Scott Williams links ranking pressure to struggle with dartitis: “I will tell you that is not the reason it happened. But a psychologist will tell me otherwise”

Scott Williams suspects that his recent struggles with dartitis may be linked to his ranking drop last year. The Englishman saw a lot of ranking money fall away at the end of the season and believes the mental pressure from that could be a factor.

The issues for 'Shaggy' came to the fore in October during a Players Championship match against Ryan Joyce. Footage showed Williams struggling to release his dart—a classic symptom of dartitis.

The current world number 44 describes it as a form of performance anxiety that can manifest physically at the oche. According to Williams, the problem starts exactly at the moment he wants to initiate his throw.

On the Jaackmaate podcast, the Englishman explained what goes through his mind in those moments. “It’s a state of mind where you can’t release a dart properly. It’s like a sports anxiety, performance anxiety,” said Williams. “In your head you feel like you’re not good enough or you are not playing well enough, and then that portrays onto your body.”

Williams also referred to a video that circulated on social media, in which his struggle to release his dart was clearly visible. ““So, there was a video going on about me a while ago, and I struggled to release the dart. It was legit and not me messing about,” he said. “But then it was one of them things that would all of a sudden disappear. I have been fine this week and was fine last week. I have a little yip here and there. Other than that, it is fine."

According to Williams, the problem mainly occurs right before he fully commits to his throw. “Just before I would bring my arm back to propel the dart forward, it wouldn’t let me. So I could feel my body and shoulder going before my arm. As I did, you release it really late, so it drops and then it looks awful. And it feels horrible."

The Englishman acknowledges that the situation around his ranking may play a part. “At the end of last year, I had a lot of money coming off my rankings. Even in my head, I will tell you that is not the reason it happened. But a psychologist will tell me otherwise.”

Williams was in action at the UK Open in Minehead last weekend but exited in the third round after a 6-4 defeat to Slovenian Benjamin Pratnemer.