Owen Bates

{{Short description|English darts player (born 2002)}} {{Infobox darts player | name = Owen Bates | image = | fullname = | nickname = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|2002|12|12|df=y}}<ref name="PDC">{{cite web |title=Owen Bates |url=https://www.pdc.tv/players/owen-bates |website=Professional Darts Corporation |access-date=28 October 2025}}</ref> | death_date = | death_place = | hometown = Exeter, Devon, England<ref name="PDC"/> | homecountry = | since = | darts = 24g Unicorn<ref name="MC"/> | laterality = Right-handed<ref name="MC"/> | music = "Cocoon" by Catfish and the Bottlemen (Radio Edit)<ref name="MC">{{cite web |title=Owen Bates |url=https://mastercaller.com/players/owen-bates |website=Mastercaller |access-date=28 October 2025}}</ref><ref name="PDPA">{{cite web |title=Owen Bates |url=https://pdpa.co.uk/player/owen-bates/ |website=Professional Darts Players Association |access-date=18 December 2025}}</ref> | PDC = 2021–present (Tour Card: 2024–present) | currentrank = {{PDC Rankings|Owen Bates}} | PDC World = Last 96: 2024 | Matchplay = | Grand Prix = | Grand Slam = | Premier League = | Championship League = | Vegas = | European = | UK Open = Last 128: 2024, 2025 | US Open = | PC Finals = | results = {{aligned table|leftright=y|fullwidth=y|class=nowrap | '''PDC Challenge Tour'''| 2023 | '''PDC Development Tour''' (x2)| 2025 (x2) }} }}

'''Owen Bates''' (born 12 December 2002) is an English professional darts player who competes in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events. He is a current PDC Tour Card holder, having gained a Tour Card through his placement on the 2023 PDC Challenge Tour Order of Merit ranking. He won two PDC Development Tour titles during the 2025 season and a PDC Challenge Tour title in 2023. Ahead of his PDC World Championship debut at the 2024 event, he garnered mainstream media attention for his former nickname, "the Master", which he was barred from using.

==Career== ===2021–2023=== Bates began playing on the PDC Development Tour in 2021.<ref>{{cite web |title=Owen Bates player profile |url=https://www.dartsdatabase.co.uk/player-profile-live.php?pid=75206 |website=Darts Database |access-date=28 October 2025}}</ref> His results started to improve in the 2022 season as he reached the final of event 15, losing 5–3 to Keane Barry.<ref>{{cite web |last=Williams |first=Joe |date=5 June 2022 |title=Barry edges out Bates for Development Tour win |url=https://dartsworld.com/2022/06/barry-edges-out-bates-for-development-tour-win/ |website=Darts World |access-date=28 October 2025}}</ref>

After an unsuccessful campaign at 2023 PDC Q-School, Bates competed on the 2023 PDC Challenge Tour. He won his first Challenge Tour title at the 19th event by defeating Wesley Plaisier 5–4 in the final.<ref>{{cite web |last=Gorton |first=Josh |date=13 August 2023 |title=Emerging star Bates claims landmark Winmau Challenge Tour title |url=https://www.pdc.tv/news/2023/08/13/emerging-star-bates-claims-landmark-winmau-challenge-tour-title |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230930104556/https://www.pdc.tv/news/2023/08/13/emerging-star-bates-claims-landmark-winmau-challenge-tour-title |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 30, 2023 |website=Professional Darts Corporation |access-date=28 October 2025}}</ref> At the end of the season, he reached back-to-back finals in the last two events, events 23 and 24. A 5–4 win against Mike Warburton in the latter event, in which he came back from 4–1 down and survived multiple missed match darts from Warburton, resulted in Bates finishing second place on the 2023 Challenge Tour Order of Merit ranking ahead of John Henderson. This secured him a PDC Tour Card for the next two years and qualification for the 2024 PDC World Darts Championship.<ref name="Exm">{{cite web |last=Herbert |first=Tim |date=16 November 2023 |title=Owen Bates qualifies for the PDC World Darts Championships |url=https://www.exmouthjournal.co.uk/sport/23921561.owen-bates-qualifies-pdc-world-darts-championships/ |website=Exmouth Journal |access-date=28 October 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Shaw |first=Jamie |date=30 October 2023 |title=Owen Bates dramatically seals World Championship spot and PDC Tour Card via Challenge Tour |url=https://www.live-darts.com/pdc-darts-news/challenge-tour/bates-dramatically-seals-world-championship-spot/ |website=Live Darts |access-date=28 October 2025}}</ref>

