Mitchell defeated Martin Adams in the 2015 Lakeside final
Over the past 15 years, some of the big names in the BDO World Championship have moved over to the PDC and made a huge impact.
Raymond van Barneveld, Jelle Klaasen, Mark Webster, Stephen Bunting and most recently Glen Durrant have all taken a shower after the move.
Coming back from winning his PDC Tour Card at Q-School, 2015 Lakeside champion Scott Mitchell hopes to follow in his footsteps.
‘Scotty Dog’ will start in the PDC on Thursday, taking part in the Super Series.
“I have to figure out how to get the best game out there 80 percent of the time. If you don’t, you have no hope in hell. Where you can get away in the BDO with a poor average and your name takes you through, you won’t get away with that [in the PDC], “he said Podcast Show Darts.
“It’s about preparing myself the right way, change a few things because we’ll start a little later; the 12:00 starts where we are in the BDO starting at 10:00 or 10:30.
“If you can get your good games out, the rewards come. If you don’t get your good games out, there will be no prizes. It’s up to me. It really is.
“I look forward to knowing that you are part of the best 128 players on the planet at this special time, I am very proud of that fact. And it’s a chapter I’m really looking forward to in my darting life. “
To know that you are part of the best 128 players on the planet at this particular time, I am very proud of that fact.
Mitchell is thrilled to be joining the elite of the world
Q-school
Mitchell left him late at Q-School earlier this month, with a run to the final on the final day getting him over the line.
“Going into the [final] day, I knew I had to make the final round, “he said.” At times when you know what you have to do, it ‘s a lot easier if that makes sense?
“I just wanted a little luck. I had drawn Fallon (Sherrock) the first day, when I hadn’t played a man for four months. I was so anxious, when you play one of the women best in the world.You just don’t want that on the first day.You feel rusty, you feel anxious.
“Fallon played well.
“And I went into Jack Main the next day, who had reached the final the day before, more or less proving himself a card. So I felt unlucky with the draw, so you said ‘last day I’m going to get a good draw’, and I get Alan Norris first round!
“But your experience tells you if you get over that, and if you play well, it sets you up for a good run.”
Mitchell reached the final on the final day of Q-School, and despite losing against Danny Baggish, he received a certificate through Order of Merit
Balancing farming with darts
Like many players on the tour, Mitchell also balances full-time work between tournaments at night.
But there are not too many elite athletes who work as farmers.
Nevertheless, Mitchell sees benefits to his agricultural work.
“The best thing about being your own boss in any job is you can pick your times and pick your times when you do certain things. I know with the farm, no That ‘s always the case. If a cow is going to calve, she’ s going to make a calf when he wants it. There’s nothing to do when you want it, “he laughed.
“I have to go to the darts, not worry about what’s going on at home, to let my mind know what it needs to do. At the same time, I can’t be out on the farm, worrying. about the darts either, because you make mistakes and hurt yourself. It is a risky business. I need to find a decent middle ground between the two.
“Knowing that I will be away for a while, a few days means I can get help in.
“Obviously my son has a big influence on how the farm is going to run, he’s well into his farm.
“It simply came to our notice then. But it’s not like we don’t know when we’re going to be gone. So you can plan for these things, as you do when you are planning to go on vacation. “
Fans return
Another aspect of life in the PDC is that he enjoys going to the stage. While it may be a few more months before he gets the chance to play in front of fans, it’s an optimistic prospect.
“I can’t wait. Of course there’s a lot of work to do before I do those competitions. But it’s just brilliant. I couldn’t imagine going to Ally Pally without a crowd,” he said.
“We play because we want people to watch us. We’re good, and we know we’re good. We handle whether we win or lose. But it’s just good to be up there, on those big levels with everyone in. fans in, there’s nothing better. There’s nothing better in my life. No really. to get it back, I’m probably glad I got a Trip Card a year later than I wanted one! It could benefit me. I can’t wait. “
But first things first, he needs to do the business on the Pro Tour, to work his way up PDC Merit Order. That starts Thursday, at the Bolton Whites Hotel.
“The hard work begins now,” he laughed.
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