Kirk Shepherd claimed the first outright Tour Card of the week from 2021 PDC UK Q-School defeating Jack Main in the final to seal an immediate return to the tour.
ADVERTISEMENT
Shepherd previously competed in Q-School back in 2017 and 2019 winning through then and maintains his record but it is an unwanted one and he hopes he can kick on now.
"I'm relieved more than anything," Shepherd admitted. "I was behind in my first three games, I've had to dig deep today.
"I know what to do at the right times because I've done this before. I walked in the room and I felt like I was the one to watch, not in an arrogant way.
"I've prepared well, I'm practicing well and I'm playing well. The only person who was going to stop me getting my Tour Card was myself.
"The ambition now is to keep the Tour Card. I don't want to keep having to come back to Q School.
"I'm playing better now than I think I ever have. It's taken me ten years to grow up and hopefully I can kick on now."
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.
🗣 "It's taken me ten years to grow up. It's time to kick on now."
Reaction from Kirk Shepherd after he regained his Tour Card on the opening day of UK Q School Final Stage...