Somerset’s own Justin Hood, ranked world number 86 from Glastonbury, delivered an exhilarating performance at the PDC World Darts Championship, claiming a dramatic sudden-death leg victory over Dutch sixth seed Danny Noppert. This hard-fought win propelled Hood into the third round, setting up an exciting clash against fellow Englishman Ryan Meikle.
The match, held at the iconic Alexandra Palace, was a nail-biter with both players averaging over 100—Hood at 103 and Noppert at 102—pushing the contest to the 11th and deciding leg of the final set. Reflecting on his victory, Hood humorously credited his mental resilience to “being really thick,” explaining how it helped him avoid succumbing to the immense pressure.
“It was a good game, but I knew that it would be. Danny’s a class player, but I did it, and that’s all that matters,” Hood stated. “I’m quite lucky, I’m really thick, so I don’t worry about all the pressure; you just go out there and chuck your darts. If it’s good enough, it’s good enough, and (this time) it was.”
READ MORE: Somerset Area Death Notices and Funeral Announcements This Week
READ MORE: Burglary in Weston-super-Mare: Cash and Keys Stolen
During the tense encounter, the 32-year-old came agonizingly close to completing a nine-darter, hitting seven perfect darts in a row. Hood cheekily suggested he’s saving that feat for the final, adding that this thrilling win ranks as just the “second biggest” of his career.
“I’ve done seven (darts of the nine-darter), next it’ll be eight, and hopefully, against (Luke) Littler in the final, nine,” he said. “This is my second biggest win ever after beating (his friend) Dan in Break N Dish (in Street) the other week.”
Looking ahead, if Hood can overcome Meikle in their upcoming third-round match on Monday afternoon, he will face either Northern Ireland’s Josh Rock or Newcastle’s Callan Rydz in the fourth round. A potential quarter-final showdown looms with either Michael van Gerwen or fellow Somerset darts star Gary Anderson.
The championship will resume its action with the third round beginning at 12.30 pm this afternoon, promising more thrilling moments for fans.