Rhian Griffiths has been playing darts for 20 years
Eight women will make darts history when they step onto the oche at Blackpool’s legendary Winter Gardens on Sunday.
Rhian Griffiths from Wales will be one of the players involved, with a seat at the 2022 Grand Slam of Darts and an offer of £10,000 for the winner.
“It’s incredible, really great,” said the 41-year-old.
The tournament, which takes place over an afternoon session, will be broadcast on Sky Sports.
Griffiths from St. Clears was a few years away from playing darts on tour.
But she was persuaded by her partner to resume darts and compete in the newly formed PDC Women’s Series.
Finishing sixth in the Order of Merit after 12 events, Griffiths qualified as Blackpool’s sixth seedling.
“I never thought I would even make the top 20, so to finish in the top eight is just brilliant,” she told ` Sport Wales.
“It will be the biggest match of my career when I play the World Championships at Lakeside.”
Griffiths has never been to the Winter Gardens and says she hasn’t considered going on stage for fear of being too nervous.
“Hopefully I’ll do well, it’s going to be very special to be at the legendary Winter Gardens in Blackpool. I just want to make sure I’m playing well and not making a fool of myself,” she said.
“It’s massive that it’s the first [televised, all-female tournament] but hopefully it won’t be the last and more tournaments will follow.
“To get to the Grand Slam, someone would have to pinch me.”
Griffiths started playing darts at the Black Lion in St Clears aged 21, filling in for her sister’s team that was missing a player.
Griffiths aims for more Welsh darts success
“I played in the local league, then it went to the Super League, County and then I was picked to play for Wales, which was a huge honour,” she said.
“It just proves that anything is possible. I never thought I would ever do something like this with darts.”
The PDC recently announced that next year’s Women’s Series will be expanded to 24 events with a prize pool of £145,000.
The second seed at this weekend’s event will be Fallon Sherrock, who made history in 2019 when she became the first woman to win a match at the PDC World Darts Championship, defeating Ted Evetts.
Griffiths could face Sherrock in the semis if she wins her first match against third seed Lorraine Winstanley.
“Lorraine is a solid, consistent player. I hope it will be a good game but I hope I can win,” she added.
“I have to bring my A-game but it’s going to be tight and hopefully I can sneak through.”
Swansea’s Rhian O’Sullivan is another Welsh player doing well in the Women’s Series. She narrowly missed out on World Matchplay and is currently ranked 10th on the Order of Merit.
“Next year it would be great to have both of us there, she’s a very dangerous player,” said Griffiths.
“It’s a great honor for me to represent Wales. Wales is a small country and it’s fantastic to beat players from all over the world.”
Griffiths was inspired by the achievements of two compatriots, 2020 World Champion Gerwyn Price and her former Pembrokeshire darts team-mate Jonny Clayton, a four-time Major winner in 2021.
“What Price and Clayton have achieved is brilliant,” she said.
“Wales is such a small country so to be able to produce the caliber of players that we have is just amazing.”
Beyond this weekend, Griffiths says she might try to secure a tour ticket but for now her focus is on Blackpool and making history on matchplay.
“Now hopefully the top 8 will show that we can play darts and be just as entertaining as the men,” she said.
“Darts is a sport that you can play from the ages of eight to 80, so I’m hoping that more awareness and tournaments will encourage more women to take up darts.”
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