Second Nine Darter So Sweet For Part

JOHN PART achieved history when he hit a nine-darter during the Sky Bet Mobile World Matchplay - exceeding his own expectations with the achievement!

The Canadian has emerged as north America's most successful player during his career, which has seen him win three World Championships as well as the 2006 Las Vegas Desert Classic.

However, his nine-dart finish at the World Matchplay - which came in a 10-8 loss to Mark Webster - was only the second he had EVER hit in two decades of playing darts, with the other coming in a local league game in Canada

Part, though, admitted that he has not expected to rival the likes of Adrian Lewis and Phil Taylor for hitting nine-dart finishes due to his style of play.

"I'm not one of these glitzy guys!" said Part. "I'm more a grinder, who takes his opportunities and when he's playing well hits a lot of 140s.

"I hit a few 180s too, but I haven't threatened a lot on the nine-dart scene. I don't think I've missed many, because I haven't had shots!"



Part's nine-dart finish came as he hit back from 7-1 down to trail just 7-5 to Webster in Blackpool, before the Welsh ace eventually edged to a 10-8 win.

The Canadian added: "I knew I had it in me.

"I'd had chances before the nine-darter, it was pretty level except I was missing when I was supposed to be hitting my doubles, and the scoring wasn't as smooth and consistent as I wanted it to be.

"Scoring-wise I hit a few 180s but I didn't have a good feeling early on in the game and it showed in the doubles.

"When I got it going in that one leg, it was kind-of hard to play the next leg - I had to calm down a bit and could have used a break!

"I got into that zone and an extra adrenaline rush from having hit the nine-darter, and it was as much of a curse as it was a help.

"I did pull it back from there and the game could have gone either way at the end, when I was down 9-8 I just needed one big leg but Mark played well.

"He had a very good position and as an experienced player he knew what he had to do [to close out the game] and he did it.

"Nobody can afford to give a player like Mark the sort of authority position he had - I think I was 7-1 down and lost 10-8, so that's not all bad, I made it pretty close in the end."

Part has enjoyed a return to form this year by winning two Players Championships to kick-start his return up the PDC Order of Merit, having slipped to 32nd in the world rankings.

However, he is hoping to finish 2011 on a high at the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship in December - having seen last year's challenge ruined by a serious ear infection which laid him low before a first round defeat to Per Laursen.

"I was sick as a dog but I gave it my best shot," he reflected. "I was thrilled how I hit the 180s - I hit six - but lost 3-2.

"I wasn't able to move around the board. I was not in good shape and I was just trying to get [through].

"The truth of it is I'm glad I didn't win, because I had a went off the medication and had a recurrence about a week later.

"If I had gone back and played Phil [Taylor] in the second round it would have been a waste of time, so it was much better that I didn't come back. Sometimes it's not meant to be