William Borland, the 28-year-old Scottish darts player, has successfully qualified for the main stage of the Winmau World Masters after defeating Mickey Mansell 2-1 in his crucial qualifying match on Wednesday. Borland, who made a lasting impression on many darts fans with his remarkable nine-darter in the deciding leg of his opening match at the 2022 Darts World Championship against Bradley Brooks, is making his return to the spotlight after a period of personal challenges.
In an interview with Oche, Borland explained that despite facing personal difficulties, these issues hadn’t affected his performance on the darts board directly. However, he acknowledged that his mind hadn’t always been fully focused, which impacted his ability to compete at his best. “A lot of people think that I’ve gone missing. I’ve had a lot of personal things going on,” he shared. “It’s not hindered my darts in any aspect. But it’s like taken my mind away and I’m not fully concentrated. So fully concentrated me, that’s what I can do, qualify for TV events.”
Borland expressed satisfaction with his qualification for the Winmau World Masters, noting that it was a significant achievement, particularly given the competitive nature of the event. “It’s a ranking event, so I’m happy that I’m there. I believe that I should be there,” he said. While admitting that consistency has been a challenge for him, he is confident in his ability to compete against the best. “I know I’m not more consistent than the other guys. But I know that I’ve got the game to compete against these guys. The thing I’m lacking is consistency.”
Looking ahead, Borland is optimistic about the rest of the year, particularly with the upcoming ProTour events. Reflecting on his victory over Mansell, he said it “meant everything.” He spoke about how challenging it is to play against someone with Mansell’s form, describing how his fast-paced throwing style made it difficult to keep up with Mansell’s consistent scoring. “Even if he didn’t hit a big one, he still went treble and treble. I was like b***** off! They are the tough games you have to win to get through. I was happy to get through that.”
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He also mentioned the tense moments before the match, including the long bullseye battle. “The bull went on for ages. I was like just win the bull. Obviously, Mickey won it. Then it was try and break him. The game was good, I believe two good players. Mickey is a good guy, one of the nicest guys on the tour. I’m happy for myself to get through.”
Meanwhile, reigning champion Stephen Bunting expressed his awareness of Borland’s potential, especially given his knack for producing standout moments when it matters most. “No matter who you play when you come in as reigning champ, it’s always going to be difficult. I need to make sure I’m fully focused on my game,” Bunting said. He added, “He’s had some magical moments at the Worlds, the nine-darter. I know quite a lot about him. He’s a difficult opponent.”
In addition to Borland’s victory, several other players successfully made it through the preliminary rounds of the 2025 Winmau World Masters, including Jermaine Wattimena, Cameron Menzies, and Kevin Doets, who all advanced in the event held in Milton Keynes on Wednesday.
