John Bowles (born 26 May 1967) is an English professional

darts Darts or dart-throwing is a competitive sport in which two or more players bare-handedly throw small projectile point, sharp-pointed projectile, missiles known as dart (missile), darts at a round shooting target, target known as a #Dartboard, dar ...

player who plays in

Professional Darts Corporation The Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) is a professional darts organisation in the United Kingdom, established in 1992 when a group of leading players split from the British Darts Organisation (BDO) to form what was initially called the World ...

(PDC) events. He has twice come through Q School to play on the tour.

Career

Bowles made his television debut at the 2011 UK Open at the

Reebok Stadium The University of Bolton Stadium is the home ground of Bolton Wanderers F.C. in Horwich, Greater Manchester, England. Opening in 1997, it was named the Reebok Stadium, after club sponsors Reebok. In 2014, Bolton Wanderers signed a naming righ ...

Bolton Bolton (, locally ) is a large town in Greater Manchester in North West England, formerly a part of Lancashire. A former mill town, Bolton has been a production centre for textiles since Flemish people, Flemish weavers settled in the area i ...

as a pub qualifier. He defeated

Peter Manley Peter David Manley (born 7 March 1962) is an English former professional darts player who played in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events from July 1996 until 2017. He won one major title, the Las Vegas Desert Classic, in 2003, and twi ...

Devon Petersen Devon Petersen (born 4 June 1986) is a South African professional darts player and a pundit for Sky Sports. He has qualified for the PDC World Championship on seven occasions with his best result coming in 2014, 2019 and 2021 when he reached th ...

Justin Pipe Justin Pipe (born 9 November 1971) is an English former professional darts player who has played in the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events. He was a former top 10 player. Playing career Pipe was a boxer in his youth, and, as a staunc ...

and

Steve Beaton Steve Beaton (born 5 April 1964) is an English professional darts player who plays in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events. He won the BDO World Darts Championship in 1996 and is a former World No. 1. Background Beaton was born in Co ...

before losing 4–9 to

Dave Chisnall Dave Chisnall (born 12 September 1980) is an English professional darts player who plays in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events. He began his career in the British Darts Organisation (BDO) and was the runner-up in their World Champions ...

in the last 16 earning himself £4,000 in the process. That year was the furthest a pub qualifier has gone in the history of the

UK Open The Cazoo UK Open is a ranking major darts tournament held annually at the Butlins Minehead Resort by the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) in England. Often referred to as the "FA Cup of darts", the UK Open replicates the abolition of seedin ...

sharing the feat with Andy Boul. He won a two-year

PDC Pro Tour The PDC Pro Tour is a series of non-televised darts tournaments organised by the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC). They comprise Professional Dart Players Association (PDPA) Players Championships and European Tour events. Only four players ...

card in 2012 via Q School. His best results of 2012 were last 16 defeats in the second UK Open Qualifier and the sixth Players Championship, losing to

Vincent van der Voort Vincent van der Voort (born 18 December 1975) is a Dutch professional darts player on the PDC circuit. As of the 2012 PDC World Darts Championship, his nickname is the "Dutch Destroyer", although he used to go by "Grease Lightning". He is bes ...

5–6 on both occasions. He also lost in the last 96 of the

1–4 to

Nigel Heydon Nigel Heydon (born 22 July 1970) is an English professional darts player who plays in British Darts Organisation (BDO) events. Career Heydon qualified for the 2007 UK Open as an amateur qualifier, losing in the first round to John Burton. He ...

. In November 2012, Bowles won six games to reach the final of the PDC World Championship qualifier, where he lost 1–5 to

Stuart Kellett Stuart Kellett (born 12 August 1981) is a former English darts player. BDO career Kellett reached the last 16 of the 2007 Winmau World Masters, having beaten Andy Fordham among others on the way to the televised stages. He lost 1-3 in sets t ...

. However, his run to the final earned him a spot in the preliminary round in what was his first appearance at the World Championship. He beat

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

's Carlos Rodríguez by four legs to two in the preliminary round and then came from 1–2 down in sets against

Jamie Caven Jamie Robert Caven (born 10 March 1976) is an English former professional darts player who plays in British Darts Organisation (BDO) events. He has won seven events on the PDC Pro Tour, including two in the same weekend in May 2013. Caven was a ...

to win 3–2. Bowles cited a 121 checkout to win the fourth set as the key to winning the match. He played fourth seed Gary Anderson in the second round and lost 3–4 in sets in an extremely close match. Bowles missed one dart at double 20 in three separate legs to reach the last 16. After the tournament Bowles was ranked world number 64. He reached his first PDC semi-final in the sixth 2013 UK Open Qualifier in April, having defeated the likes of Mervyn King (with an average of 108) and

Brendan Dolan Brendan Gabriel Dolan (born 2 August 1973) is a Northern Irish professional darts player from County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, who plays in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events. He is best known for becoming the first player to hit a ...

