ASPINALL REVEALS WHY HE KEEPS PULLING OUT OF PRO TOUR EVENTS

NATHAN ASPINALL admitted he “just doesn’t like darts” as he opened up on why he skips PDC Pro Tour events.

The Asp has featured in just six of the 18 Pro Tour events staged so far this season, despite remaining one of the sport’s biggest names.

World No.14 Aspinall has already enjoyed success, reaching the final of Players Championship One before suffering an 8-6 defeat to James Wade.

But Aspinall confessed that while he still thrives on the biggest stages, much of the day-to-day reality of professional darts no longer appeals to him.

He told the Happy Hour podcast: “Honest to God, I can’t stand it… I just don’t like darts.

“I love it when I’m on the stage, but I just can’t practice, it bores the life out of me, I built a practice room and it’s still got the clingfilm all over it.

“I loved it when I first started playing, that’s why I got into it and I do love the game, it’s gave me a good life, the buzz I get when I walk onto stages is unbelievable!

“But stuff like playing on the Pro Tour, I hate it, that’s why I’m pulling out of them, I don’t enjoy them.

“On a stage I love them, but playing on the pro tour, the travelling side of things, the practicing, all the stuff that comes with the social media, it’s gave me a good life, and I love the buzz on the stage, but I can’t watch it.”

Aspinall made clear his thinking is based on what he believes is best for his career and family financially.

He added: “A lot of the players, I pulled out of the pro tours this week [the week of recording] but I’ve just done four exhibitions and I’m doing four exhibitions on Thursday, Friday Saturday, Sunday.

“Ultimately, I’m here to make money for me and my family, and I’m a business and the business decision is do I do eight exhibitions effectively, or go to two pro tours.

“I’m going to make more money from the exhibitions than the Pro-Tours, granted it’s not ranking, but I enjoy exhibitions and I hate Pro-Tours.”

Aspinall also admitted that his ongoing struggles with dartitis — a psychological condition that affects a player’s throwing action — become far worse on the floor circuit than on televised stages.

He continued: “You’ve got to do what is right for you, playing on the Pro-Tour my dartitis comes back, I still struggle with that and I get dead nervous on the Pro-Tour, it’s too intense for me.”

The Stockport star has already landed silverware on the European Tour this season, beating Kevin Doets 8-5 to win the German Darts Grand Prix.

Aspinall is looking to double the tally when he returns to action this Saturday at the International Darts Open.