Former World Champion Stephen Bunting may boast an impressive resume — including a BDO World Championship and a Masters title — but according to former pro Andy Cornwall, he’s unlikely to reach the upper echelons of the sport due to a technical flaw: where he stands on the oche.
Speaking on the Mission Darts Podcast, alongside co-host Matt Edgar, Cornwall drew comparisons between Bunting and former world finalist Wes Newton, claiming both players stand in a suboptimal position at the oche, which affects their long-term consistency.
“Commentators at the World Grand Prix were surprised Bunting hasn’t won more majors. I wasn’t. I love Stephen — I used to practice with him, and I’ve played him a few times — but I’m not surprised,” said Cornwall.
“He’s another Wes Newton. He stands in the wrong place. You’re never going to be consistent standing two feet to the right of the oche. Sorry, you’re just not.
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“Stephen’s a brilliant player — a thousand times better than I ever was — but you’re not going to have the consistency of a Michael van Gerwen, Luke Littler, or Luke Humphries, who all stand in the centre. Both sides of the board are the same distance, so standing that far off to one side is, quite frankly, ridiculous.”
Bunting is known to position himself on the far right of the oche, angling his throw inwards — a technique Cornwall believes puts him at a consistent disadvantage in the modern game.
While Cornwall didn’t call for Bunting to make a drastic change, he did reference Wes Newton’s late-career attempt to reposition himself, which, he says, ended up doing more harm than good.
“Wes actually tried to move further left later in his career to become more consistent, but it messed up his throw completely,” Cornwall added.
“That’s not to say Stephen should make a dramatic shift, but let’s be honest — he’s never going to win multiple majors from where he stands. He’ll have spells when he’s flying and beats everyone, but he’ll also have those times when he’s just off. That’s why I don’t agree with the commentators — it’s not a mystery to me.”
While the comments may ruffle a few feathers, they also offer a thought-provoking take on a player who continues to hover on the fringes of elite success — and raises an age-old question in darts: how much does stance really matter at the highest level?
