Charles Losper
Encyclopedia
Charles Losper is a darts
player from South Africa
. He is currently the highest ranked South African darts player on the PDC Order of Merit
, ranked at number 71. He is not a full-time professional and currently works as a policeman.
with the South African team. Having stayed with them for 3 years, he joined the Professional Darts Corporation
in 2006 and made his first PDC tournament appearance in the South African Open. He failed to qualify for the final stages of the tournament but returned in 2007 to come through the 155 player field and win the tournament, beating Lodewyk Marais 4-0 in the final. As one of the top four players in the tournament, he qualified for the televised South African Masters
the next day, where those top four met the top four players in the PDC. Losper was drawn against then-World Champion Raymond van Barneveld
and despite losing 4-1 was the only South African player to win a leg against the professionals.
The South African Open win also guaranteed Losper a place in the inaugural 2007 Grand Slam of Darts
. He lost all three group games however, losing to Andy Hamilton
, Terry Jenkins
and Vincent van der Voort
. He also qualified for the 2008 PDC World Championship
but lost 3-1 in the first round to John Part
, who went on to win the tournament.
In August 2008, Losper made a trip to the Australia
n leg of the PDC Pro Tour
. There he reached the final of the Shoalhaven Classic and the last 16 of the Australian Players Championship. The next month Losper successfully defended his South African Open title with a 4-1 victory over Mark Jackson, which earned him a place in the 2009 PDC World Championship
. On the way to his second title Losper played the best leg of the qualifying phase with a 12-dart finish, the best of the tournament. This title also meant he played in the South African Masters for the second successive year, though he lost 4-1 to Wayne Mardle
.
At the 2009 PDC World Championship, Losper beat Guyana
's Sudesh Fitzgerald
in the preliminary round and but lost to Colin Osborne
3-0 in the first round.
Darts
Darts is a form of throwing game where darts are thrown at a circular target fixed to a wall. Though various boards and games have been used in the past, the term "darts" usually now refers to a standardised game involving a specific board design and set of rules...
player from South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. He is currently the highest ranked South African darts player on the PDC Order of Merit
PDC order of merit
The PDC Order of Merit is a world ranking system used by one of the darts organisations, the Professional Darts Corporation . Following the 2007 PDC World Darts Championship it superseded a world ranking system based on points being awarded for performances in ranking tournaments.-Previous world...
, ranked at number 71. He is not a full-time professional and currently works as a policeman.
Darts career
Having started playing darts in 1991, Losper's first major tournament appearance was in the 2003 WDF World CupWDF World Cup darts
The WDF World Cup is a darts tournament held biennially since 1977. The tournament consists of a team championship, a pairs championship and a singles championship. All events have a men's competition, a women's competition and a youth competition . The next World Cup will be held in 2013, in St...
with the South African team. Having stayed with them for 3 years, he joined the Professional Darts Corporation
Professional Darts Corporation
The Professional Darts Corporation is a professional darts organization, established in the United Kingdom during 1992, when a group of leading professional players split from the British Darts Organisation to form what was initially called the World Darts Council...
in 2006 and made his first PDC tournament appearance in the South African Open. He failed to qualify for the final stages of the tournament but returned in 2007 to come through the 155 player field and win the tournament, beating Lodewyk Marais 4-0 in the final. As one of the top four players in the tournament, he qualified for the televised South African Masters
Emperors Palace South African Masters
The Emperors Palace South African Masters was a darts tournament organised by the Professional Darts Corporation which began in 2007, so-named because it took place at the Emperors Palace entertainment resort in Johannesburg, South Africa....
the next day, where those top four met the top four players in the PDC. Losper was drawn against then-World Champion Raymond van Barneveld
Raymond van Barneveld
Raymond van Barneveld , nickname Barney is a professional darts player. He is a five time World Darts Champion, and two time UK Open Champion. From January to June 2008, he was the PDC world number one ranked player...
and despite losing 4-1 was the only South African player to win a leg against the professionals.
The South African Open win also guaranteed Losper a place in the inaugural 2007 Grand Slam of Darts
2007 Grand Slam of Darts
The 2007 Grand Slam of Darts was the inaugural staging of the darts tournament, the Grand Slam of Darts, held by the Professional Darts Corporation. The tournament invited the best performing players from the PDC and its rival the British Darts Organisation...
. He lost all three group games however, losing to Andy Hamilton
Andy Hamilton (darts player)
Andy Hamilton is a full time professional English darts player widely known for his "aggressive" style of play. He is nicknamed The Hammer and is currently ranked 12th on the PDC Order of Merit....
, Terry Jenkins
Terry Jenkins
Terry Jenkins is an English professional darts player who is nicknamed The Bull, having previously used the nickname "Tucker" for his matches...
and Vincent van der Voort
Vincent van der Voort
Vincent van der Voort is a professional darts player.-Playing style:Vincent is well known for his spasmodic style and machine-gun speed of play which has gained him a reputation in both the BDO and the PDC for being one of the more erratic throwers in the darting world...
. He also qualified for the 2008 PDC World Championship
2008 PDC World Darts Championship
The 2008 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship, sponsored by Ladbrokes, was the 15th World Championship organised by the Professional Darts Corporation since it separated from the British Darts Organisation...
but lost 3-1 in the first round to John Part
John Part
John Part is a Canadian professional darts player, who is nicknamed Darth Maple.Part is one of only five players in darts history to be a three time World Champion...
, who went on to win the tournament.
In August 2008, Losper made a trip to the Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n leg of the PDC Pro Tour
PDC Pro Tour
The PDC Pro Tour is a series of non-televised darts tournaments organised by the Professional Darts Corporation . They comprise Professional Dart Players Association Players Championships and UK Open Regional Finals.-Players Championships:...
. There he reached the final of the Shoalhaven Classic and the last 16 of the Australian Players Championship. The next month Losper successfully defended his South African Open title with a 4-1 victory over Mark Jackson, which earned him a place in the 2009 PDC World Championship
2009 PDC World Darts Championship
The 2009 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship was the 16th World Championship organised by the Professional Darts Corporation since it separated from the British Darts Organisation....
. On the way to his second title Losper played the best leg of the qualifying phase with a 12-dart finish, the best of the tournament. This title also meant he played in the South African Masters for the second successive year, though he lost 4-1 to Wayne Mardle
Wayne Mardle
Wayne Mardle is a darts player for the Professional Darts Corporation, and former player in the BDO. He now lives in Romford...
.
At the 2009 PDC World Championship, Losper beat Guyana
Guyana
Guyana , officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, previously the colony of British Guiana, is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana was a former colony of the Dutch and of the British...
's Sudesh Fitzgerald
Sudesh Fitzgerald
Sudesh Fitzgerald is a Guyanese darts player.Fitzgerald reached the semi final of the 2008 WDF Americas Cup Singles, losing to Canada's Jerry Hull. Fitzgerald won the 2008 Caribbean and South American Masters to qualify for the 2009 PDC World Darts Championship where he faced South African Charles...
in the preliminary round and but lost to Colin Osborne
Colin Osborne
Colin Osborne is an English darts player currently playing in Professional Darts Corporation events.-Darts career:Osborne has won two PDC Pro Tour events and he also managed to hit two perfect nine dart finishes in 2005...
3-0 in the first round.