2024 Lakeside World Championship – Days 1-3

Updated: December 1, 2024

After two days with no Americans in action, Sunday saw three ADO players take to the stage. While it wasn’t total disappointment, it could certainly have been better.

Washington’s Kevin Luke was first to appear, taking on Sybren Gijbels. While the first set wasn’t the most impressive of the tournament, it was the 2022 ADO National 501 Champ who captured the set in four legs. The second set also went four legs, but this time it was in the Belgian’s favor. Highlight of the set was a first leg 11-darter from Gijbels.

Luke had the disadvantage of being against the darts in the third, and the first four legs all went to the player throwing first. He did have a sniff at 67 in the fifth, but when that didn’t go, Gijbels it was who booked a place in the second round.

Last on in the session was the legendary Paula Murphy. Here she faced another Paula – England’s Jacklin. While Jacklin has appeared in several World Championships, she has yet to win a match. A steady display from the Florida native gave her the first set in straight legs, and it looked that that run was to continue. And it did continue, with a 3-1 win in the second set. Murphy could have finished the match in style, instead wiring a 126 finish, but the remaining 25 disappeared with her next handful. Her next match is at 1.00pm on Wednesday, when she faces sixth seed, Aletta Wajer.

On to the evening session, and it was Kevin Luke’s close neighbour, Jeff Springer Jr who provided our main interest. Springer took on local Surrey hero, Aaron Turner.

Turner edged the first leg, only for Springer to level with a nice check from 64. As early as the third leg of the contest, there was a huge turning point. The American had a chance to take the lead by checking out from 74, but after a first dart T14, the next two failed to find the double. It shouldn’t have been an issue, as he still had three darts at 16, but again, he fell short, and Turner gratefully cleaned up. One leg later, and the set was over.

Sadly, missed doubles were to prove costly in the second set. Despite taking Leg 2, missed outs from 85, 132, and then 88 sent Springer home after just eight legs. It could – and perhaps SHOULD – have been a different story, but that’s always easy to say after the event.

Elsewhere, there were first round exits for three of the men’s seeds, including #1, Danny Porter, who went out to Belgium’s Francois Schweyen. Man of the event so far has been Ireland’s Shane McGuirk, who has registered the top two match averages so far. Four-time World Champion Lisa Ashton is the biggest casualty in the women’s event so far. Lisa went down to 18-year Sophie McKinlay, who also lines up in the girls World Championship here!

So, don’t forget; Wednesday afternoon sees Paula Murphy’s second round match, with Jason Brandon closing the session.