Wes Newton facts for kids

Wesley Newton, born on August 27, 1977, is a professional darts player from England. He is known for his nickname "The Warrior" and for his exciting matches.

Wes Newton's Darts Journey

Starting Out in Darts

Wes Newton began his professional darts career in 2002. His first big tournament was the 2003 UK Open. He reached the last 32 players in that event. In 2004, he made it to his first final at the Golden Harvest North American Cup, but he didn't win.

Wes played in his first World Championship in 2005. He also reached the semi-finals of the 2005 Las Vegas Desert Classic. This was a big step for him in a major tournament. After this, he had a small break due to an injury but quickly returned to playing.

Growing in the Game: 2006-2010

In 2006, Wes played in the World Matchplay for the first time. He also reached the semi-finals of the Las Vegas Desert Classic again. He kept trying to win his first major title.

In 2008, Wes won a special qualifier to enter the 2008 Grand Slam of Darts. He played well in his group but just missed out on moving to the next stage. By 2009, he won the Las Vegas Open, which was a good win for him.

A big moment came in November 2010 when Wes won two Players Championship tournaments in one weekend. This was a rare achievement and helped him get into the top 16 players in the world for the first time.

Major Successes: 2011-2013

In 2011, Wes had a fantastic year. He reached the quarter-finals of the World Championship. He then made it to his first ever televised final at the UK Open, where he finished as the runner-up. This was a huge achievement for him. Later that year, he reached the quarter-finals of the World Matchplay.

The year 2012 was also very successful. Wes won two UK Open qualifier events. At the World Matchplay, he made history by throwing his first televised nine-dart finish. This is when a player finishes a game in the fewest possible darts (nine). It's a very rare and exciting moment in darts! He also reached his second major final at the European Championship in Germany, finishing as runner-up. He also made it to the semi-finals of the World Grand Prix.

In 2013, Wes reached the quarter-finals of the World Championship for the second time. He also won his first European Tour title, the European Darts Trophy in Germany. He described this as the best win of his career. He also played in the Premier League for the first time, which features the world's top darts players.

Later Career: 2014-2018

Wes continued to reach the quarter-finals of the World Championship in 2014. He also played in the Premier League again. While he didn't win any tournaments this year, he still reached the semi-finals of the Players Championship Finals.

In 2015, Wes faced a tough match in the World Championship and lost in the first round. This result was a big surprise. He also started to miss out on qualifying for some of the major tournaments he had regularly played in before.

By 2016, Wes was dealing with a shoulder injury, which affected his performance. He worked hard to get back to his best form. He played in the World Championship again but didn't qualify for the 2017 event, which was a first for him in 12 years.

In 2017, Wes won the first Neon Newport Masters event. In December 2017, it was announced that he would no longer be playing on the main professional darts circuit. He tried to win back his tour card in 2018 but was not successful. He then started playing on the PDC's Challenge Tour, which is for players just below the top level.

Playing in the BDO

In March 2018, Wes Newton began playing in the British Darts Organisation (BDO). He qualified for the 2019 BDO World Darts Championship, where he played in the preliminary round.

Wes Newton's World Championship Appearances

Wes Newton has played in many World Championships throughout his career.

PDC World Championship

• 2005: Lost in the first round.
• 2006: Lost in the second round.
• 2007: Lost in the second round.
• 2008: Lost in the first round.
• 2009: Lost in the second round.
• 2010: Lost in the second round.
• 2011: Reached the quarter-finals.
• 2012: Lost in the second round.
• 2013: Reached the quarter-finals.
• 2014: Reached the quarter-finals.
• 2015: Lost in the first round.
• 2016: Lost in the second round.

BDO World Championship

• 2019: Lost in the preliminary round.

Major Finals and Wins

Wes Newton has reached two major finals in his career, both as a runner-up.

• In 2011, he was the runner-up at the UK Open.
• In 2012, he was the runner-up at the European Championship.

He also won one European Tour title:

• In 2013, he won the European Darts Trophy.

Nine-Dart Finishes

A nine-dart finish is a perfect game in darts, where a player finishes a leg in the fewest possible nine darts. It's a very difficult and exciting achievement.

• On July 26, 2012, Wes Newton threw a televised nine-dart finish during the World Matchplay tournament against Justin Pipe.

About Wes Newton's Life

Wes Newton lives in Fleetwood, England. His nickname in darts is "The Warrior." Darts runs in his family! His younger brother, Dale Newton, also used to be a professional darts player, and they both played in the 2006 World Championship. His dad, Colin, is also a high-level amateur player. Wes says he owes his career to his cousin Leon, who taught him how to play when they were kids.

Wes and his partner, Stacey, have two children named Fraser Wesley and Zac. Before becoming a full-time professional darts player in 2009, he worked as an accounts clerk.

He is a big fan of two football teams: Fleetwood Town and Liverpool.