West on the Rise: One Eye on Champions Week, the Other on World Seniors Darts:
Avid Spurs fan Steve West is set to return to the MODUS Super Series this week – a venue that has been a happy hunting ground in recent years for the 50-year-old.
Darts World caught up with the Essex-born slinger to find out where his game is at – and to gauge his excitement at taking the arduous ten-minute trip to the Live Lounge:
“My form has been pretty up and down lately. I don’t play nearly as much as I used to – mainly every Wednesday at my local called the Phoenix Club now. It’s just a weekly competition – best of seven legs – and the likes of Simon Whitlock and son Mason, Adam Lipscombe, and Andy Jenkins go along. Plus, a good few of the lads playing on the Super Series often pop in.”
As hinted at above, Steve resides with partner Michelle in Waterlooville – a stone’s throw from the MODUS HQ (assuming you have the ability to throw said rock six miles). For Westy, the problem is the same as for most dart players on the planet – consistency. Once sat nicely at number 18 on the PDC Pro Tour Order of Merit, the two-time WDF Danish Open champ is now trying to regain his magic touch after major hip surgery:
“That’s been my battle – trying to be as good as I was before the operation. Before, I’d pick up a dart and it felt natural. Now, I’m overthinking even my grip. My thigh diameter went from 12 inches to four, and I’m having to rebuild all the muscle in my standing leg just to get balance. It’ll take a couple of years to feel right.”
However – when performing down in Pompey – West is a kind of fine wine player – he gets better as time elapses. Always kicking off his MODUS Super Series campaign in Group A, he explains how things usually roll:
“At the start of the week, I’m usually poor. I’m one of those players – as the week goes on, I build into it and grow into the tournament.”
That was evident on his last trip down the road, where – after a sluggish start – he ended up being pipped in the final by Mervyn King. Further proof that it’s the tortoise, not always the hare, that lasts the course over five gruelling days of action. Steve also has the distinction of throwing two perfect legs on the Live Lounge stage – one against a young kid called Luke Littler, who hasn’t done too badly since, and another he even predicted before taking on Jeffrey De Graaf:
“Yeah! I was in the back practicing and missed the double for the nine. So I said to Henry Deacon, if I get back-to-back maximums in the game – I’ll nail it.”
That’s exactly what happened, and I’m now just waiting for Steve to text me the next lottery numbers. With five weekly wins under his belt, it’s a MODUS Super Series Champions Week title that he would love to claim – at a venue he has nothing but praise for (unlike others):
“The best place I’ve ever played darts. If you are an amateur, there’s nowhere better. I played the British Open recently – worst experience I’ve had in the game. It was disorganised, cramped, people tripping over each other. Proper holiday camp stuff. No barriers, no space. When you’re used to the Pro Tour, you get spoiled. It was like going back 30 years in time at that event.”
West will indeed head north to Q-School in January – but in Milton Keynes, it’s not so much the golden ticket he’s chasing, but simply the opportunity to compete on the Challenge Tour:
“I’ll probably go back – but being on that Pro Tour messed me up mentally. I don’t really miss it too much and only keep in touch with one or two of the lads. In fact, myself and Paul Nicholson travelled up to Scotland recently for Christine Thornton’s funeral.”
Once again, our condolences extend to Rob and his family. When asked what he’d like to reflect on five years from now, Steve didn’t hesitate:
“Definitely a Champions Week MODUS Super Series title. An invite to the World Seniors would be very welcomed too.”
Those seem like not only fair aspirations – but very possible ones. It might take Steve a little while to get back to his best, but when he does – West’s best is pretty damn good.
—-ENDS—–
Images: PDC
