In a display that rewrote the history books, debutant Justin Hood pulled off an unprecedented feat of 11 consecutive doubles, powering his way to a commanding 4-0 victory over Josh Rock in the third round of the prestigious World Darts Championship.
The 32-year-old, taking part in his maiden season on the premier professional circuit, continued his sensational tournament run. His flawless doubling streak only ended when he had a chance to seal the match at 2-0 up in the fourth set. Undaunted, he regrouped to secure the victory with a spectacular 119 checkout in the very next leg.
âItâs not a fairytale â I am fully aware of what I can do and itâs nice to prove it up there,â Hood stated in his on-stage interview. âThe sole moment I felt a bit of nerves was on my throw the leg before the last. Iâm not used to this. Usually, I get hate messages. This is mad.â
Hood sent an early message about his intentions by securing the opening set with an lightning-fast break of throw. This left the favored Rock, the tournament's 11th seed, powerless but watch in amazement as Hood stormed to victory, posting a formidable 101 average and firing in 10 maximum 180s.
This record-breaking win guarantees the newcomer a career-best payday of at least ÂŁ100,000 and brings him closer to his avowed ambition of opening a Chinese restaurant.
In other last-16 action, Jonny Clayton confirmed his ascent to the number four spot in the global rankings after mounting a fightback from a set down to defeat Andreas Harrysson 4-2.
The Swedish contender ultimately paid the price for failing to capitalize on key opportunities, having led a 2-1 advantage and subsequently wasting four darts to regain a one-set lead at 3-2.
âThereâs a lot on my mind and moving to world No. 4 was among them,â confessed Clayton. âEvery time I looked up, Andreas was finding his doubles. It was tough; I didnât play my top darts and had a lot of loose attempts, but thatâs what the occasion does to you.â
Joining them in the next round is Krzysztof Ratajski, who pulled away in the later stages to secure a 4-2 win over Luke Woodhouse, earning his spot in the prestigious last eight of the championship.
A passionate golfer and journalist with over a decade of experience covering PGA tours and equipment innovations.