Mol on achieving darting dream at Q-School: “I did shed a tear”

This year there are eighteen Dutch players active on the PDC Pro Tour. One of those new Tour Card holders is 23-year-old Damian Mol.

Mol had enough on the final day to secure a place in the last sixteen to win a Tour Card via the European Q-School ranking. For a place in the last sixteen he took on the Belgian Ronny Huybrechts.

"Unconsciously there is some extra tension involved I think, because at one point I missed nine darts on a double to lead 4-1. After throwing the decisive double a burden of about 25 kilos fell off my shoulders", he laughed to BN De Stem.

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A tearful mourning for his father

The 23-year-old Dutchman was immediately reminded of his late father. "I did shed a tear, yes. Man, he would be so proud. I think he would have brought down the whole house if he were still there. This is definitely for him too."

"I'm really so happy about this, I just can't put it into words," Mol continued. "But whether this is a dream? No, it's not. As a kid you have no idea about a Tour Card. The World Championship, playing on the stage, that's my dream. And this is a very big step that I have taken to make that dream come true."

Obtaining a Tour Card came as a complete surprise to Mol, in his own words. "I always saw myself as a 'part time darter'. I could always throw a decent dart, but never took it very seriously. Yet two years ago I turned the switch when I won a tournament. Then I knew: I want to be a professional dart player. But whoever told me two years ago that I would have a tour card now, I would have said he was crazy.

Continuing to work as a painter

Mol also works outside darts as a painter. "I have already made good arrangements so my boss gives me a lot of space to go to all the tournaments as well. Although I still have to recover from last week, I am really looking forward to the first tournament with the big boys. I am really looking forward to it." I have also had four requests from different managements who want to take care of my business. We are going to look into that in the time to come. First we have to enjoy the aftermath.”