Owen ” The Master” Bates seals PDC tourcard on the final day of the PDC darts challenge tour 2023. In what can only be described as a nerve racking day for the young Devonshire star, Owen managed to get the job done. Needing to reach the final of the last event of a 24 tournament series, and for other results to go his way, the youngster navigated the field of 146 to achieve his dream.
Owen Bates the Darts professional
With securing his PDC tourcard Owen will move from the amateur ranks to become Owen Bates the darts professional from January 2024. Not only does Owen win his tour card but also qualifies for the biggest stage of them all, the PDC World Darts Championship which takes place at the illustrious Alexandra Palace in December. A whirlwind of achievements for the 20 year old from Devon.
The Winmau Challenge tour
The Winmau Challenge tour is the second tier of the PDC and is open to those players who competed in the PDC Qualifying school but didn’t achieve a tour card. Two tour cards and 2 spots at the World Championships are given to the players finishing first and second in the 24 event ranking system.
Path to glory for Bates
Owen joins Berry v Peer in winning the coveted spots after a stellar season despite having to navigate a minefield in his path to glory. Berry had sealed his number 1 ranking for the year before the final 5 events of the season and Owen was one of 5 or 6 players who stood the chance to join him.
Owen’s stablemate at Loxley Darts Christian Kist was favorite to join fellow Dutchman van Peer heading in to the final weekend but couldn’t produce the form he has shown all season and fell by the wayside despite having an outside chance mathematically on the final day.
On Day 1 Owen suffered a semi final defeat which meant that Scottish legend John Henderson put himself in the box seat for the second spot. Day 2 saw another deep run from Owen in the second event of the day but lost at the final hurdle to Dom Taylor. With the prize fund being very top heavy, 6 players were still in with a chance of claiming second spot coming into the final event, with Henderson, Boulton (who had a fantastic first 2 days), Kist, Bates and his great friend Cam Crabtree all in the mix.
Henderson falls by the wayside
Scottish star Henderson crashed out in the L64 of the final event but all remaining contenders either had to reach the final or win the event to pass him. With the tungsten darts hitting the sisal dart boards at a rate of knots, Bates Crabtree and Boulton were all still standing at the L16 stages meaning a stressful wait for Hendo continued. With both Boulton and Crabtree losing their matches Bates was the only player left who could pass Henderson. Bates would need to reach the final to achieve his dream and faced multiple match darts along the way. Reaching the semi-finals an exhausted Bates faced Warburton in what to this point was the biggest game of his life.
Eight match darts against
Bates struggled to a 4-1 deficit in the best of nine encounter and was on the brink of elimination and being resigned to Q-School. Somehow The Master managed to claw his way back to 4-4 and a deciding leg of darts. Warburton was first to a finish but squandered an incredible 8 match darts, with Bates mastering a finish of 80 with his 3 darts, finishing it with last dart in hand.
Determination and a never give up attitude helped the youngster to achieve his darting dream, a lesson to us all and a dream for him that starts now!
What’s in a name: Owen The Master Bates
Youngsters in the UK with the surname Bates will often face bullying or teasing with other kids refering to them as The Master or simply Master. Used as a derogatory term it can cuase a child to become upset and rather than allowing this to happen to him, Owen owned the nickname from a very young age.
Will the PDC make Owen Bates change his nickname?
Sadly we feel that yes the PDC will make Owen Bates change his nickname away from The Master.
Why did the PDC make Owen The Master Bates change his nickname?
At the time of writing it seems likely that Owen will have to change his nickname now he has qualified for the World Championships. With the term being used for bullying, and with Owen owning it to prevent this exact thing happening, the term Master or The Master also has a troubled past, notably in slave times.
For this reason we see the global reach of professional darts tipping the balance.
What do the fans think of Owen the master Bates
Owen quickly garnered a huge following when plucked from obscurity by Loxley Darts at the start of what has been an incredible 18 months for the youngster. Clearly Loxley Darts have an eye for talent and catching the attention of darts afficionados on and off the oche.
However, fans were divided with many Twitter posts lauding the nickname with darts fans Philip Casey summing up the views of the vast majority calling it: “Best nickname ever” , @Cookson180 stating: “That is a class nickname.”. At the time @Brady1892 erred on the side of caution as he advised Owen: “Might want to have a rethink on that nickname though.”
Whichever way it goes with his nickname, Owen Bates has shown the level of talent needed to achieve success in the professional game of darts. He could well go on to prove himself to be The Master of darts in the years to come and we look forward to following his progress.
Update November 6th 2023
Owen Bates has to change nickname
Brand new PDC tourcard holder Owen “The Master” Bates will be on the lookout for a new nickname.
Loxley Darts posted on social media today that the iconic Owen “The Master” Bates darts will be retired as Owen goes in search of a new nickname, see the announcement here:
Owen Bates no longer the Master?
Grab these iconic darts while you can