, but lost 3–6 to

Kim Huybrechts Kim Huybrechts (born 16 November 1985) is a Belgian professional darts player currently playing in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events. He made the final of a major TV event, the 2012 Players Championship Finals, losing to Phil Taylor 13 ...

. This result helped him finish 22nd on the UK Open Order of Merit to enter the competition at the third round stage, where he beat Paul Nicholson 9–5. He played

Terry Temple Terence "Terry" Temple (born 16 August 1961 from Yorkshire) is an English professional darts player he currently playing in World Darts Federation (WDF) events. He has come through Qualifying School to earn a place on the PDC three times and is ...

in the next round and lost 7–9. He reached the last 16 once during the rest of the year, at the seventh Players Championship, in a run that included a 6–0 whitewash over

Andy Hamilton Andrew Neil Hamilton (born 28 May 1954) is a British comedian, game show panellist, television director, comedy screenwriter, radio dramatist, novelist and actor. Early life and education Hamilton was born in Fulham, southwest London. He ...

before he lost 6–4 to Peter Wright. Bowles missed out on reaching the 2014 World Championship by just £650 on the ProTour Order of Merit. Bowles' ranking increased by 14 places in 2013 to begin 2014 world number 50. He lost 5–1 to

Dirk van Duijvenbode Dirk van Duijvenbode (born 30 June 1992) is a Dutch professional darts player who plays in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events. He is known for his energetic walk-on, combined with hardstyle music. More recently, he has become known for ...

in the second round of the

. Bowles had his best results in Players Championship events, losing in the last 16 of two events, before reaching the quarter-finals of the 19th tournament with wins over

, Mervyn King, Andy Smith and

. He faced

and was edged out 6–5. Bowles lost his prize money from the 2013 World Championship on the Order of Merit at the beginning of 2015, which was largely the reason which saw him drop to world number 61, still inside the top 64 who retain their tour cards. He qualified for the 2015 German Darts Championship and beat

Chris Aubrey Christopher Aubrey (born 16 December 1991 from Swindon, Wiltshire) is a former English professional darts player who competes in the Professional Darts Corporation events. Career Aubrey reached the first final of his career in 2011 at the ...

6–2, before losing 6–3 to

in the second round. Bowles played in the

for the sixth successive year, but lost 5–2 to Steve Douglas in the first round. Bowles could only reach the last 16 of one tournament this year, which came at the 11th Players Championship and he was beaten 6–1 by

. Bowles was ranked 73rd on the PDC Order of Merit after the 2016 World Championship, meaning he had to enter Q School to win his place back. He was successful at the first attempt and stated that he was looking to add more consistency to his game and hoped that the darts room he had built at his house would help him do this. He failed to qualify for the

2016 UK Open The 2016 Coral UK Open was a darts tournament staged by the Professional Darts Corporation. It was the fourteenth year of the tournament where, following numerous regional qualifying heats throughout Britain, players competing in a single eliminat ...

, but did make the German Darts Masters and saw off Fabian Herz 6–3 in the first round, before losing 6–4 to

Adrian Lewis Adrian Lewis (born 21 January 1985) is an English professional darts player currently playing in the PDC. He is a two-time PDC World Darts Champion, winning in 2011 and 2012. He is nicknamed Jackpot, as he won a jackpot gambling in Las Vegas ...

. Bowles' best run of the year was at the 8th Players Championship event where he ousted

, Alan Norris and Berry van Peer in advancing to the last 16. He was beaten 6–1 by

. Bowles won through to the final round of the qualifier for the 2017 World Championship, but lost 5–0 to Kevin Simm. This was still enough to win a place in the preliminary round and he was beaten 2–0 by

David Platt David Andrew Platt (born 10 June 1966) is an English former professional football coach and player, who played as a midfielder. Born in Chadderton, Lancashire, Platt began his career as an apprentice at Manchester United before moving to Crewe ...

, losing both sets in deciding legs.

Personal life

Whilst playing amateur rugby league for local club Simms Cross, Bowles suffered a serious broken arm leaving him with metal screws holding his arm together. Bowles is a builder by trade. John is famous in the darts circuit for hosting the after party at his 2 bedroom mansion in the

Cotswolds The Cotswolds (, ) is a region in central-southwest England, along a range of rolling hills that rise from the meadows of the upper Thames to an escarpment above the Severn Valley and Evesham Vale. The area is defined by the bedrock of Jur ...

. Up to 18 darts players are given invites after the final match of the PDC & the party is said to last a staggering 7 hours, with

Bobby George Robert Francis George (born 16 December 1945) is an English television presenter and former professional darts player. He is widely recognised as one of the game's biggest personalities, known for his flamboyant entrances in which the "King ...

quoted as saying, “it’s mental in there, you can breathe in one room one second and then be shelling peanuts in the next room".

World Championship results

PDC

* 2013: Second round (lost to Gary Anderson 3–4) * 2017: Preliminary round (lost to

0–2)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Bowles, John Living people English darts players Sportspeople from Widnes Professional Darts Corporation former tour card holders 1967 births