"Some days I’m beating myself up and still fighting my own demons": Cameron Menzies returns to World Darts Championship a year after passing of late uncle

Cameron Menzies returns to Alexandra Palace this week for the PDC World Darts Championship, carrying a mixture of emotion and renewed positivity. After the turmoil of last year, the 36-year-old Scot arrives determined to put painful memories behind him and approach the sport’s biggest stage with a calmer mind and a clearer outlook.

Twelve months ago, Menzies left the Ally Pally in tears after an emotionally overwhelming defeat. It marked one of the darkest periods of his life, with difficult circumstances away from the oche weighing heavily on him.

This time, though, he believes the burden is lighter. “Last year was obviously one of the darkest times of my life,” Menzies says to Oche. “I'm still a bit nervous because it's a bit special, but I'm not as nervous this year because it can’t really go as worse as last year. I’ve had the worst one out of the way, so the only way is up in my opinion.”

Much has changed since then. Over the past year Menzies has been working closely with a sports psychologist, a process he admits has taken time to truly click.

“There are some days I’m beating myself up and still fighting against my own demons, but it does help,” he explains. “I have more positive thoughts now than I did last year. It’s all about positivity and that kind of stuff.”

He says the sessions have begun to influence him both on and off the board.

“It has helped, but it’s still got a long way to go,” he continues. “I met him recently and we went to the driving range and played golf, because he’s a good golfer as well. Even just doing the golfing stuff — he did something recently that actually freaked me out about my subconscious. Honestly, it was crazy what he’d done.”

Menzies jokes that his psychologist is often the more committed one. “Don’t get me wrong, I need to put a bit more effort into it. He makes a lot more effort than me — I sometimes keep forgetting,” he admits. “Sometimes you’re going for a double and you’re thinking, ‘Please hit this, please hit this,’ and with him it’s like, ‘See what happens. What’s the worst that’s going to happen?’ Just be a bit more realistic.”

That mindset, he says, makes all the difference on good days — even if the bad ones still exist. “It does help when you’re in the right frame of mind, but sometimes there are obviously some bad days.”

Despite everything riding on the tournament, Menzies insists his nerves are nowhere near the level they were a year ago.

Last year’s pressure, personal upheaval and emotional strain all took their toll. Now, armed with better coping tools, he feels more settled.

“Maybe it’s because it just can't get any worse than then,” he says with a wry smile. “I’ve got a tough first round so I’m nervous within limits, but I do feel more experienced and more in control.”

Menzies approaches this year’s PDC World Darts Championship with cautious optimism. A steadier mindset, a more structured mental approach and the sense that he has already weathered the worst give him confidence that he can perform to his true level at Ally Pally.