Kleermaker doesn't need a 'kick up the backside' anymore due to PDC Home Tour

Martijn Kleermaker made the switch to the PDC at the beginning of this year to compete against the world's best players every week. However, the Dutch Giant has been at home for weeks due to the corona crisis.

The 29-year-old Dutchman claimed his PDC Tour Card at Q-School at the beginning of this year. Kleermaker already made two last 32 appearances on the Players Championship circuit and reached the final day of a European Tour event in his first few months on the PDC circuit.

However, after the Players Championship tournaments in Barnsley on March 14-15, the darts circuit came to a halt. Due to the outbreak of the corona virus, mass gatherings are prohibited, so no ranking tournaments can be played.

As a result, Kleermaker is at home a lot, where boredom slowly starts to strike after a month without real tournaments. Just like with Vincent van der Voort, Netflix appears to be a huge rescue, he said in an extensive interview with DartsNews.

"It is very boring. Normally you will travel on Thursday or Friday and come back late on Sunday evening. Then I have a relaxing day on Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday are the practice days. Now you are at home for 24/7. The children are at home and have to do some homework, but you don't have to spend a full day on that either. So boredom strikes for everyone.''

"Sometimes we look at each other with the idea what will we do with our lives today? Because you can't do anything and can't go anywhere. We can play board games and I am more in the kitchen. Every now and then I can make a jigsaw puzzle and find my rest in it. In addition, I'm watching a lot of series. Long live Netflix in this period, because that is the salvation'', Kleermaker joked.

New motivation

The newly established PDC Home Tour also offers a solution. A nightly league format will see all four competitors play each other once in matches played over the best of nine legs, with a winner crowned each night.

Following the conclusion of the initial 32 nights of league phase action, the 32 group winners will advance to the second phase of the competition. Elite level darts will be brought from the living rooms of the pros to fans worldwide through live video calls, with players set to make history as part of the PDC’s first ever home-staged event.

It's Kleermaker's turn on Saturday April 25, when he will face Michael Smith, Harry Ward and Matt Clark in Group Nine. The Dutchman is happy that he can finally play a proper tournament.

"This gives something to gain motivation from. There is something of a purpose and something to look forward to. The last few weeks I have faithfully made my practice hours, but sometimes I had to kick myself three times up the backside to put myself on the practice board. Precisely because I missed the motivation that I normally have. That's why I think it's a good initiative that benefits players. It is different from the regular tournaments, but I find it a good solution as an emergency solution.”

PDC circuit only open when everyone can participate

The PDC Home Tour serves as an aid in the period until the Pro Tour circuit opens again and Kleermaker believes the PDC circuit should not open until all players are able to participate.

The biggest problem is that the United Kingdom is behind us (The Netherlands) with the coronavirus outbreak. When we are allowed to get back to work here in July or August, it doesn't mean this also applies to England. That's the tricky part of the whole story'', he said.

"I think it's only fair if all 128 Tour Card holders can participate. There are Tour Card holders from countries such as Spain and the Czech Republic. If one or two people cannot come because there is a lockdown in that country, do you have to organise something? That is not fair to the players who cannot come. They are forced to stay at home and have no choice. It is the biggest puzzle for the PDC at the moment. How are you going to solve it with so many nationalities? I think something like that is very difficult.''

Darts in 1.5 meter society

In the past few weeks, the term 'one and a half meter society' has been frequently used in The Netherlands. Does Kleermaker think it is possible to play tournaments in this situation?

"There may be something to come up with for that, but then some things have to change. Normally you can take two guests with you as a player. Then they must say in advance that players should come alone. There are also markers and a few officials. The markers will have to be moved a bit further away, but those are minor adjustments that are do-able. Most tournament locations are relatively spacious and the dart lanes are also quite wide. With walking back you are often already outside that one and a half meter zone.''

"That distance of one and a half meters will be the most difficult to comply. It is not only about the darts itself, but also for the practice boards where you normally stand close together with five men. But also the place where you get the food and drinks and the tables you sit at. I think those are the biggest puzzles.''

Return Jacklin to BDO

Finally, Des Jacklin's return to the BDO was also discussed in the conversation with DartsNews. Jacklin left the British Darts Organisation in March, but made a surprising return in April when the counties asked him to re-join the board. That choice raised eyebrows with Kleermaker, who regularly criticised Jacklin during his BDO days.

"Well, what can you say about it. This is of course completely laughable. He left with so much fuss. With a whole statement in which he blamed everyone. In principle, it was a whole soap and most thought that the soap was finished by now. But apparently the second episode has just started.''

Whether Jacklin can make up for his earlier mistakes? "That is really very difficult. If he really wants to clean up, he has to stop promoting his own tournaments in Cyprus and Torremolinos. Everything must be arranged financially and administratively first. At some point it became clear that people were fed up with these tournaments being promoted, while at the same time the BDO had almost no money in the bank account.''

Kleermaker himself pleads for a former player at the top of the governing body of the British Darts Organisation. "That must be someone who played darts a lot himself. Then I think, for example, of Martin Adams or Darryl Fitton. In the past year I have had a lot of contact with Fitton and he is someone with good ideas and who has been at the top of the BDO. He knows what is needed for the players. Then I would go for that. Although I don't know if the BDO can still compete with the WDF (World Darts Federation, ed.). There are people with a true heart for the sport.''