Terry Jenkins has become the latest high-profile capture by Team Unicorn and ‘The Bull’ will play his first tournament as a Unicorn Maestro at the World Matchplay in Blackpool.
It has been a remarkable 12 months for arguably the most improved player of the last year and a three-year deal with the world’s leading darts manufacturer confirms Jenkins as one of THE best in the business.
The 43-year-old has burst into the elite and is now No.5 in the world rankings – having won many floor events on the PDC circuit – but Jenkins finally cracked it on the biggest stages in the world during the last year or so.
Unicorn Managing Director Edward Lowy said: “After his stampede up the PDC rankings, it’s clear that it’s Terry Time! He has always been a renowned floor player but we, like everyone else in darts, have seen how Terry has brought his high scoring and lethal finishing to the TV stage. A gentleman of the game, we are greatly looking forward to working with Terry.”
Jenkins has re-invented himself, becoming hugely popular with darts fans after his brilliant display during his debut season in the Holsten Premier League. ‘The Bull’ qualified for the semi-finals – beat Raymond Van Barneveld, before losing to Phil Taylor in the final at the Brighton Centre.
He has now appeared in three ‘Major’ finals in the last nine months and lost them all but that illusive first TV victory surely isn’t that far away. Earlier this month, Jenkins was beaten by Barney in the final of the Las Vegas Desert Classic and he lost to Taylor in the final of the 2006 World Grand Prix in Dublin.
But that tournament on the Emerald Isle was where it all started for Jenkins…..coming into the event, he was just another contender but his run to the final, combined with others falling along the way, earned the man from Ledbury in Herefordshire the No.6 spot in the World Rankings and an automatic place in the Premier League.
The rest, as they say, is history!
After losing a last set thriller to Andy Hamilton in the quarter-finals at the World Championship, darts ‘Mr Consistency’ has enjoyed a fantastic year on the tour. Apart from his appearances in those two TV Finals, Jenkins is always there or thereabouts.
He has won the Antwerp Darts Trophy for a third consecutive year and also triumphed in the Players Championship tournament at Hayling Island. He has reached two other finals, three semi-finals and two quarter-finals on the PDC Tour…..that is some record!
The deal with Unicorn will surely take Jenkins to the next level and wouldn’t it be fitting if he had a great run in Blackpool to celebrate the new sponsorship deal.
And watch out for an exclusive interview with ‘The Bull’ on the Unicorn website – direct from the World Matchplay at the Winter Gardens.
BY STUART PYKE