Bates reached the quarter-finals of the 2023 PDC World Youth Championship, where he lost 6–2 to Wessel Nijman.<ref>{{cite web |last=Gorton |first=Josh |date=20 August 2023 |title=Van Veen & Littler to contest 2023 Winmau World Youth Championship final |url=https://www.pdc.tv/news/2023/08/20/van-veen-littler-contest-2023-winmau-world-youth-championship-final |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230824170021/https://www.pdc.tv/news/2023/08/20/van-veen-littler-contest-2023-winmau-world-youth-championship-final |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 24, 2023 |website=Professional Darts Corporation |access-date=28 October 2025}}</ref> Outside of PDC darts, he competed in the MODUS Super Series, a weekly 12-player tournament for non-Tour Card holders. He won a weekly title in February 2023, defeating Leonard Gates 4–3 for the £5,000 top prize.<ref>{{cite web |last=Williams |first=Joe |date=19 February 2023 |title=Bates claims weekly win |url=https://dartsworld.com/2023/02/bates-claims-weekly-win/ |website=Darts World |access-date=28 October 2025}}</ref>

===2024–present=== Bates made his PDC World Championship debut at the 2024 event. Ahead of the tournament, he garnered mainstream media attention for his nickname at the time, "the Master", due to its sexual innuendo and the fact the PDC had barred him from using it going forward.<ref name="Exm"/><ref>{{cite web |last=Andrews |first=Connor |date=7 November 2023 |title=PDC bans Owen Bates from using rude nickname at World Championship |url=https://talksport.com/sport/1632853/darts-fans-gutted-pdc-owen-bates-rude-nickname-ban/ |website=Talksport}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=20 December 2023 |title=Warum Bates' Spitzname "Master" beim Darts verboten wurde |trans-title=Why Bates' nickname "Master" was banned in darts |url=https://rp-online.de/sport/darts/darts-wm-2024-warum-owen-bates-spitzname-master-verboten-wurde_aid-103719677 |website=Rheinische Post |access-date=28 October 2025 |language=German}}</ref> Bates faced Steve Lennon in the first round of the tournament and took a two-set lead, but would ultimately lose 3–2 in sets.<ref>{{cite web |date=20 December 2023 |title=Steve Lennon and William O'Connor book round two spots at Ally Pally |url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/darts/2023/1220/1423135-lennon-and-oconnor-book-round-two-spots-at-ally-pally/ |website=RTÉ Sport |access-date=28 October 2025 |agency=Press Association}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Herbert |first=Tim |date=22 December 2023 |title=Owen Bates beaten by Steve Lennon at PDC World Darts |url=https://www.midweekherald.co.uk/sport/24006944.owen-bates-beaten-steve-lennon-pdc-world-darts/ |website=Midweek Herald |access-date=28 October 2025}}</ref>

In his first year on the PDC Pro Tour, Bates made his European Tour debut at the 2024 International Darts Open, where he narrowly lost 6–5 to Nathan Aspinall in the first round.<ref>{{cite web |last=Gorton |first=Josh |date=12 April 2024 |title=Clemens' comeback stuns Wright in Riesa |url=https://www.pdc.tv/news/2024/april/12/clemens-comeback-stuns-wright-riesa |website=Professional Darts Corporation |access-date=28 October 2025}}</ref> He reached the third round of the 2024 European Darts Open following wins over Joe Cullen and Danny Noppert, before being eliminated by Stephen Bunting.<ref>{{cite web |title=Results of European Darts Open 2024 |url=https://mastercaller.com/tournaments/european-darts-open/2024/results |website=Mastercaller |access-date=28 October 2025}}</ref> He competed on the 2025 Development Tour in addition to the Pro Tour, winning two titles and finishing third on the Order of Merit ranking, ensuring a second PDC World Championship appearance at the 2026 event and another two-year Tour Card.<ref>{{cite web |last=Gorton |first=Josh |date=12 October 2025 |title=Crabtree tops Winmau Development Tour rankings as duo share final titles |url=https://www.pdc.tv/news/2025/october/12/crabtree-tops-winmau-development-tour-rankings-duo-share-final-titles |website=Professional Darts Corporation |access-date=28 October 2025}}</ref>

