Darts UK Open: Factory worker Clive Langford to make major debut

When Clive Langford booked a day off work to watch the UK Open, he did not imagine he would actually end up playing in the ‘FA Cup of Darts’ that day instead.

Langford, 62, a factory worker from Ynyshir in the Rhondda Valley, had booked time off on Friday, 6 March in order to watch Wales’ Six Nations game against Ireland before realising the PDC UK Open also started on the same day.

He had no intention of playing at the major tournament until he was told about a qualifying event for amateurs in Newport.

“I booked a half day first of all, then I thought, I like the UK Open, I’ll book a day off to watch that as well, and then I saw the qualifiers in Newport, and to be honest, it was a last-minute decision to go,” Langford said.

That late choice paid off handsomely as the grandfather won the qualifier, booking his place at the UK Open at Butlin’s in Minehead, which runs from Friday to Sunday.

“I thought I’d have a chance, I’d been playing quite well,” Langford said.

“I’m a pretty good scorer” he explained. “If I could hit my doubles straight away I’d be quite dangerous, but I suppose that’s the same for quite a few players.”

The UK Open is known as the FA Cup of Darts due to its open draw format, meaning that from the fourth round any two players could draw each other.

Qualifying for the event brings financial rewards too. If Langford wins his opener against Irish player Stephen Rosney he is guaranteed to win £1,250, with a £120,000 prize on offer if he manages to win all nine games.