗠𝗔𝗞𝗘𝗥 𝗞𝗢𝘀 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗪𝗜𝗭𝗔𝗥𝗗! 🇳🇱
What a debut campaign for Martijn Kleermaker who sets up a third round clash with Joe Cullen after the Dutchman eliminates Simon Whitlock!
#WHDarts