KAI GOTTHARDT secured his advancement to the second round of the PDC World Championship, despite a strange incident during his victory over Alan Soutar.
The 29-year-old German made his World Darts debut on Monday afternoon, competing against the Scotsman before an excited audience at Ally Pally.
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Currently ranked No. 135 globally, Gotthardt entered the first-round match as a significant underdog.
He delivered an impressive performance, moving on to Round Two after defeating the experienced Soutar 3-1.
However, an unusual incident during the first set sparked considerable discussion on social media, resulting in the suspension of the match.
With the score at 2-1 in legs against him, Gotthardt notified the officials that he only had two working darts.
The startled German showed his darts to caller George Noble, who quickly led him off the stage.
It seemed he had inadvertently broken the barrel of one of his darts clean through.
On his debut at the sport’s prestigious venue, he had forgotten to bring a backup set.
Sky Sports cameras caught the bewildered newcomer searching for a new set in his dressing room.
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Meanwhile, a confused Soutar interacted with the vibrant crowd while he waited alone at the oche.
One fan remarked on X: “Three legs into his debut, and this happens. Unbelievable.”
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Another noted: “That’s not great marketing if he’s looking to sell them.”
A third added: “It’s absurd that he only brought one set of darts to the stage, with no spare barrels or flights.”
Sky commentator Chris Mason commented on air: “I’ve seen points snap. Initially, I thought it was the point that broke, but it was the actual barrel!”
“Dart designs have progressed significantly, incorporating various tungsten features to adjust weight distribution either at the front or back.
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“Occasionally, manufacturing can expose a weak point.
“Usually, players will keep an entire spare set in their case in case of a point breaking.
“But to leave the stage and fetch a completely different set of darts mid-game is something I’ve never witnessed before.”
Despite this setback, Gotthardt returned to produce one of the best performances of his career.
The 29-year-old averaged 89.10, recording 34 visits of 100 or more in his 3-1 victory.
Gotthardt is set to face fan-favorite Stephen Bunting in the second round on Friday.
