MICHAEL SMITH faced a stunning exit from Ally Pally in a tense match, effectively dashing his aspirations for the darts season in 2025.
Bully Boy, who is 34 years old, was the reigning world champion merely two years prior and returned to defend a significant £500,000 prize fund associated with his position on the PDC Order of Merit.
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Unfortunately, his ranking is poised to drop significantly, possibly causing him to exit the top 16, following a close 3-2 defeat to Kevin Doets in a thrilling match of the tournament.
As the current world No.2, this marks one of the most substantial declines seen in recent history, likely impacting his confidence as he looks ahead to the upcoming season.
Christmas Day may prove to be a gloomy affair for the Smith family following his second-round exit, which represents his first defeat at this stage since 2020.
Due to this exit, Smith will only receive £15,000, leading to a staggering £485,000 reduction once the rankings are revised in the New Year.
Kevin Doets, aged 26 and ranked No.51 globally, had previously lost 3-2 to Smith at the same round last year, but has successfully avenged that loss, much to the delight of his devoted mother, who features in the Game of Throws documentary.
In their last encounter at this point, Smith expressed his frustration, believing Doets was attempting to showboat on stage.
Despite encountering bounce-outs, Doets remained composed and clinched the match on his fourth match dart.
In a dramatic finish, he achieved a stunning Bullseye finish on 90 during the ninth leg of the fifth set.
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Doets shared: “Words can’t express this feeling. This match felt surreal. The final set was phenomenal.
“Last year, I won the bull backstage and then lost 3-2. This year, he won the bull and I sensed my chance to win.
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“This was undeniably the most stressful game of my life. Yes! I was convinced that if I focused, I wouldn’t falter. It was incredibly close.
“To emerge victorious is incredible. Winning this match means everything.”
In other results from the evening session, Welshman Nick Kenny secured a 3-0 victory against American Stowe Buntz, including an impressive 170 finish on the Bull.
Last year’s semi-finalist, Scott Williams, triumphed over German Niko Springer with a 3-1 victory, achieving an average of 96.24.
