Geelong’s inaugural Simon Whitlock Trophy is set to take place over three days from April 28.
The darts tournament, at Geelong Greyhound Racing Club (GGRC), will attract players from across the country.
The trophy is named after Simon ‘The Wizard’ Whitlock, who is regarded as Australia’s greatest ever darts player.
Dartplayers Australia national tournament director and Geelong local Wayne Weening said the tournament was a great opportunity to celebrate ‘The Wizard’.
“Simon has been a trailblazer in the world of darts for over 20 years,” he said. “Sometimes in this country we can forget about our champions especially when they retire.
“Simon is still very much a champion of the sport, and this is a great opportunity to honour him in a competitive national tournament.”
Played over a best of nine legs knockout format, the player with the most ranking points at the end of the weekend’s events will take home the trophy and prize money.
The events are part of the Winmau DPA Pro Tour and carry DPA Order of Merit points.
Mr Weening said when Dartplayers Australia was looking for a suitable venue to present the inaugural competition, GGRC was the perfect choice.
“When we first started talking about the Whitlock Trophy, the GGRC was immediately onboard,” he said.
“The GGRC is much more versatile than greyhound racing and we hope this event is a great success so we can return next year.”
GGRC manager Ray Bartolo said it was a great opportunity to showcase the club to 70-plus dart players and respective patrons.
“It is a real coup for our club to be hosting a national darts competition,” he said.
“We are looking forward to witnessing the extraordinary skill, precision and sportsmanship from some of our country’s finest players.”
The Simon Whitlock Trophy starts on Friday April 28 and runs through to Sunday April 30.
The competition is open to all amateur and professional dart players. For more information, updates and entry visit www.dartplayersaustralia.com
