Ross Smith (darts player)

Ross Smith
Personal information
Nickname Smudger
Born (1989-01-12) 12 January 1989
Chatham, Kent
Home town Bolton
England
Darts information
Laterality Right-handed
Walk-on music Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen
Organisation (see split in darts)
BDO 2007–2011
PDC 2005–2006, 2012–
Current world ranking 110
BDO majors - best performances
World Ch'ship Quarter-finals: 2011
World Masters Last 40: 2011
PDC premier events - best performances
World Ch'ship Last 64: 2014
Grand Slam Group stage: 2013
UK Open Last 64: 2013, 2014
Other tournament wins
Tournament Years
PDC Challenge Tour England 2013, 2013, 2013, 2013

Ross Smith (born 12 January 1989) is an English darts player who plays in PDC events.

Career

Smith began playing in Professional Darts Corporation events in 2005 and made his debut in the Vauxhall Spring Open, reaching the last 16. Smith then reached the final of the WDF Europe Youth Cup, losing to Dutchman Johnny Nijs. Smith had little success afterwards on the PDC circuit and switched to the BDO in 2007. He reached the last 16 of the 2008 British Classic and the 2008 Czech Open.

Smith qualified for the 2009 BDO World Darts Championship, winning one of five places in the qualifiers in Bridlington. He gained victories over Stuart Kellet, Kevin Simm and Henny van der Ster before beating Scotland's Don Haughton to qualify. He faced Scott Waites in the first round, losing 3-0.

In the 2011 BDO World Darts Championship, he beat Tony O'Shea 3-1 in the first round and Willy van de Wiel 4-1 in the second round, before losing to eventual champion Martin Adams 1-5 in the quarter finals. It was announced at the end of the 2012 BDO World Championship that Ross would be one of many players to compete in the rival PDC's 'Q School' the following season.[1] He earned a tour card through the qualifiers Order of Merit. His best result of 2012 came just one week later as he reached the quarter-finals of the second Players Championship and lost 3–6 to Justin Pipe.[2][3] Smith qualified for three of the five new European Tour events, but lost in the first round on each occasion. He came very close to defeating world number 5 Simon Whitlock in the third event, the European Darts Open as he led 5–2, but went on to lose 5–6.[4]

Smith headed into 2013 ranked world number 79,[5] and reached his first semi-final on the PDC tour in April at the seventh UK Open Qualifier, where he lost 6–3 to John Part.[6] At the UK Open itself, he fought back from 7–4 down in the third round against Jelle Klaasen to level at 7–7, before being edged out 9–7.[7] He threw a nine-dart finish in the second round of the Gibraltar Darts Trophy against Adrian Lewis, but lost 5–6.[8] Smith won four events on the PDC Challenge Tour during 2013 to top the Order of Merit which has earned him a place in the Grand Slam of Darts and the 2014 World Championship and also a two year PDC tour card which includes all of his 2014 entry fees.[9] In the Grand Slam he lost each of his three games to Simon Whitlock, Wes Newton and Mark Webster to finish bottom of Group G.[10] He played Whitlock in the first round of the World Championship and was beaten 3–0 in sets.[11]

He began 2014 at 54th place in the rankings meaning he rose 25 positions during the previous year.[12] He lost 9–5 in the third round of the UK Open to Kim Huybrechts.[13] Smith's only quarter-final showing of the year came at the 19th Players Championship where he lost 6–3 to Gerwyn Price.[14] He missed out on qualifying for the 2015 World Championship by just £500 on the Pro Tour Order of Merit.[15]

Smith saw off Kevin Thomas at the German Darts Championship and came from 4–1 behind against Peter Wright in the second round to force a deciding leg in which he missed one match dart to lose 6–5.[16] 2015 proved to be a difficult year for Smith as he could only record one more last 32 finish out of the events he played in. [17] Smith explained that the birth of his child and starting a new job had left him with no time to practice.[18] He fell to 74th on the Order of Merit meaning he needed to enter 2016 Q School.[19] Smith hit a nine darter on the first day and on the final day eliminated seven players, concluding with a 5–4 victory over Mick McGowan to win a new two-year tour card and stated that his goal was to get in the top 40 in the rankings.[18]

He failed to qualify for the 2016 UK Open and reached the last 32 of an event for the only time this year at the fourth Players Championship event by beating Peter Wright and Dennis Smith, before losing 6–2 Rowby-John Rodriguez.[20] He reached the main draw of the Gibraltar Darts Trophy and Austrian Darts Open, but was eliminated in the first round of both.[21]

World Championship results

BDO

PDC

References

  1. ↑ "Hankey 'could lead exodus to PDC'". BBC News.
  2. ↑ "Ross Smith 2012". Darts Database. Archived from the original on 28 January 2013. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  3. ↑ "2012 PDPA Players Championship Spain Results". Darts Database. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  4. ↑ "European Darts Open Day One". PDC. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
  5. ↑ "Order of Merit on 1 January 2013". PDC. Archived from the original on 9 February 2013. Retrieved 9 February 2013.
  6. ↑ "Seventh Heaven For Huybrechts". PDC. Retrieved 27 April 2013.
  7. ↑ "Speedy Services UK Open - Friday". PDC. Retrieved 8 June 2013.
  8. ↑ "Gibraltar Darts Trophy Day Two". PDC. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  9. ↑ "Win Earns Smith Challenge Tour Honour". PDC. Retrieved 19 October 2013.
  10. ↑ "2013 Grand Slam Of Darts Fixtures". Darts Database. Retrieved 12 November 2013.
  11. ↑ "Ladbrokes World Championship Day Five". PDC. 17 December 2013.
  12. ↑ "Order of Merit on 2 January 2014". PDC. Archived from the original on 2 January 2013. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
  13. ↑ "Coral UK Open - Friday Evening". PDC. Retrieved 7 March 2014.
  14. ↑ "Ross Smith 2014". Darts Database. Archived from the original on 5 December 2014. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
  15. ↑ "2014 Pro Tour Order of Merit". PDC. Archived from the original on 5 December 2014. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
  16. ↑ "German Darts Championship Day Two". PDC. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
  17. ↑ "Ross Smith 2015". Darts Database. Archived from the original on 30 November 2015. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
  18. 1 2 "Dover dartist Ross Smith earns lucrative PDC tour card". Dover Express. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  19. ↑ "Order of Merit on 4 January 2016". PDC. Archived from the original on 17 January 2016. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
  20. ↑ "Maiden ProTour Win For Big Ben". PDC. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
  21. ↑ "Ross Smith 2016". Darts Database. Archived from the original on 31 October 2016. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
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