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Darts star James Wade has launched a bizarre rant about how darts players have it much tougher than elite-level golfers, when questioned on Scottie Scheffler’s stunning monologue at The Open last week.
Wade, 42, explained that darts players are under much more pressure, admitting he didn’t know who the Open Champion Scheffler was and added that you cannot make comparisons between the differences in lifestyles between the top players on the PGA Tour and those competing on the professional darts circuit.
He even went on to use the example of how Scheffler might fly around the world in a private jet, while darts stars will typically use lower-cost airlines.
The comments came after the Surrey-born darts star, known as ‘The Machine’, had just completed an 11-5 victory against Wessel Nijman at the World Matchplay in Blackpool on Tuesday.
Scheffler, who has now won £78.7million over the course of his glittering career, explained ahead of last week’s major at Royal Portrush that he was ‘wrestling’ with thoughts over why he wanted to win so badly and that playing golf was ‘not a fulfilling life’.
After picking up the Claret Jug on Sunday, he appeared to claim that he hadn’t articulated his point as well as he could. ‘Am I grateful for it? Do I enjoy it? Oh, my gosh, yes, this is a cool feeling. But having success in life is not what fulfils the deepest desires of your heart,’ he explained.
"He doesn't have to get on an EasyJet. He doesn't have to get on a Happy Bus."
This is what happens when you talk to James Wade about Scottie Scheffler and it doesn't go to plan 😂 pic.twitter.com/EzveHyT77r
James Wade (pictured with his wife Sammi) has launched a bizarre rant about Scottie Scheffler's comments last week at The Open
Scheffler (pictured with his wife Meredith and son Bennett) celebrated picking up the Claret Jug on Sunday after a sensational performance at Royal Portrush
Wade, meanwhile, touched on similar notes to Scheffler, who was surrounded by his family after picking up his fourth major on Sunday.
‘There are more important things outside of this,’ Wade told reporters. ‘I want to go and eat fish and chips with my wife after this. This isn't that important.
‘I’m 42 years old, there’s far more important things than obsessing over this game. I just know I’m lucky enough to make money from this game.
He added: ‘I think people are too amplified on what you're achieving and what you're doing. I know I'm one of the best, probably top 10 in the world at the moment. Now I go home to see my wife, Arthur and Alfred [his children]. I'm winning. None of this is important. It's really not.’
Wade was then quizzed on Scheffler’s comments at Royal Portrush.
‘I've got no idea what's happening in darts, let alone golf,’ he replied, admitting he was unaware of who golf’s world No 1 was.
Wade then added: ‘It sounds really disrespectful, I don't really care what's happening in darts.’
The darts star admitted he ‘tipped his hat’ to those playing on the PGA Tour and DP World tour, adding that they were playing golf to ‘provide for their family.’
Earlier in the week he had suggested that he wasn't feeling 'fulfilled' by playing elite-level golf
Wade, meanwhile, claimed victory at the World Matchplay on Tuesday night, but appeared to claim that the lives and golfers and darts players were 'not comparable'
Wade, who has won eight PDC Premier events in his glittering career, then interestingly commented on how different the lives of darts players are to those of elite-level golfers.
‘I'm not really interested in what another golf player says because golf players aren't even close to being on the pressure or the pedestal that darts players are put upon,’ Wade told reporters at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens.
‘You can't compare that. When he gets in his private jet... he doesn't have to get on an easyJet, he doesn't have to get on a happy bus, he doesn't have to do all those things.
‘So it's not comparable really.
He added: ‘It's quite amazing that darts players achieve when they don't have all that. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to be on a private jet and use a backward [private] entrance at an airport.
‘But I'm a darts player. I will use easyJet, Ryanair, because I am what I am.’
He went on to praise darts players for the way in which they go about their craft.
‘I think what darts players do and how much they travel and where they go and how they get treated is some kind of bloody miracle,’ he said. ‘When someone like yourself compares them to golfers, it’s not relevant, it’s detached.’
Wade stated that 'I don't really care what's happening in darts' claiming there were more important things in life
He then challenged a reporter to follow darts players around the world to compete, while also referencing that it was not about the prize money that darts players can win.
‘It's nothing about money, it's just how they travel. Would you travel 12 hours to get to a floor tournament?’
Wade, though, was keen not to cause any offence to Scheffler directly. He added: ‘Sorry, I didn’t mean that in a rude way. That’s just how it really is.
‘There’s no PDC player that gets any special treatment. I wish I was. I wish I did.
‘If this guy wants to invite me on his private jet to go to a tournament, I’m your man.’
He joked: ‘I might even wash his car before it.’
Scheffler: ‘This is not a fulfilling life’
Speaking last week ahead of The Open, Scheffler, who has now picked up 17 career wins on the PGA Tour, stunned reporters at Royal Portrush, by appearing to question why he was playing golf.
Scheffler made similar comments last week in Portrush, stating that winning majors was 'not fulfilling from a sense of the deepest places of your heart'
But upon winning his fourth major, Scheffler went on to clarify the comments, stating that he was 'grateful' to win The Open
'This is not a fulfilling life,' he said.
'It's fulfilling from the sense of accomplishment but it's not fulfilling from a sense of the deepest places of your heart.
'There are a lot of people that make it to what they thought was going to fulfil them in life, and you get there, you get to number one in the world, and they're like, 'what's the point?'
'I really do believe that because, what is the point? Why do I want to win this tournament so bad? That's something that I wrestle with on a daily basis.'
Scheffler was clinical. In typical fashion he once again showed why he is the World No 1, beating his nearest competitor, Harris English, by four shots, posting a card of 17-under-par for the week.
‘I've worked my entire life to become good at this game and play for a living. It's one of the great joys of my life and to win The Open is a feeling that's hard to describe,’ Scheffler said after lifting the Claret Jug.
He clarified his comments earlier in the week, admitting that he was hugely grateful to be able to have this level of success but that there were other things in life that motivated him.
‘Am I grateful for it? Do I enjoy it? Oh, my gosh, yes, this is a cool feeling. But having success in life is not what fulfils the deepest desires of your heart.
On the 18th green, Scheffler was joined by his young son Bennett and his wife Meredith. His face immediately lit up when the American, who now only needs to win the US Open to win the Career Grand Slam, saw his family
‘Just because you win a golf tournament doesn't make you happy - but I'm pretty excited to celebrate this one.’
On the 18th green, Scheffler was joined by his young son Bennett and his wife Meredith. His face immediately lit up when the American, who now only needs to win the US Open to win the Career Grand Slam, saw his family.
‘When I saw my family, that was a pretty special feeling,’ Scheffler said, after he had admitted that he’d quit golf if it ever had an effect on his family.
‘It's one that's very hard to describe. It's something I'm very grateful for and something that I'll hold on to for a long time.’
