SOUTAR BLASTS PDC BOSSES

By Phil Lanning

ALAN SOUTAR has blasted the PDC and insists they have “shut the door” on him.

The Arbroath fireman is furious at changes which have been made to European Tour set-up which have been introduced for 2025.

Darts chiefs have made it so the top 16 of the Order of Merit are now given byes into the second round of tournaments instead of the top 16 from the Pro Tour, who will have to compete in the opening round.

Colleagues such as Ryan Searle and William O’Connor have openly hammered the change of rule and Soutar has reiterated his annoyance.

Soutar produced a stunning day of displays in the UK Open to make the last 32 with a whitewash of Callan Rydz before mauling Matt Campbell.

But he has to hold down a job as well as trying to compete and he said: “When I come home from work, practice. Before a night shift, practice and that’s a massive thing putting in the time.

“It’s impossible, I’m trying my hardest but again I’m going to sound like I am moaning, but the PDC have shut the door on me again.

“You know the score where Euro Tours and all that stuff, they’ve just closed the door on you. So a normal guy that works, they don’t want us.”

Soutar then continued: “I’d be as well giving my tour card back. That’s as bad as the players feel about it. Horrendous, horrendous decision by PDC.

“You can keep your card, but you cannot get into the top 32. It’s impossible. So they’ve absolutely shut the door on you. I get it, I get why they’re doing it, it’s a business and I get why they want the marquee players, but, for the guys that are 33 to 64, good luck.

“Important to keep your tour card, to stay in the top 64, that’s what’s important.

“That’s all I can look towards, that’s the only place I can look at. The player above me is £14,000 above me and I’m 56th in the world, so what else you want me to say about that?  I’m 14 grand behind the guy above me and I’m 56th.”

Soutar is into the last 32 after his superb Friday performances and said: “I don’t need to avoid anybody, I can beat them all but I’m not a professional dart player, I don’t do this as a job, so it’s very hard.

“You need to play your best to beat these guys that are up there doing the Premier League and doing all the top 16.

“It’s very hard to beat them obviously, but if you’re on your game, there’s 128 guys in there that can beat everybody else, so I feel confident, I’m practising well and playing well. I played well there apart from the last couple of legs. I can beat anybody.

“I’ve won twice at Minehead, it’s ridiculous because I can’t win here, so to get two wins is great and I’m on to Saturday.”