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Daily Record
3 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Cameron Menzies on trading plumbing for the oche as Scottish darts ace eyes up European Open glory
The Scottish star has opened up on his career hopes as he raids into last 16 of the tournament in Leverkusen, Germany Battling Cameron Menzies reckons he'd have got the sack if he didn't quit work to pursue his darting dream. But the Scottish star says he can still go back to the plumbing graft if doesn't fulfil his ambitions of competing consistently and regularly with the best in darts. Menzies produced another outstanding display to defeat defending champion Dave Chisnall and move into the last 16 of the European Darts Open. His career is taking off and he is having even more board time having recently given up his previous post. The Ayrshire ace is reaping the rewards, but said: 'I only quit my job as I got to the point it was either quit or sacked as I was never there. 'They gave me a choice. I was letting them down as I was travelling mental. I'm never home and I don't know how the Premier League players do it. It gives me more time to practice. Now I've got time it's good. Now there's no excuses. Now it's up to me. 'I'll give it two years, if it fails me I can go back. I'm quite lucky as I can get a job because of my trade. But it's working well. My most important aim is keeping my Tour Card. 'But the way it's worked out for me is I've done better than I thought than I would.' Menzies won a decider against Chisnall after fighting back and, speaking to DartsNews, he said: 'I'm making darts quite hard, as soon as I go like 4-1 down or 4-2 down or whatever it is, you kind of just go bugger it and then you start flowing because I'm quite a fast player so you start getting the rhythm because you think you're going to lose sometimes. 'Next thing the 140's and 180's start coming in so at the start of the game I was trying too hard. I was dropping too short a lot. I done it later on as well but I kind of thought 4-1 down I'm going out. 'That's darts for you though. I'm my own worst enemy, I get caught up in my head a lot. That one I wouldn't say it was fighting spirit I'd say there I just thought I was getting beat. 'I know myself personally and I'm sure a lot of players are the same, you can rattle off three or four legs playing awesome. 'You've seen it on stage with the best players in the world, they do it more common than me that's why they're there. They can rattle off three or four legs with no reply. You can't compete with that. 'I know sometimes I can do that. I kind of felt I did what I had to do yesterday to get to the Saturday. So this is a bonus. 'I've known Dave even before I was a PDC player. So I've known Dave for donkeys (years). Dave done a thing in my village, the only exhibition we've ever done was Dave and he was great so I respect Dave. He's a big scorer. He can score with the best of them if not better.' 'Maybe not the best of throws with his snatch. But Jocky Wilson was exactly the same. Chizzy is Chizzy, he's a great player and a great person. I'm buzzing to beat him. I want to make the European finals as I've never done it.' Menzies now faces Ritchie Edhouse and said: 'Ritchie's maybe not been as good as he was last year. He had a cracking game there. He won the European finals last year, he can play. 'If you 90 in the rankings and down they all can play. We all can beat each other. The best players in the world can just do it more frequently. If I don't step up, I'll be out. I need to play well to win that game.'
The Sun
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Opera-singing referee dubbed ‘German Eye Candy' steals show at European Darts Trophy 4 with amazing 180 call
LUKE LITTLER and co may believe they are the main attraction at the German Darts Grand Prix, but they risk being upstaged by referee Franz Engerer. The 24-year-old is a rising star among PDC referees, and is making waves in the darts fandom. 5 5 5 5 5 This is in part thanks to his remarkable calling technique during games. During the European Darts Trophy clash between Andrew Gilding and Callan Rydz in Gottingen, Netherlands in March, Engerer went viral thanks to his uniquely operatic way of calling 180s. The lifelong darts enthusiast explained to DartsNews how he had been encouraged to use his voice for a career. He said: "People kept telling me to do something with my voice, but I wasn't sure. Should I really apply? In the end, I did—and I'm incredibly happy I took that chance... "Most of the feedback has been really lovely. "Of course, not everyone's a fan—and that's fine, especially with how unique my 180 is—but it's amazing to get that recognition. People come up to me asking for photos, and that's just surreal.' His unique 180 call is not something done off the cuff, but rather the result of him taking singing lessons and singing in a choir since the age of 12. He explains: "I've been taking singing lessons and singing in a choir since seventh grade. We've performed everything from operas to musicals and solos. "At first, my 180s weren't as theatrical, but I realised this style suits me—and I ran with it." However, opera singing is not his only talent. Darts star Scott Williams risks fine after giving fans middle finger during German Grand Prix Engerer, who appears to support German fourth tier club Spvgg Bayreuth, also plays the saxophone, drives motorbikes, and plays bowling. On top of everything else, he has also been dubbed with the moniker, "German Eye Candy". It is a key part of Engerer's ever-growing brand. Speaking on its origin and what he thinks of it, he said: "That actually started at the Women's Series. "Philip Brzezinski (PDC Europe's Master of Ceremonies) picked it up and ran with it—especially at galas. "I'd never give myself that nickname—that would be a bit awkward!" Engerer's first darts events came at galas and grassroots competitions like the PDC Europe Super League. And despite now shaking it up in the big leagues he admits he still needs to block out the nerves of being on TV. He added: "I just have to block out the fact that the TV cameras are on me. "Funny enough, I was way more nervous at my first gala than at my Euro Tour debut." Speaking about how he had first got into darts refereeing, he revealed: "There was a caller casting organised by Sport1 and PDC Europe around two years ago. "I applied because I had already called at smaller tournaments and had received a lot of positive feedback about my voice."
The Sun
21-04-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
‘We throw a lot of darts every year' – Luke Littler addresses burnout fears as he makes new darts first
LUKE LITTLER has addressed fears he could burnout as he celebrated making his debut on the German Darts Grand Prix. The Nuke has been travelling all over the world since bursting on to the darts scene as a 16-year-old at the 2023/24 World Darts Championship. In that time he has soared to World No2, won seven major PDC titles and been crowned World Champion. But despite the many accolades he already has to his name, Littler is looking to add even more to his record after making his debut at the German Grand Prix in Munich. Littler was unable to qualify for the tournament in 2024. However, he marked his first appearance in Bavaria with a 6-1 thrashing against Cam Crabtree to book his spot in the third round against Joe Cullen. The top seed averaged above 107 and won all his legs in 15 or fewer darts. Speaking on his win, Littler told DartsNews: "It's a new city and a new tour for me as I didn't come last year. First game, first win - hopefully I can get many more wins here." It has been a gruelling travel schedule for Littler over the last week. He played in the Players Championship in the Netherlands on Tuesday and Premier League Night 11 in Rotterdam two days later before travelling to Germany for the Grand Prix. However, Littler has insisted any fears he could suffer a burnout are misplaced. He said: "I wouldn't say it's a struggle it's part of the calendar. "We throw a lot of darts every year and I'm very happy with the way the darts are going at the minute." The winner for the tournament will take home a tidy £30,000. Inside Littler's massive rise LUKE LITTLER has taken the darts world by storm since exploding onto the scene at the PDC World Championship at the beginning of the year. The Nuke reached the final on his Ally Pally debut at just 16 years of age - smashing records along the way. He has then gone on to win a host of PDC events and the Premier League title - which he claimed at the O2 Arena by beating world champion Luke Humphries in May. He also finished his first season in the World Series as the No1 ranked player. He has joined Jude Bellingham on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe list. And the teenage titan even had to snub an invite from the WWE. The Sun exclusively revealed that Littler is plotting to create a fitness empire. He is also cashing in away from the Oche thanks to an Instagram side hustle. And he's even the face of a brand new cereal. But he is newly single after splitting from girlfriend Eloise Milburn following a 10-month relationship.
