Michael Smith will begin his defence of the @paddypower World Darts Championship against either Kevin Doets or Stowe Buntz, after the draw for the sport’s flagship event was made on Monday. Full story ✍👇
"The main goal is not to embarrass myself" - Stowe Buntz to play without pressure and expectation on World Darts Championship debut
PDCThursday, 07 December 2023 at 11:00
After impressing at the Grand Slam of Darts recently, making it all the way to the quarter-finals, Stowe Buntz will make his debut at the World Darts Championship next Friday against Dutchman, Kevin Doets.
Buntz qualified for the World Darts Championship by finishing second in the CDC rankings. This tour is a circuit for darters from North America. Buntz has been active as a dart player since 2003, but only in recent months has he been able to get into the picture.
''Nothing has really changed, but the opportunity just came up,'' Buntz said in conversation with FlashScore. ''I've been playing at a high level in the United States for years, just not every weekend like Leonard Gates or Alex Spellman. Thanks to the CDC's cooperation with the PDC, which gives CDC players the opportunity to qualify for PDC events, I got the chance. Last year I started playing in the CDC and ended up in the top 10."
"This year I played even better and ended up in second place, which earned me qualification for the World Championship. However, I qualified for the Grand Slam by winning the Continental Cup. So it's nothing new that I can play at this level. But the reorganisation means that players are no longer selected at random, everything is now based on a strict points system."
Most players have Phil Taylor or Michael van Gerwen as their childhood idols. Buntz, however, had another player he looked up to immensely. ''I was a huge fan of Ronnie Baxter,'' he confessed. ''After he stopped playing, Peter Wright came on the tour and he, like me, is a fan of those bright colours and I really liked that. I've always been a fan of colour. I painted my first car purple and my first motorbike purple. Everyone says now, because I wear equally garish outfits, that I'm trying to be like him, but I've been like that all my life. Still, I would say that Peter Wright and Rob Cross are players I look up to."
How would Buntz best describe himself as a player? "I think I have a few strengths, especially my good scoring, I rarely have trebleless visits and I'm usually better than my opponent," he answers. "My biggest problem, on the other hand, is consistency: one day I play a leg in 12 darts, the next I suddenly need 21 darts. It's a rollercoaster ride and that's also down to my lack of practice. That's why when I practice I try to work on my muscle memory, my technique and my movements and pay less attention to the board."
Buntz is traveling to Alexandra Palace without any specific objective. ''To be honest, anything after qualifying is a bonus. The main goal is not to embarrass myself,'' he said with a laugh. ''If I put in a good performance but still lose, that's fine with me. It's important to me that I can go out with my head held high and say afterwards that I did my best and if my opponent was better and wins, it was deserved."
Just in
Subscribe to our Daily Newsletter today!
Oct 20, 22:28
0
Popular news
Latest comments
- If John McDonald is doing Kirk Bevins job, then just give him the mic & save 1 pay packet.Cameron.W19-11-2024
- I completely agree with Vincent's comments on "whistlegate". It's great to have someone with Vincent's exprience address this issue, so hopefully clearer and stricter guidlelines can be given to referees, security and members of the crowd. No whistling during throws, and something like: whistlers evicted and fined a hefty sum.
UndartedWaters19-11-2024 - Luke Littler played incredible darts yesterday in the semi-final and the final, heralding a new era of darts (along with some of the other brilliant young players who are emerging). And yet, at Luke's celebration feast, de Decker's ghost is Banquo to Littler's Macbeth, mournfully looking on.UndartedWaters18-11-2024
- Am not outraged and as said above i dont like anyone from any country doing it to anyone from any country. Whoever is going for a double should have best of order.Mysstree17-11-2024
- Say what? It happens in other countries; Littler in January - this year (Holland), go and watch the evidence on YouTube. If it is going to be done to English players, then we are more than entitled to dish the same back when players face off in England. When it happened to Littler in Holland in January... where was your outrage then? ABE attitude.MrYnyslas197117-11-2024