Darts Star Who Lost PDC Tour Card Reveals Heartbreaking Reason He 'Disappeared'

A darts player who made history at the World Championship has opened up about one of the reasons why he will not be on tour next season.

William Borland, from Scotland, is one of 15 players who will lose their PDC Tour Card at the conclusion of the World Championship next month.

The 29-year-old, who initially lost his card after three years on the circuit in 2022, before winning it back at 2024 Q-School, has not amassed enough ranking points to place in the top 64 of the rankings.

He failed to qualify for this year's World Championship - which was the scene of one of his most memorable darting moments.

At the 2022 tournament, he hit a nine-dart finish in the deciding leg to defeat Bradley Brooks in the first round.

In the process, he became the first player to end a match on a perfect nine-dart leg in darts history.

Borland has collected £28,000 in prize money over his two-year PDC stint, meaning he would have needed to reach at least the quarter-final at Alexandra Palace - had he qualified - in order to get into the top 64.

He has made intermittent appearances on the PDC's Pro Tour - one of the main opportunities for lower-ranked players to earn prize money - this season, and didn't play between July 30 and October 14.

Speaking in a new interview with Online Darts, Borland revealed that he has taken time away from the sport in 2025 to look after his mother and grandmother, who have both had health issues.

"My mum and gran's health deteriorated, so it was between being selfish and going to darts, or look after my gran and my mum," he began.

"So I took the decision to take two months off to look after them and help them out.

"They've got a lot better now, so I've done the last eight Pro Tours. Unfortunately, I had too much to do to try and get to the Worlds.

"My mum is getting tests done for Alzheimer's and, hopefully, that comes to nothing. But they are fit and healthy.

"It's a relief because I don't get to see them as much when I am away, but then when I am at home, I am at work. It takes a lot off my mind."

Germany's Florian Hempel leads the list of other PDC players who will not retain their Tour Card.

Hempel is ranked 70th in the Order of Merit but surprisingly lost in the first round of a World Championship qualifier, meaning he cannot reach the top 64 by the end of the season.

He has played at Ally Pally in each of the last four years, reaching the third round in 2022 and 2024.

In 2024, he defeated former UK Open champion Dimitri van den Bergh in round two before being whitewashed 4-0 in sets by Stephen Bunting.