Brian Raman has opened up the 2024 WDF Lakeside World Championship with victory in a real cracker of a game against Crone Groeneveld which saw 'The Riddler' solve the puzzle of the superb Dutchman.
ADVERTISEMENT
Groeneveld came through the Qualifier but was seen as a real one to watch. But he missed a match dart as Raman overcame a set deficit to take out the Dutchman with three 180's and will return tomorrow to face off against Martyn Turner.
It was a phenomenal start from Groeneveld who produced a 16 darter on double 10. He followed that up with an exquisite 12 darter with an 81 checkout.
He continued to leave Raman out in the cold as he pinned 64. Amid the pressure to stay in it, Raman held with an 80 checkout to begin set two.
Groeneveld held on double 20 but Raman went one away from levelling the tie up at 1-1 in sets. The Dutchman missed 127 on double eight for 2-2 but returned for double two finally. He missed 107 for the set and the match and Raman hit 65 for the set.
Groeneveld missed 124 and Raman broke with a 62 checkout for 1-0. Raman's superb finishing continued as he hit 52. It was a fifth double in a row for the Belgian. Groeneveld hit double 10 to stay in it.
Raman finally missed a double with 136 going begging for the match but he returned for double 14 for the match.
ADVERTISEMENT
While Scott Walters made his long awaited World Championship debut. But is one he won't want to remember in a hurry as he saw off Craig Brown. But it was a match full of nerves. He returns next to face Cliff Prior who he roomed with at the World Masters.
Brown who travelled the furthest to get to Lakeside missed three darts to open up and Walters hit a 25-darter for 1-0. The latter returned to seal the 2-0 lead.
Brown had missed nine darts at a double as Walters sealed the set. More missed darts hampered Brown as he had a chance to go 2-0 up in the second set but handed Walters parity at 1-1. More missed chances and Walters hit two double 20's to go one away.
Walters couldn't finish the tie off as Brown broke him to send it to a decider. The former hit a 180 though as he looked to break back instead of losing the set. He hit double five finally to reach Round Two.
ADVERTISEMENT
𝙍𝙖𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙨 𝙇𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙨𝙩𝙮𝙡𝙚!
— WDF Darts (@DartsWDF) November 29, 2024
Brian Raman survives a match dart and overturns a one set deficit to take out Corné Groeneveld in this year's Lakeside opener.
The Belgian fired in 3 180s and returns tomorrow to face Martyn Turner!#Lakeside2024 pic.twitter.com/nYVQv1IIxN
Samuel GillChief Content Officer
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.
claps 0visitors 0
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- Good, absolutely no loss if we never see this dancing goof ever again......no that is not fair. He absolutely cannot and has never been remotely able to dance!richieburnettrocks10-11-2026
- Yes Phil,now the money in the game is bigger than ever,you'd play littler. Well so would I! Retire on your memory Phil,and your successful careerrick6709-11-2026
- And why should he listen to you?Deduce635807-11-2026
- Ultimately it is a bye for whoever draws Barney. It will be another stroppy and sulky performance once he goes behind. Barney was excellent but really must completely call it a day now.richieburnettrocks07-11-2026
- I'm disappointed he was not able to secure a spot at the Grand Slam. With Carl Sneyd taking care of Daryl Gurney, he would have had to beat Andy Boulton before facing the winner of Sneyd vs Mensur Suljović for a Grand Slam spot. Unfortunately, after beating Filip Bereza comfortably, he succumbed to Boulton, and the board would ultimately be won by the highly inconsistent Carl Sneyd. Since he could instead have been drawn against the likes of Cristo Reyes, Dirk van Duijvenbode and Stephen Bunting, I think once Gurney was out of the picture he would have been favourite to win his board, and it seems like a massive missed opportunity to put 5 grand on his ranking and seal another major TV appearance ahead of the Worlds. The highs and lows of following Raymond van Barneveld!Deduce635806-11-2026
- Probably i will receive a lot of backlash and hate for this reaction, but well, so be it. I am more than sick and tired of those lies of you Barry Hearn. How dare you defend yourself over the back of Fallon’s son! He has a disability and not an illness, so let me correct that for you! I know because I have the exact same disability. I have tried to reach out to Fallon in the past, and offered her to help her and her son, because I was struggling with the same problems, and I understood the boy. I wanted him to have finally someone who understood him. However she told me that she did not want my help, and I have respected Fallon’s choice. I have never asked Fallon for money. They don’t need money in that case. I only ever wanted the best for Fallon and Rory, but I have to be honest about the situation. Fallon should tell the true story and not be forced to tell lies. I don’t hate Fallon, and I don’t begrudge or envy a single penny that she gets, but this situation/case is just not fair. I hate the lies and the dishonesty and injustice. I don’t want Fallon to be hated because there is an unfair disadvantage created. Don’t proclaim your false lies over the back of Rory! I only stand for integrity and justice. I am precisely the one who always sticks up for Fallon. And you don't, you don't give a damn about them. You were never there for them, and now you only want to save your own position! You are just trying to talk your way out of your own bad behavior at the expense of someone with a disability. And to Fallon, I don’t know if this may ever reach you, and you read it, but I want you to know I love you and I love your son Rory very much, I am sorry how things developed and went. I hope you and Harriet are still friends. I am sorry if I were too persistent to you, or you experienced it that way, but it was never my intention. Please understand I have autism as well. As Barry Hearn would say, I am only just a human being too, and I also make mistakes and misjudge things sometimes. I promise you I did everything out of the deepest love and care for you and Rory. If I were you, I should just keep all the money, only please never be dishonest or tell lies anymore for Barry Hearn, or anyone else. I hope you have the best life, and I wish nothing more than the best for you. I have always loved the two of you. Farewell.Hiddo05-11-2026
- She is a professional. If darts is her income, she is a professional. Same as Adrian Lewis, Martin Adams. A tour card just means someone can play on the PDC tour. You could even make a case that Clayton wasn't a professional (until recently I believe) because he had employment elsewhere.BandB04-11-2026
- She's technically not a professional though as she doesn't hold a pro tour card.mr-pablo04-11-2026
- Such a shame that lakeside has been reduced to this. Fantastic venue,and previously a great tournament. Not any morerick6703-11-2026
- Seems to me that the top 16 players pick and choose whatever they want to play. Good,all the money will get spread out more. They get more money from exhibitions than tournaments so let them all withdrawrick6703-11-2026