Darts ace Ryan primed for World Championship

Borders arrowman Ryan Hogarth is sharpening his skills ahead of an appearance in the BDO World Professional Darts Championship next week.
Ryan Hogarth (archive image by Bas van den Berk)Ryan Hogarth (archive image by Bas van den Berk)
Ryan Hogarth (archive image by Bas van den Berk)

County player Ryan, from Kelso, is seeded number 15 for this year’s competition, which moves from its Lakeside home for the first time in 35 years to the surroundings of the O2 in London.

Ryan (27) reckons his form is reasonably good at the moment, so he’s going into the contest in fairly confident mood.

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The tournament begins this Saturday but Ryan is due on stage on Tuesday evening, January 7, where he will play the winner of a preliminary-round match between fellow Scot, Ross Montgomery, and French qualifier, Thibault Tricole.

Montgomery is a friend of Ryan’s and a player who has been a big guiding influence on his career to date.

However, Ryan said he would be hoping for the chance to meet his old mentor.

Montgomery was the victor the last time they played in a televised match, so Ryan is keen to even things up.

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A tendon injury has restricted Ryan’s darting activity a little but he said he was looking forward to practising at home over the next few days before heading to the capital.

“I’ve been playing pretty well lately, so hopefully I will keep that up,” he said. “I’ve no complaints.”

The ex-Kelso High School pupil, a finalist in last year’s Bauhaus Dutch Open, also revealed he was contemplating a move to the Professional Darts Corporation, although he was yet to make up his mind.

The alternative governing body had impressed him with its financial opportunities and its high standards in organising competitions, he said.

Ryan’s parents, Graham and Irene, are well-known Borders Country players.

Their son took up darts at the age of 18, after a varied sporting life which included tennis, curling, basketball and cricket.

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