For a sport to truly break out in a new country, it needs a local hero to make a name for themself in an epic way on the biggest stage.
Larry Butler was the first American darts star, winning the World Matchplay way back in 1994. But as a quiet and unassuming type, you sense that being the figurehead for an entire nation did not sit well with The Eagle, and that remains the pinnacle of his career three decades later.
But the United States may now have a new darting hero in Stowe Buntz, who will make his World Championship debut this December.
Grand Slam Surprise
Those that bet on darts will be under no illusion of the size of the task facing Buntz, whose PDC World Championship winner odds of +30000 pails in comparison to the chances of tournament favorites like Luke Humphries (+300), Michael van Gerwen (+350) and Gerwyn Price (+550).
But his incredible run to the quarter-finals of the Grand Slam in November, which represented his maiden start on TV in a PDC major, was indicative of a man that felt instantly at home on the big stage.
The 44-year-old defeated two-time world champion Peter Wright in his opening group game, averaging more than 102 in the process, before downing one of the form players of 2023 in Stephen Bunting.
Defeat to the ever-excellent Dave Chisnall was not enough to stop Buntz from qualifying for the bracket phase of the competition, where he defeated this year’s UK Open champion Andrew Gilding in the last 16.
The unique machinations of the Grand Slam format meant that Buntz once again took on Bunting in the quarter-finals, and this time it was the Bullet who prevailed over the longer format.
The $31,000 payday was the largest of the Virginia native’s career so far, but more than that he got a taste for the darting big time – and liked what he saw. Next stop: the World Championships in London.
Missouri Mission
The United States will be represented by two other players at the Worlds.
Alex Spellman earned his place at the extravaganza courtesy of his form on the Championship Darts Circuit, the North American tour that has three World Championship places ringfenced.
The Canadian, David Cameron, booked his place at the Alexandra Palace in that fashion as did Buntz, but it’s another American who perhaps represents the country’s other best chance of success on the stage.
Jules van Dongen was born in the Netherlands but has set up home in Parkville, Missouri, regularly crossing the Atlantic due to his status as a PDC Tour Card holder.
The 33-year-old earned his card the hard way, qualifying through the ultra-tough Q School tournament in Europe, and he has since made solid progress in the Pro Tour events.
Success in the televised tournaments has been harder to come by, although Van Dongen did progress to the second round of the UK Open earlier this year.
His experience in the PDC, his high-performance ceiling and his past endeavors – Van Dongen has won a stack of tournaments in the United States, including the prestigious Charlotte Open – marks him out as one to watch on the World Championship stage.
Could he or one of his fellow Americans go all the way to the final?