ROSS SMITH revealed he had to play darts so he didn’t “crack up” after losing his mum.
The World No14 averaged 94.95 and took out a spectacular 128 finish to beat Peter Wright 6-2 in Dortmund and reach round two.
Dover thrower Smith’s mum died in September and he admitted he’s still coming to terms with her passing.
Smith then stepped away from the Swiss Darts Trophy but made a triumphant comeback at Players Championship 29, capturing the title on his return.
He said: “I just got on with life. That’s all you can do.
“Everyone’s different, everyone deals with things differently, but for me it was about getting stuck in and keeping myself and my mind busy, because if I don’t, I’ll crack up.
“At the same time, I know my mum would want that. She’d want me to keep busy.
“She even told me as well. She’s like, ‘Make sure you go win your next one’.
“And I did, but it was after, to be fair. So at least I’ve done that right.
“For me, it’s been important to just keep busy. But, like I say, everyone’s different.”
Smith won the 2022 European Championship and it remains the 36-year-old’s only major triumph.
‘Smudger’ also defeated ‘Snakebite’ three years ago in this competition on his way to picking up silverware.
Smith revealed the Scot had a few words of motivation back then and made sure to repeat it this time around too.
He added: “Peter knows exactly what he did three years ago for me.
“He said to me after I beat him last time, ‘You can win this’.
“And he just said to me there, sort of chuckled and went, ‘You can win this’, as a little thing. But yeah, I’m glad to get the win.”
Former World Matchplay quarter-finalist Smith has been in great form after winning two titles on the ProTour this year.
Smith also reached the Austrian Darts Open final on the Euro Tour showing the brilliant 2025 campaign he has had.
He returns to action on Saturday and will face Daryl Gurney in the last 16 of the European Championship.
