SIMON WHITLOCK will miss this year’s World Cup of Darts after losing his Tour card.
The Wizard, 56, has featured in all 16 editions of the World Cup and even helped Australia win it in 2022.
Whitlock triumphed alongside Damon Heta four years ago, but this year The Heat will have a new partner as he bids to win the title – and the £80,000 prize money.
Each nation’s pair is determined by which two of its players have the highest rankings.
With Heta being Australia’s only Tour card holder last year, Whitlock was still able to play despite having lost his.
But with Australia’s Adam Leek having surprisingly earned himself a Tour card at Q-School in Milton Keynes this week, the loophole allowing Whitlock to feature has been closed.
Leek, 27, surprisingly earned his Tour card by beating Tyler Thorpe 6-5 in the final round.
Amazingly, the Aussie quit his job last year to travel to the UK and pursue darts full time.
He arrived in Britain last November, and now two months later finds himself with the opportunity of a lifetime.
Speaking to the PDC after his triumph over Thorpe, Leek admitted that he doesn’t even know where he’s going to live.
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He said: “To be honest, I thought next year was going to be more likely.
“I had a lot of things I still have to work out. I don’t even know where to start.
“I don’t even know how I’m going to work it out, but I’ve got to work it out.”
The giddy new pro then admitted: “Where am I going to live? I don’t know. I don’t know.
“I don’t even know how I’m going to get back now.”
Whitlock, meanwhile, has had a brilliant career.
The Wizard is a former World Cup and European Championship winner, while he has reached the finals of the World Championship, World Grand Prix, Premier League and Championship League.
He thrilled the Ally Pally crowd once again in his narrow defeat to Connor Scutt last month.
Whitlock rallied back from 2-0 down to get back to 2-2 in a raucous atmosphere, only for Scutt to survive and squeeze through 3-2.
