Simon Whitlock
Simon Whitlock ( born March 3, 1969 in Cessnock, Australia) is an Australian darts player of the Professional Darts Corporation ( PDC). His nickname is " The Wizard ". His running music at Tournament appearances is " Down Under " by Men at Work. Whitlock is currently playing with 22 gram Winmau darts.
Career
Already in his first year in the PDC Simon Whitlock gained initial success. In 2003, he reached the third round of the PDC World Darts Championship. He resigned, however, against the Welshman Richie Burnett. Despite this success, he moved in early 2004 surprising to competitive Dartverband British Darts Organisation ( BDO), as in Australia much more than BDO - PDC tournaments are held.
A year later he came up before the semi-finals of the BDO World Darts Champion Chips. There, however, he clearly lost with 0:5 sets against Martin Adams. He also reached the semifinals of the 2005 and 2006 International Darts League ( losing to Mervyn King and Raymond van Barneveld ), a BDO tournament, where up to 2008, PDC players competed. Previously, he defeated Phil Taylor in the quarter final in a thrilling match just 6-5 sentences.
Towards the end of 2007, the first rumors of a return to the PDC came on. However, Whitlock decided for the time being to remain in the British Darts Organisation ( BDO). In 2008 he played his last World Cup for the BDO. In the first two rounds he beat Edwin Max and Fabian Roosenbrand, before the former BDO World Champion Ted Hankey beat sensational in the quarterfinals with 5-0 records. In the semifinals, he defeated the Englishman Brian Woods. This Whitlock could reach the final of a Darts World Cup for the first time. In a high class final he lost to Mark Webster with 5:7.
In March 2009 he announced his return to the Professional Darts Corporation ( PDC). In the first round of the PDC World Darts Championship 2010 he beat Colin Osborn 3-1. Later he beat Wayne Jones and Terry Jenkins. In the quarterfinals, he could defeat even the world ranking third James Wade 5-3. In the subsequent semi-final it came to the reunion with Raymond van Barneveld. In a highly dramatic game, Whitlock was able to secure the eleventh and final set 3-1 Legs and defeated Barneveld 6-5 sets. He drew first Australian to reach the final of the PDC World Darts Championship. There, however, he succumbed to the now 16- time world champion Phil Taylor with 3:7 and thus became Vice World Champion 2010. Thus he secured a prize of 100,000 pounds.
In the PDC World Darts Championship 2011, he was able to reach the knockout stages, which he, however, with 2:4 against Vincent van der Voort lost after victories over Steve Evans ( 3-0) and Denis Ovens ( 4:0). A year later, the Australians reached the semifinals, but that he lost with 5:6 and the second just missed finals in the PDC World Championship after a highly dramatic match.
On September 16, 2012 Whitlock won a Players Championship in Barnsley and celebrated his first tournament success for almost two years. The taking place in the following week European Darts Championship 2012 in Mülheim an der Ruhr, he reached after wins over Mark Walsh ( 6-2 ), Dave Chisnall ( 10:5 ), Colin Lloyd ( 10:7 ) and Belgian Kim Huybrechts ( 11:9 ) again a major finals. In that he was able to prevail with 11:5 against Wes Newton and his first major title, with prize money of £ 50,000 win. In the rest of the season Whitlock difference at the World Grand Prix 2012 in the first round ( 1-2 against Justin Pipe) from. It followed the victory at doped with £ 82.100 Dutch Darts Masters by a 6-1 win over Paul Nicholson. The victory in Group 5 in the Championship League Darts 2012 qualified Simon Whitlock for the so-called Winners Group, in which he finished third and had to finally beaten in the final of Phil Taylor with 4:6. In early November Whitlock won again one of the Players Championship. At the Grand Slam of Darts 2012 Simon difference despite two victories unhappy in the group stage. In the last major tournament before the World Cup, the Players Championship Finals, to Whitlock again in good shape and reached the semifinals, where he was once more chance against the eventual tournament winner Phil Taylor ( 2:11 ). The PDC World Darts Championship 2013 Whitlock won against Haruki Muramatsu (3-0), Colin Osborne (4-0 ) and Dave Chisnall (4:3) and was able to move into the quarterfinals, where he Raymond van Barneveld 1:5 subject.
Due to the good results in 2012, Simon Whitlock was able to secure a wildcard (Sport) for the Premier League Darts again. The first major tournament in 2013 was the World Cup of Darts, in which Whitlock along with Paul Nicholson went again for Australia at the start. The local blow came through a 1:5 defeat in the second round against Belgium, represented by the brothers Kim and Ronny Huybrechts. The first success of the season for Simon, there was the fifth Players Championship 2013 in Wigan, where he prevailed 6-1 against Michael van Gerwen. The Premier League Season 2013 Whitlock graduated from sixth and thus failed to qualify for the final evening of the best four. In the European Darts Open 2013 which was held at the Maritim Hotel in Dusseldorf, Simon reached the final and defeated there by 2:6 against Michael van Gerwen. In the inaugural in 2013 Invitational Tournament " Dubai Duty Free Darts Masters ", which took place under the open sky Tennis Stadium in Dubai, he left with 8:10 on the first evening ( quarter-finals ) against James Wade. His participation in the short subsequent Austrian Darts Open he canceled. In the second major of the year, the UK Open, Simon Whitlock retired again in his first game, this time against Wes Newton ( 4:9 ), from. In the European Darts Championship 2013 reached Whitlock, as in the previous year, the finals, but this time it lost against a resurgent Adrian Lewis with 6:11. The third most important tournament of the year, the World Matchplay, Simon difference in a high class game in the quarter- final against James Wade with 16:18. In the rest of the season Whitlock succeeded not much and when major tournaments he retired in each of the first rounds of. At the Grand Slam of Darts 2013, he survived this time at least the group stage, and then immediately with 9:10 to Ted Hankey KO to go. The PDC World Darts Championship 2014 Simon remained until the quarter-finals without dropping a set, which he ruled 5-4 against Ian White for themselves. In the semifinals, he was against a surprisingly strong Peter Wright with 2:6 ultimately to no chance. Due to the semi-finals, Simon Whitlock secured a prize of £ 50,000. He climbed into the money list one place to the top, where it has achieved 3rd place its best position ever. At the same time he is so qualified for the upcoming Premier League Darts.
Sporting successes
- PDC Players Championship Finals Semi-finalists: 2012
- PDC Championship League Darts finalist: 2012
- PDC darts Dutch Masters winner: 2012
- PDC European Darts Championship Winner: 2012/Finalist: 2013
- PDC Premier League Darts finalist: 2012
- PDC World Cup of Darts finalist: 2012
- PDC World Darts Championship finalist: 2010
- PDC World Darts Championship Semi-finalists: 2012, 2014
- Australia National Championships winner: 2008
- Professional Australian Grand Masters Winner: 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
- Australian Masters Winner: 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007
- Castle Hill winner: 2005
- Central Coast Australian Classic winner: 2008
- Coota winner: 2004
- Goulburn Open winner: 2007
- Japan Open winner: 2006
- Lakeside World Championship Runner -up: 2008
- Mittagong RSL Open winner: 2007
- New Zealand Masters winner: 2005
- Oak Flats Soundwaves Open winner: 2007
- Oceanic Masters winner: 2002, 2010
- Pacific Masters winner: 2004, 2006, 2008
- Pine Rivers Open winner: 2007
- Russell Stewart Classic winner: 2007
- Southern Illawarra winner: 2007
- Wagga Classic winner: 2007
- Wattle Time Memorial Tournament winner: 2004