Mount Gambier dart sensation Karl Schaefer recently made his prestigious Australian Darts Open debut in style.
The platinum graded Australian Darts Open took place in Echuca Moama and is the biggest national darts competition, offering a total prize pool of $50,000.
In the first game, Schaefer lost to fellow South Australian Peter Machin in a game where they both threw 90 averages.
“We have played each other many times, I have beaten him, he’s beaten me,” he said.
“He was in front of me for a majority of it, I fought back, he was one leg infront of me and then I had three clear darts to level it up, but I missed my shot and he slapped in a big 180 to leave 20 and he punished me for it.”
Schaefer then played Stuart Coburn in a game where the Mount Gambier man was 4-1 up, but lost his composure to hand Coburn the win.
“The second game, the first five legs were great but I fell into a bit of a hole and could not dig my way out,” he said.
“It’s just one of those things, I’ll learn from it, get stronger and come back again next year.
“If I can get back there next year, I’ll be stoked, there’s no reason why I cannot be back up there throwing with the best of them because I have done it once, I can do it again.
“I should definitely do better next year because I know what it’s all about, I have had that experience, I have just got to basically work on my own composure and try and stay focused and really knuckle down.
“As much as you are playing someone else, you’re really playing yourself.”
Prior to the Australian Darts Open, the Australian Championships were held which included the Peter Mac Cup, singles, doubles, teams and an overall leader board. Each Australian state had to compete in every event with Queensland winning the overall honours and South Australia placing third.
Schaefer was a part of the South Australian men’s team which took home the Peter Mac Cup and he individually placed sixth in the whole men’s competition.
“To get through that and do it on my first time and actually win that championship was a bit surreal,” Schaefer said.
“We had quite a few players go deep into the tournaments and do really well.
“At the presentation night, I actually came sixth in the averages, in the top eight averages over the whole thing.
“For a rookie to do that, that’s pretty hard to do.
“Anyone that can make the top eight averages is throwing really well so for me to make the top eight averages, I am pretty happy with that.
“Next year will be a lot easier going into it knowing what to expect and be a bit more confident and calmer.
“It’s the only avenue that sort of points me towards the Australian squad, that’s probably the biggest goal is to make the Australian squad.”
