AN HISTORIC nine-dart finish was not enough to help keep Terry Jenkins’ dream of lifting the Ladbrokes World Darts Championship title alive as the Ledbury star made a dramatic first round exit.
The 50-year-old wrote his name into the history books by securing the feat with a coolly dispatched double 12 during a thrilling clash against Danish qualifier Per Laursen at Alexandra Palace on Saturday.
He had also twice fought back from a set down to level the game before hitting two 180s and a 141 finish in the second leg of the deciding set.
However, Jenkins’ joy quickly turned to despair as Laursen clinched the final set 4-2 in a tie-break, but the seven-time major finalist, who also hit a 170 checkout during the game, said he only had himself to blame.
“I’ve always said that I need to hit nine-darters to win games, but even that wasn’t enough today,” Jenkins said.
“I knew I was practising well and I said to my mate beforehand that I thought I was going to hit a nine-darter.
“I felt I played really well but I don’t seem to get those second chances. It was my fault in the last set, but it shouldn’t have gone to the last set and the way I was playing I should have won beforehand.”