The festive season...
Simon Whitlock
Birthday: 3. March 1969
Lives in: Cessnock, Australia
Born in: Hornsby,Australia
Nickname: The Wizard
Darts: 22 g Red Dragon Eagles
Walk-on Music: Down Under (Men At Work)
The popular Australian entered the spotlight in 2002 when he first won the Australian Masters and later the Oceanic Masters by which he qualified for the PDC World Championship 2003. Whitlock played himself into the third round where he lost to Richie Burnett. Many were surprised that Whitlock decided after the World Championship he prefered at the moment to stay on the BDO/WDF Circuit as it offered much more events in Australia. He didn't want to move to England at this time because he had a young family.
Already in his first year on the BDO/WDF circuit Whitlock won several titles. For the World Masters 2004 he returned to England but lost his second match. Due to his success in his home country he qualified for the BDO World Championship 2005 and reached the semi-finals. One year later he was already eliminated in the second round. 2007 Whitlock played as well on the PDC affiated Pro Circuit in Australia and one did hear first rumours he now would switch to the PDC. But Whitlock again stayed in the BDO, qualified 2008 again for the World Championship and this time reached the final where he lost to Mark Webster. Due to this he was invited to the PDC Grand Slam of Darts - a new PDC tournament to which World Champions and Finalists of the BDO were invited. Whitlock accepted the invitation and reached the quarterfinals. Nevertheless the Australian was among the participants of the BDO World Championship 2009 and after it finally switched to the PDC.
2010 he qualified by the affiliated Australian Tour as first ever Australian for the PDC World Championship and played himself into the final where he lost - one has to say "of course" at this time - to Phil Taylor. Till 2024 Whitlock qualified for each PDC World Championship but never again reached the final. Though Whitlock stayed for many years a successful player in the PDC with the exception of the European Championship 2012 he never won a Major single TV tournament. In 2022 he together with Damon Heta won the PDC World Cup of Darts. After that succes and good placings were rare for the first Australian on the PDC Circuit who had moved after all for some years to England. He didn't manage to qualify for the PDC World Championship 2024/25 and lost his Tour Card end of 2024. Whitlock told that he was much too nervous in the Wolrd Championship Qualifier and as well had some problems with his shoulders at that time due to his workouts with weigths.
In an interview Whitlock declared he will take part in Q School 2025 and try to regain his Tour Card. He will as well play the World Seniors Championship in January 2025. As he said in the interview he thinks it is time for a new chapter and to do something else to get his hunger back. Beside Whitlock will learn his on Mason Whitlock the ropes. He practices with him and tries to put on all his experience and everything he himself learned by his father in law Ian who had some impact in his career. As Simon tells his son is quite talented but still too inconsitent in his performances. In the Modus Super Series Mason already threw a nine-darter.
During the Grand Slam of Darts 2010 I had the chance to get to know Whitlock - who was accompagnied by his then manager called Simon as well which was slightly confusing - and do an interview for Darts1 with him. Whitlock was friendly and affable but his manager pushed all the time which was not really good for the interview. At this time Whitlock just had seperated from his second wife and had a hard time privately. Especially he was bothered that his wife didn't allow him to see or contact his children - among them the mentioned son Mason. Even so I leared that Whitlock was almost English - his parents came from Brighton and Eastboure, both played darts and had emigrated to Australia. And somewhat unexpected Whitlock declared he was interested and keen about tropical fish and that he liked to grow his own vegetables...
Here an almost forgotten Video,theat the PDC produced in 2012 to advertise the Premier League. Simon Whitlock was one of the participants: Got my ticket for the darts.