Huddersfield’s former world champion Scott Waites managed to bow out of the SINGHA Beer Grand Slam of Darts in some style.
In the tournament at Wolverhampton Civic Hall the 37-year-old – the BDO World Darts Champion in 2013 and the 2010 winner of the Grand Slam event – had already failed to claim a qualifying place from Group B before his final match with Alan Norris.
However, the Fixby darter checked out of the competition with a 5-3 victory over Yeovil’s Norris – following defeats to Herefordshire’s Terry Jenkins and Belgium’s Ronny Huybrechts.
While Norris finished the match with 129 and 164 during the game to continue his trend of big checkouts, Waites produced his best display of the group stage to bounce back from his two previous defeats.
“It’s nice to get up on that stage and have a win,” said Waites.
“Even though I was down and out in the group I wanted to get up there and give him a good game.
“He got that and it was nice to get the win.
“The first two matches were frustrating, but I missed too many doubles and didn’t deserve to win, but I lost 5-4 against Ronny Huybrechts and looking back that one leg has possibly cost me getting through to the next round.”
Jenkins qualified alongside Norris, this year’s Lakeside championship runner-up, and faces Michael van Gerwen in the last 16, while the man from Somerset meets Ronny’s brother Kim Huybrechts.
