Hamilton welder Matt Campbell gives world's top darts player a scare in Amsterdam event
In reaching the second round, Campbell earned a cheque for $11,360
World No. 1 Gerwyn (The Iceman) Price of Wales survived a scare from Canadian Matt (Ginja Ninja) Campbell before prevailing 6-5 Saturday to advance to the quarterfinals of the 300,000-pound ($454,535) Jack's World Series of Darts Finals.
Price, who won the tournament in 2020, ranks first in the Professional Darts Corp (PDC) Order of Merit. Cambell, a 32-year-old Hamilton native who is a welder by trade, stands 85th on that list.
In reaching the second round, Campbell earned a cheque for 7,500 pounds ($11,360).
Campbell, who booked his ticket to the tournament at the recent Jack's Casino World Series Qualifier in Barnsley, England, secured a Professional Darts Corp. (PDC) Tour Card for 2022 and 2023 after topping the European Challenge Tour Order of Merit in 2021.
Campbell finished 115, 76, 85 and 70 to share the opening eight legs, before posting a 101 checkout to move 5-4 up.
Price, the second seed at the tournament, took out 113 to tie the match and then won the decider. He now plays seventh seeded Joe Cullen in the quarterfinals.
The 24-player event runs through Sunday at the AFAS Live concert hall.
Back in 2019, just before the World Darts Championship, Campbell told the Canadian Press that "To me it's pretty much always going to be a hobby." He said "I can't just up and move over there to make it a career. So I never really thought about how good I was or anything like that. I just enjoy the game and play it."