Dirk van Duijvenbode’s debut at the Masters in Milton Keynes lasted only eight difficult legs. The Australian Simon Whitlock already ruined the start of the dart year for the eggplant grower from Westland in the first round: 6-2.
There was almost no seat left in the hall in the English town for the opening day of the Masters. A short, but interesting tournament, with two Dutch participants. In addition to Dirk van Duijvenbode, Michael van Gerwen also appears on the scene.
Number 9 to 25
The top-8 of the Order of Merit still had a night off on Friday. The world’s number 9 to 25 opened the ball. Van Duijvenbode, number fifteen in the PDC ranking, would initially play against Danny Noppert, who was born in Joure. But the Fries – alias ‘The Freeze’ – is at home with his heavily pregnant wife.
As a result, Van Duijvenbode faced Simon Whitlock on Friday, the Australian with an impressive goatee and dreadlocks. That draw could have been worse for ‘Aubergenius’, but Van Duijvenbode had a difficult start. The triples did not come naturally, Whitlock took a quick lead and did not relinquish the game.
