Scarborough darts star Graham Usher targets another push for PDC card despite Q-school exit

Scarborough darts player Graham Usher is hoping to put the disappointment of missing out on a PDC Tour card behind him as he eyes a positive 2022.
Scarborough darts star Graham UsherScarborough darts star Graham Usher
Scarborough darts star Graham Usher

Usher, who’d made the trip down to Milton Keynes for the PDC’s Q-School, which gives darts players a chance to earn a card on the PDC Tour, impressed in stage one despite being drawn on a difficult board, writes Charlie Hopper.

He said: “I looked at the board and it was a really tough board to be on.

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“I said to my son Joe that I’d be happy picking up three points or maybe four if I’m lucky but when I was 4-1 down against Matthew Dennant, to come back and win 5-4 it put me straight through to stage two.”

Scarborough darts star Graham UsherScarborough darts star Graham Usher
Scarborough darts star Graham Usher

Stage two saw players who’d just lost a tour card return in a bid to win one back and Usher got off to the perfect start.

“On Wednesday, I started of brilliantly against Mark McGeeney with a 103 average and the game was there but Q-school is a long, hard slog.

“I was happy with two points and I thought that if I could pick up two every day, then it’ll get me a card.

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“It’s just about that little bit of luck and I should have beat Lee (Budgen) but I missed darts and gave away a 5-1 lead.”

Usher wasn’t the only noticeable name to miss out on a card, the Queen of the Palace Fallon Sherrock, Robert Thornton, Josh Payne and Jelle Klaasen all missed out.

He added: “The people who didn’t even get through stage one was surprising but there are no easy games.

“You look back and when I first went, two or three years ago, it wasn’t too bad.

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“Now it’s just relentless and every round you are playing really good players.”

Now back on the Yorkshire Coast, having reflected on his performance at Q-School, Usher admits that the fire is still there to go out and one day become a part of the tour.

He added: “I’m back this weekend for the Challenge Tour and hopefully I’ll be able to finish high enough so that I might get an invite into the pro tours.

“My biggest aim for 2022 is to play as much as I can and get as high as I can on the Challenge Tour.

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“I’ve also been invited back to the Modus Online Darts, an amateur event which was great practice for me last year.

“I’m hoping to get a couple of sponsors on board as well to help a little bit and take the pressure off from me.

“When you’ve got the sponsorship there, it takes 10-20% pressure off me and I’d feel a lot more at ease.

“But yeah, I’m just wanting to play as much as I can and get back on the pro tour because I had a taste for it in 2020 and now I definitely want to be back.”