Beaton’s Blog - DUTCH WEEKEND 18/19TH JUNE 2011

Well I made it.I qualified for The World Matchplay.

I travelled to The Van der Valk Hotel in Nuland , Holland for 2 x Dutch Darts Trophy Player Championships, with a lot to do to qualify.

On the Saturday I beat Darren Johnson 6-0 in the first, Mark Frost 6-3 in the second, Alan Tabern 6-3 in the third, then lost 6-5 to Vincent Van der Voort in the fourth.  I was thinking one more double would have put me in a much better position for the start of the Sunday tournament.

So Sunday morning I still had a lot to do, so I was well happy with a Quarter Finals Result.

I drew Kevin McDine first round, beating him 6-4, Shane O’Connor 6-4 in the second, Alan Tabern 6-4 in the third (board final again), Ronnie Baxter 6-3 in the fourth, taking me into a Quarter Finals  Match against Simon Whitlock.
I lost 6-4 to Simon, but had achieved enough over the weekend to take my place in The World Matchplay, to be held from 16th-24th July at The Winter Gardens, Blackpool.

I was relieved to say the least as I was under immense pressure the whole weekend.
A tournament of this calibre means a lot to professional dart players and there are some brilliant players who have not been fortunate enough to have qualified.

I play Terry Jenkins in the first round of The World Matchplay, which was drawn on Sunday evening.

Well done to Gary Anderson who completed a Dutch Darts Trophy Double with victories over Wes Newton on the Saturday and Andy Smith on the Sunday.

Cheers Steve