The PDC World Darts Championship is not a major event in the United States, although there are more and more folks each year that have learned to enjoy the pageantry and spectacle of The Darts. That is due to, in large part, the general lack of American talent at the highest level of darting competition.
Entering Tuesday morningβs action at the Alexandra Palace in London, no American had won a game past the preliminary round of the tournament since Darrin Young in 2010, marking a decade-long spell of general darts malaise. Enter Danny Baggish, the top American darts player who, yes, his name sounds like he should be Scottish or something, but I assure you he is full-blooded American, just ask the giant Chicago Bulls and San Francisco 49ers tattoos on his throwing arm.
Baggish stunned Damon Heta of Australia in the first round and came into Tuesday looking to break that spell against the No. 21 player in the tournament and a two-time world champion, Adrian Lewis. The end result was darting delight for the American, who rolled past Jackpot in a 3-1 win to become the first American to advance to the Round of 32 in over a decade. Baggish punished loose darts from Lewis early, who missed his first 11 attempts at doubles, rolling to a 2-0 set advantage in the first to three showdown.
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Adrian Lewis suffers Dart-Ja Vu as he busts D4 twice by slipping into D13 and costing himself the leg.
Double trouble for both, but Adrian pays the price on unlucky 13 pic.twitter.com/Tv7r794ofA
β PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) December 22, 2020
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Adrian Lewis has got to dig deep here as Danny Baggish stretches his lead to 2-0 as he clinches the second set 3-1. pic.twitter.com/os8aZMndcW
β PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) December 22, 2020
Lewis would win the fourth set thanks to a sensational 127 checkout and then took the first two legs of the fourth, indicating the Americanβs dream run might be coming to an end.
LEWIS GETS A SET BACK!
A brilliant 127 checkout from Jackpot to clinch the third set and trail 2-1! pic.twitter.com/ZCXe2ayAE0
β PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) December 22, 2020
However, Baggish saved his best work for last, dialing up the first Big Fish of the tournament, taking out 170 β the highest point total you can checkout on in darts β for his first leg of the fourth set.
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The American slinger hits a super-sized 170 finish to get a leg back in the fourth set and stop the Adrian Lewis charge!
The first Big Fish of the tournament pic.twitter.com/bGRrtxthZW
β PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) December 22, 2020
He then got a needed break of throw on a 91 checkout, taking advantage once again of poor finishing from Lewis, before cruising to a low-pressure win in the final leg to stun the former world champion.
The shot that changed that gameβ¦
Danny Baggish’s 91 checkout in the fourth set to break throw was absolutely crucial!
What bottle from the American! pic.twitter.com/ABH0ahftZm
β PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) December 22, 2020
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Absolutely incredible stuff from Danny Baggish as he backs up his victory over Damon Heta by beating two-time World Champion Adrian Lewis
Sensational performance from the American⦠Just look what it means to him! pic.twitter.com/JWGmUNhMvF
β PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) December 22, 2020
The atmosphere at the Ally Pally is far from what it normally is in the fanless world of 2020, but Baggishβs upset is massive for American darts and, while a second round win isnβt going to make the country darts crazy, if he can pluck off another win or two it might at least pique the interest of American sports fans who grew accustomed to midday sports during the pandemic and could flip over to DAZN for the darts for that fix now.