SMITH REVEALS CULLEN WILL SHAVE ‘WINGS’ OFF HIS BACK FOR IBIZA
25/05/2026 By Aaron Nijjar
ROSS SMITH says Joe Cullen will shave the “wings” off his BACK before Nathan Aspinall’s Ibiza stag do.
The bizarre confession came after Smudger enjoyed a brilliant weekend at the International Darts Open, where he thrashed Ryan Searle 8-3 in the final to claim his maiden European Tour crown.
The victory secured Smith’s ninth PDC ranking title and lifted him back into the world’s top 16.
Smith’s superb run began with an 6-3 victory over Cullen, averaging more than 102 in the match, while later providing a lighter moment by revealing an unusual dare involving his close friend.
He said: “Joe Cullen is a good pal, but he’s told me — I don’t even know if I want to say this — that I’ve asked him to shave my back for Ibiza.
“He’s said to me that I have to put a dare out right here, right now, and tell everyone he’s shaving the wings off my back.
“I’ve got some big wings on my back.
“I can’t even believe I’m saying this here, but he dared me, so I had to do it.”
The Dover thrower produced a tense 6-4 win against Ricardo Pietreczko, breaking throw at the key moment to halt the German’s home charge.
Smith then edged past Michael van Gerwen 6-5 in a dramatic quarter-final before cruising through Cameron Menzies 7-0 in the semi-finals.
The 37-year-old was delighted to end a run of four consecutive Euro Tour finals defeats.
He added: ‘Honestly, I’m just so happy to win one.
“It starts grating on your head and you begin thinking, ‘Am I ever going to win one?’ But finally, yeah — honestly, I’m so, so happy.
“I feel like I’ve won every section now — Players Championship events, a European Tour event and a major.
“Weirdly, I’ve probably done it all back to front, but yeah, this one’s for my mum and dad as well.
“Honestly, it hurts. I kept telling myself — and I don’t want to say too much because Ryan is brilliant and a really good mate — but I’ve been there, and it bloody hurts, you know what I mean?
“You don’t want to keep feeling like that, so you push yourself and remind yourself that you never want to feel like that again.
“Ryan will win loads of these, he’s fantastic. Top guy as well. To be fair, he let me off a bit in the final there.
“I didn’t play fantastic, but Ryan didn’t quite get going. Trust me though, he’s brilliant.”
