Imagine a weekend club golfer trying to take down Rory McIlroy in match play. Or an A-grade tennis player strolling on court to see Roger Federer over the other side of the net.
This is the situation that faces Dave Marland this weekend.
Marland, from Sutherland, has become the first amateur player from NSW to qualify for a World Series of Darts event. Marland will compete in the inaugural Melbourne Darts Masters at Hisense Arena starting on Friday.
Some of the biggest names in the sport are in Australia for the event. Marland could find himself up against any of Raymond van Barneveld, James Wade, his own favourite player Gary Anderson or even 16-time world champion Phil Taylor.
It will be his first time playing televised to a potentially huge audience as well as a packed arena. But Marland, who owns a real estate business in the shire, said he was ready to take it all in.
“The nerves have been interesting this week,” he said.
“I’ve talked to a few mates and the main thing is I’ve got to try and do the best I can. It’s a big achievement just to make it. I just have to try and enjoy it and soak it up. No one is expecting me to win, it’s just a great experience. It’s every dart player’s dream to do what I’m doing.”
It’s a long way from midweek competition at Miranda RSL to the bright lights of the World Series of Darts. There will be an announcer, the noise of the big crowd, the television cameras. He’ll even have his own entrance music.
Marland only started playing darts as an 18-year-old before walking away from the sport for about 15 years. But seeing darts become more popular in Australia peeked his interest. Marland was back with a purpose, playing midweek competitions and the odd tournament on weekends.
He won back to back NSW state singles championships in 2013 and 2014 and won his first Dart Players Australia title last year. Marland qualified for Melbourne by winning at the DPA's Festival of Darts at Warilla Bowls Club last month, downing Clinton Bridge 6-3 in the final after edging 6-5 victories in his quarter and semi-final wins. He had been to a few qualifiers before, never getting past the final eight.
It’s a big achievement just to make it. I just have to try and enjoy it and soak it up.
- Dave Marland
Marland will have plenty of support, not just from the crowd in Melbourne cheering on the Aussie underdog. His wife, Heidi, will be flying down to watch him. His daughters, Brooke and Hannah, will be watching on television. As will his friends back home, with some of his mates from darts marking the occasion with a get together.
“A lot of guys I play comp with are over the moon for me. It just shows anyone can make it,” Marland said.
“My wife is flying down and a really good mate of mine is driving all the way down to watch what could potentially be six to 11 legs of darts. It is meaning a lot to a lot of people. It’s exciting.
“Somebody said to me it’s like a local tennis player getting a wildcard to play at Wimbledon. It’s just massive. The reason there are three qualifiers at each event is so anyone can just rock up and give it a lash. Any average Joe can get on stage and get this opportunity.”
