"I know I'm the favourite" - Jimmy van Schie makes statement on Lakeside debut with straight sets win
WDF
Jimmy van Schie came into the 2024 WDF World Championship as pre-tournament favourite to take the Lakeside title. In his opening match against Bjorn Lejon, averaging 98.98 in a straight sets demolition of the Swede.
"Of course I'm happy. First of all, I just tried to enjoy the stage and the people around. It's a fantastic stage to play on and it's really legendary," the Dutchman reflected in a post-match interview following his Lakeside debut. "All the big names have played here, so yeah, I really enjoyed myself and happy with the win."
Van Schie almost didn't even compete in the WDF World Championship. The Dutchman participated in November in the qualifying tournament for the PDC World Darts Championship, missing match darts in the final to qualify. As a result, Van Schie can still attempt to earn the top prize of 50,000 pounds this week in Frimley Green.
"I had an interview at the start of the year and they asked: what's your plan? I said: Play as much darts as possible," Van Schie explains, and it seems to have been a successful tactic given his remarkable rise in form over the past twelve months. "I won my first tournament in January at the Romanian Open and after that, I was just flying. And when you're winning, you're enjoying it even more, so I thought you know what, let's go all the tournaments and try to win all of them. I almost did that. I'm very happy that I'm playing the way I'm playing right now."
As he explains, a more settled home life has also helped Van Schie. "First, I needed to settle down with my girlfriend, that's more important for me. After that when everything is right, I can enjoy the darts and that's what I did. Now I'm enjoying it even more," he says. "I prefer to be an underdog though. I know I'm the favourite, but I don't want to be the favourite. I'll just try to take every game as it comes and keep winning."
Van Schie's victory ensured that we will have a Dutch dual between Van Schie and Jarno Bottenberg in the last sixteen. 'Bottie' won 3-1 in sets over Ryan Hogarth in the second round on Tuesday. "I expect a good game," Van Schie previews.
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- One mistake is often followed by another, and the PDC have compounded their unimaginative PL picks with a doppelganger cast for the World Series. What an opportunity missed. It hurts the overburdened eight, it hurts the overlooked, it hurts the fans. Who gains? No one I can think of, not even the PDC shareholders.
UndartedWaters08-01-2025 - No, I wasn't expecting Heta to be in it either having won nothing of any significance. Although he is charismatic and has personality unlike the boring and dull as dishwater Dobey. It is quite pathetic and desperate the way Bunting and Arsepinall pander to the crowd to dance to their walk on music, that has worked though. I would like to see more players involved on a weekly basis similar to the Modus Super Series. A knockout tournament with 16 winners from each week. The Premier league is too boring with the same players. Plus it would eliminate all the whining and booing from unselected players.richieburnettrocks07-01-2025
- Why is World Champion Richie Burnett not highlighted in bold font nor 2 time World Champion Scotty 2 Hotty. COME ON RICHIE BURNETT AND SCOTTY 2 HOTTY Although where the hell has 2 HOTTY been the past year!richieburnettrocks07-01-2025
- It's not tennis, snooker or golf, nobody mentioned Fallon,great as she is. Beau beats her week in,week out. But she isn't interested. If you want to include crowd pleasers,get Les Wallace back!!! He was a world champion,and wore a kilt!!!rick6707-01-2025
- I'm glad wright and van Ben bergh were overlooked. Too much dancing,not enough darting. Bunting is always quality,as for price,he's a crowd pleaser(!!?) too. Aspinall has had his problems,but it's nice to see him back,he's a decent chap. Dobey is a top player,big hitter,so I won't complain. Cross will finish bottom,much as I like him,he seems to be off lately. I'm glad they didn't pick a Belgian just for the audience. But I don't agree with the tournament or format,so I guess it's immaterial to me. They might as well turn up at a random pub and play for the beers!!!rick6707-01-2025
- I think the PDC's choice is too conservative. EIther or both of Damon Heta and Mike de Dekker should have been in, at the expense of Aspinall and possibly Price. I guess the PDC's reasoning is that they do not want too much turnover from year to year, and so having already rejected Smith and Wright, they have kept Price and Aspinall, but I guess those two are "on probation".UndartedWaters06-01-2025
- Two from the three of Price, Aspinall and Dobey should have been excluded, De Decker and Edhouse should have been in. I would have offered a place to Beau Greaves though i doubt she would have accepted it and probably not really ready for it confidence wise.Mysstree06-01-2025
- Tennis has a protected ranking system for injuries and Golf has a system that as a Major winner you get invited back of a number of years regardless of your ranking. Barry Hearn gave Stephen Hendry a wildcard for some tournaments though he still had to enter at the qualification stage. Doubt the PDC would give Burnett an exemption as he has never won a PDC Major, same would apply to Steve Beaton. It’s a slippery slope to abandoning a meritocratic system, if the PDC did do so they could then (for example) award a place to Fallon Sherrock even though she has yet to qualify at any level for a tour card.Mysstree06-01-2025
- I'd have said the same about Ady Lewis,but the PDC is indeed a law unto itself,so sorry bud,get your leg kicking and do it for the good lads!!rick6705-01-2025
- COME ON RICHIE BURNETT Surely a World Champion and player with the calibra of Richie should be exempt from ever losing a tour card and having to qualify.richieburnettrocks04-01-2025