==World Championship results== ===PDC=== * 2024: First round (lost to Steve Lennon 2–3) * 2026: First round (lost to Ryan Joyce 0–3)

==Performance timeline== '''PDC''' {| class="wikitable" |- ! Tournament !! 2022 !! 2023 !! 2024 !! 2025 !! 2026 |- | colspan="6" style="text-align:left" |'''PDC Ranked televised events''' |- | style="background:#efefef;"| PDC World Championship | colspan="2" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|DNQ | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 1R | style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|DNQ | |- | style="background:#efefef;"| PDC World Masters | colspan="3" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|Did not qualify | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| Prel. | |- | style="background:#efefef;"| UK Open | colspan="2" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|DNQ | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 2R | |- | colspan="6" style="text-align:left" |'''PDC Non-ranked televised events''' |- | style="background:#efefef;"| {{Nowrap|PDC World Youth Championship}} | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| RR | style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"| QF | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| RR | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 2R | |- | colspan="14" align="left" |'''Career statistics''' |- |- bgcolor="efefef" | align="left" |'''PDC Season-end ranking''' | style="text-align:center;|– | style="text-align:center;|109 | style="text-align:center;|125 | | |- |}

'''PDC European Tour''' {| class="wikitable" style="width:50%; margin:0" |- ! Season !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! 10 !! 11 !! 12 !! 13 !! 14 |- | style="text-align:center;"background:#efefef;" | 2024 | colspan="2" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|DNQ | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|IDO 1R | colspan="3" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|DNQ | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|DDC 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|EDO 3R | colspan="5" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|Did not qualify |- | style="text-align:center;"background:#efefef;" | 2025 | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|BDO 1R | colspan="11" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|Did not qualify | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|SDT 1R | style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|GDC DNQ |- |}

'''PDC Players Championships''' {| class="wikitable" style="width:18%; margin:0; font-size:75%" ! Season !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! 10 !! 11 !! 12 !! 13 !! 14 !! 15 !! 16 !! 17 !! 18 !! 19 !! 20 !! 21 !! 22 !! 23 !! 24 !! 25 !! 26 !! 27 !! 28 !! 29 !! 30 !! 31 !! 32 !! 33 !! 34 |- | style="text-align:center;"background:#efefef;"| 2023 <ref group="nb" name="NTC">Not a Tour card holder</ref> | colspan="3" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|BAR DNP | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|BAR 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|BAR 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|BAR 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|HIL 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|HIL 3R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI 2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|HIL 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|HIL 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI 4R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI 2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|HIL 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|HIL 3R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|BAR 4R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|BAR 3R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|BAR 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|BAR 2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|BAR 2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|BAR 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|BAR 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|BAR 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|BAR 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|BAR 3R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|BAR 2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|BAR 3R |- |- | style="text-align:center;"background:#efefef;"| 2024 | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI 2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|HIL 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|HIL 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI 2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|HIL 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|HIL 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|HIL 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|HIL 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|MIL 3R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|MIL 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|MIL 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|MIL 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|MIL 2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|MIL 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|MIL 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG 2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG 2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI 1R |- | style="text-align:center;"background:#efefef;"| 2025 | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG 2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|ROS 3R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|ROS 3R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI 2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI 3R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|HIL 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|HIL 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI 3R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI 3R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|ROS 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|ROS 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|HIL 2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|HIL 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI 2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI 3R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI 4R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI 2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|HIL 3R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|HIL 4R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|MIL 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|MIL 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|HIL 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|HIL 2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG 2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG 3R |- |}

== References == {{reflist}}

==External links== *{{DartsOrakel|Owen Bates}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Bates, Owen}}

Category:Living people Category:English darts players Category:Professional Darts Corporation current tour card holders Category:2002 births Category:People from Exmouth Category:Sportspeople from Devon Category:21st-century English sportsmen

Owen Bates

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