Scott Mitchell rises up rankings after double tussle with world no.1 Gerwyn Price
BRANSGORE’S former darts world champion Scott Mitchell put in another remarkable performance over four days of PDC Players Championships to continue his rise up the Order of Merit rankings.
‘Scotty Dog’ who juggles playing the world’s finest darts players with jobs as a beef farmer and freelance landscape gardener, reached the last-16 three times and the quarter-finals – twice losing to world number one Gerwyn Price.
The performance meant former Lakeside champion Mitchell moved up 11 places to 91st.
Mitchell started the first day with three dominant wins over world number 22 Danny Noppert, Geert De Vos and Rowby-John Rodriguez before a narrow 6-5 victory over world number 29 Devon Peterson. The impressive run ended in the quarter-finals against Brendan Dolan, who went on to win in the final.
The following day saw 50-year-old Mitchell pick up consecutive wins over Gary Blades, Peter Jaques and world number 19 Simon Whitlock to set up a last-16 clash with current world champion Price. The Iceman, who was also a professional rugby union and rugby league player, was in imperious form, picking up a 6-3 win before winning his next two matches to win the day.
The Ex-BDO world champion Mitchell secured third-day wins over Jake Jones, Michael Rasztovits and Noppert. However, defeat to Chas Barstow saw Mitchell exit in the last-16.
The fourth day ended with a second defeat to the world’s best darts player Price, after victories over Derk Telnekes and world number 27 Jamie Hughes.
Mitchell, whose showing earnt him £6,250 across the four days, said: “Nobody likes losing, but the thing with the PDC, you’re losing to high calibre opponents whether it’s the first round or the last-16 – that’s the way it’s set up.
“I’m enjoying myself mainly, sometimes in the middle of games I have a moment of reflection and it makes me smile.”
Mitchell earned his PDC tour card after winning the fourth day of the qualifying school beating Danny Baggish 6-2 in the final in February.
