Raymond van Barneveld says a period of bad results prompted his retirement from fulltime competition.
Raymond van Barneveld says a period of bad results prompted his retirement from fulltime competition.
Talk to Raymond van Barneveld about the upcoming New Zealand Darts Masters in Hamilton and his first question has nothing to do with 180s or nine-dart finishes.
"Hamilton? That's on the route for Hobbiton right?"
Close enough, I tell the "massive" Lord of the Rings and Hobbit fan down theline in The Hague.
The Dutch darting superstar visited the attraction four years ago the first time he competed in New Zealand. He wants to return with his new partner to see what's changed.
"I also want to go to the caves with the glow worms [Waitomo]. I'd love to see more of your country because I love history, I love seeing things."
The 52-year-old's enthusiasm for travel is in contrast to his current take on darts. He still loves the sport but not his recent record - so much so he's retiring from fulltime competition after the 2020 World Championship at Christmas.
A proud man, whose lengthy highlight reel includes five world titles, a spell as PDC world number one and the first nine-dart finish in the world championship, he felt his career "fizzing out" as he slipped down the world rankings.
"Of course I am proud, but you can't buy bread for being proud. It is really important to still compete with the best. For the past three, four years I didn't win anything and that's not Raymond van Barneveld.
"I told myself if I feel I'm going to tournaments as buzzard meat – like one or two rounds and that's it - I don't want to compete any more. I'm not like that."
Hobbiton at Matamata is on Dutch darts legend Raymond van Barneveld's must-see list.
Disenchantment peaked when this year's Premier League roadshow reached Rotterdam, in his homeland, for two consecutive nights of matches. Van Barneveld lost both his games 7-1 and on night two announced he was retiring with immediate effect.
After a short period of reflection, he reverted to retirement at the end of the year, meaning this visit to New Zealand will be his last as a fulltime pro.
"A lot of people can't believe it but I'm really going to do it because 35 years is enough. I did enough for the sport and hopefully I can get enough work to have a good living."
Van Barneveld started playing as a boy.
"My dad was always at the local pub. He did carpentry there. There was a dartboard there. I played and then I got my own board at home for birthday. Within a couple of weeks they all were amazed by the way I was hitting the board so well."
His world championship debut was in 1991. Two years later he was the first Dutchman to survive the first round, edged out by John Lowe in an encounter that signalled his arrival on the world stage.
There was no internet to amplify that success back home. It was different in 1998 when he claimed his first world title in an epic final against Richie Barnett.
Eight years later he left the BDO for the still relatively new PDC, citing a desire to face the best players more often.
Within a year he was world champion, beating Phil Taylor seven sets to six, after being 3-0 down, in one of the greatest matches ever.
"The first one [world title] of course is the most important one because when I was on my bike as a postman I was dreaming about being a professional darts player, I was thinking this is never maybe possible for me.
Phil Taylor was Raymond van Barneveld's opponent the last time he won the world title - in a classic final.
"The most memorable night was beating Phil Taylor. I'm really proud of that moment."
By then darts was being shown on Dutch TV and van Barneveld became a celebrity.
He's been surprised how well-known he is here too.
"When I walked out on the streets in Auckland a lot of people recognised me and said, 'Hey Barney, I'm going to support you tonight', so I was really keen on that. I never expected it.
"Australia is similar but in New Zealand they really love the game. And they have some good players."
Five Kiwis are among the eight Oceania reps in the first round of the NZ Darts Masters, being held outside Auckland for the first time.
Fresh from steering New Zealand to the quarter-finals of the World Cup of Darts in June, Cody Harris and Haupai Puha will line up alongside Craig Caldwell, Damon Heta and Ben Robb.
They'll be trying to spring a surprise against the eight PDC superstars - van Barneveld, countryman Michael van Gerwen, Rob Cross, Gary Anderson, Daryl Gurney, Peter Wright, James Wade and Simon Whitlock.
Van Barneveld's not ruling out another trip Down Under – but it won't be for a while.
"If the PDC wants to put me in exhibition tournaments like the world series, well I have to consider because I love the travel, I love the countries, I love the fans. But maybe the next year or two I'm going to think about myself and my family, my new girlfriend. I think it's great to take some time off.
Cody Harris is one of five Kiwis hoping to make progress in the New Zealand Darts Masters in Hamilton next month.
"I have to be happy again. If you look at my life for the last years I don't feel happy anymore in darts because of losing all the time.
"Trust me my friend, you never get enough of winning. If you're on a winning streak your life is never boring because you can lift trophies, win all the best money, people adore you, people want you, you can sell your shirt and you want that back, of course you want that."
A win in Hamilton next month could give his career a fairy-tale ending worthy of The Hobbit.
