Three-time world champion Glen Durrant has announced his retirement from professional darts and will play in the World Seniors Darts Championship in February.
Durrant enjoyed a dominant spell on the BDO circuit, winning the World Championship at Lakeside for three consecutive years in 2017, 2018, and 2019 before making the move across to the PDC. ‘Duzza’ also won the Winmau World Masters (2015 and 2016), World Trophy (2018) and Finder Masters (2015, 2016, and 2018) in the BDO.
After coming through PDC’s Q-School in 2019, the Middlesbrough thrower wasted no time in showing what he is capable of, reaching the semi-finals of the World Matchplay, World Grand Prix, and the Grand Slam of Darts in his first year on tour, alongside winning two Players Championship events on the floor.
That stellar year earned Durrant a chance to play in the Premier League in 2020, winning the league phase and the tournament overall – matching a feat that only Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen had accomplished.
Durrant, by his own admission, has struggled on tour in the last two years which has seen him plummet outside of the top 64 in the PDC’s Order of Merit, thus losing his tour card. Rather than attempt to win his tour card back, the 52-year-old has called time on his days as a professional darts player, pointing towards a “new chapter in my life”.
He said on social media: “Well that’s it I’m no longer a professional dart player Part relief part incredible disappointment…New chapter in my life starts today.”
World Seniors Darts
Though Durrant is stepping away from the professional game, he will not be completely putting his arrows down as it was announced on Tuesday morning that he has accepted an invitation to play in the 2023 World Seniors Darts Championship.
The invitation from the World Seniors Darts Tour (WSDT) means that Durrant will be playing alongside legends such as Phil Taylor and Martin Adams at the Circus Tavern in February.
Billy Lovell of the WSDT said in a statement: “WSDT are extremely happy Glen has accepted an invite to the JenningsBet World Seniors Darts Championship. As one door closes, another open, and we’re very happy to be opening that door for Glen.
“Even through a relatively tough period of his career, Glen continues to be a model professional and still possess the game to a pose a real threat in these championships.”
In a recent interview with Fen Regis Trophies, young thrower James Beeton credited Durrant with helping him as he entered the darts circuit, talking about how the former world champion would seek him out to score his games.
