"Maybe I ran out of steam a bit" - Graham Usher falls short in final of 2025 World Seniors Darts Championship

Graham Usher came up just short at the 2025 World Seniors Darts Championship, missing out on a first major title in his career. 'The Gambler' went down 5-1 against Ross Montgomery in the final at the Circus Tavern in Purfleet on Saturday night. Although Usher can look back on a great tournament, he was still slightly disappointed that he never reached his best level in the final.

However, the 51-year-old Usher, who still had a PDC Tour Card in 2023 and 2024, impressed on the final day. In the quarterfinals, he defeated three-time Seniors major winner Leonard Gates 3-1, before in the semifinals he was too strong for the tournament's surprise package Derek Coulson 3-0. It was expected to be a very exciting final, but it turned out somewhat differently, with Usher running out of steam slightly after a long day.

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After a tight opening couple of sets, Montgomery took control when Usher missed ten darts to make it 2-1. From there, it was all about the Scot as he reeled off four successive sets for a 5-1 win. "I never got going from the start really. I struggled," he admits in his post-match interview afterwards. "Maybe I ran out of steam a bit, I don't know. Or a lack of experience on the big stage. But Ross put me under pressure, he played well and he deserved to win. Without a shadow of a doubt."

Graham Usher in action

Ultimately for Usher, it was a final of missed opportunities, as he consistently failed to capitalise on his power scoring, with Montgomery often on hand to punish any missed doubles. "I don't know, it is what it is," he assesses. "The game is done so there's no good going over it too much. I never really gave the crowd a decent game, but look what a champion (points to Montgomery)."

At times during the final, Usher looked genuinely frustrated by some of Montgomery's actions, most notably after that all-important third set. Montgomery took his darts out of the board, walked over to Usher, pointed to his own temple and told the Englishman to calm down whilst patting his opponent on the chest, much to Usher's visible confusion. "It threw me off I think!" Usher admits with a laugh, before concluding: "Well done Ross."

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