DARTS ace Matthew Edgar declared “how does that happen?”; after fellow star Michael Smith failed to qualify for the World Matchplay.
The tournament kicks off this weekend in Blackpool, with some of the game’s biggest names in attendance.
But one notable
used to be the top player on the planet.
And just two years ago
But a disastrous run of form this term saw Smith fail to qualify for the first time since 2013.
He is now ranked 21st in the world, with the potential to drop to 23rd — or even lower — by next week.
And the pressure appeared to get to Smith in May when at the European Darts Grand Prix.
Now, ex-PDC slinger Edgar has questioned how Smith has slipped down the rankings so quickly.
He said on his Edgar TV YouTube channel: “Most surprisingly, the number one seed from two years ago hasn’t qualified. Crazy, I know.
“I still can’t believe this: two years ago, Michael Smith was the number one seed at the World Matchplay. Now, he’s not even in the event. How does that happen? It’s madness.
“The prize money from that run – where he reached the second round – is now coming off. He beat Steve Beaton 10-2, then lost a high-quality game 11-10 to Chris Dobey.
“That means £15,000 comes off Smith’s ranking, and that could drop him down to world number 23 by the end of this event. It could be even lower depending on results. Just let that sink in – from world number one to world number 23 in two years.”;
However, Edgar believes Smith can turn things around if he gets back to winning ways next year.
He added: “If you’re going to have a bad year, this is the one to do it, because prize money is going to change drastically over the next couple of years. That means you could have a bad year now, and make it up with a good one next year.
“Michael Smith could definitely turn it around – he’s got the quality, a former world champion and multiple-time winner.
“He could easily get back into the top 16 next year with a form turnaround and the prize money cycle shifting.”;
