Kirk Shepherd

Darts player infobox
playername = Kirk Shepherd


fullname =
nicknames = Young Gun; Karate Kid
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1986|10|5
cityofbirth = Ramsgate
countryofbirth = England
dateofdeath =
cityofdeath =
countryofdeath =
hometown = Ramsgate
homecountry = England
since = 1999
darts = 21gr Kirk Shepherd - Unicorn
music = 20th Century Boy by T.Rex
BDO = 2003 - 2005
PDC = 2005 - Present
currentrank = 22 (Jan 2008)
BDO World =
World Masters = Last 64, 2005
World Darts Trophy =
Int. Darts League =
PDC World = Runner-up 2008
Matchplay =
Grand Prix =
UK Open = Last 64, 2008
Vegas =
Premier League =
Championship League = Initial groups, 6th place, 2008
tournament = Winmau World Youth Masters
British Teenage Singles Champion

resultyears = 2003
2004, 2006
achievement = Youngest player to reach World Darts final (either version)
updated = January 1, 2008

Kirk Shepherd (born October 5, 1986) is a darts player who competes in Professional Darts Corporation events. He lives in Ramsgate, England. He is the youngest player ever to reach a final of the World Professional Darts Championship. Shepherd uses the nicknames Young Gun and Karate Kid for his matches.

He had an excellent youth record winning the Winmau World Youth Masters in 2003, the British Teenage Singles Champion in 2004 and 2006 and was twice voted British Darts Organisation Young Player of the Year in 2005 and 2006. At the age of just 18, he reached the final of the BDO Gold Cup in 2005. In 2006, he reached the quarter finals of the England Open, before switching from the BDO circuit to join the PDC in November 2006.

His first twelve months in the PDC were not particularly successful - with just a couple of last 32 placings in the non-televised Pro Tour events and reached only 142 in the world rankings by the time of the qualifying rounds for the 2008 World Championship. Shepherd then managed to win five qualifying matches to earn a place at the tournament proper at the Alexandra Palace.

He then produced a series of major upsets at the 2008 World Championships, beating Terry Jenkins in the first round - then Mick McGowan and Barrie Bates and three-times former finalist Peter Manley to reach the semi-finals. Jenkins missed seven darts to beat him, McGowan missed four darts and Manley missed two darts to end his run, but he continued to progress. He then defeated Wayne Mardle 6-4 in the semi-final and met John Part in the final of the World Championship on New Year's Day. He failed to produce the form he'd shown in the tournament and scored the lowest average by a finalist in the PDC World Championship during his 2-7 loss. He collected the runners-up cheque for £50,000 - his previous career earnings had been £16,970. Shepherd will now be in the Grand Slam of Darts in 2008 and his world ranking jumped from 173 at the start of 2007 to 22nd at the start of 2008.

However, Shepherd has been unable to continue his recent form into 2008, losing out in the last 64 in the UK Open and failing to qualify for the Las Vegas Desert Classic and the 2008 World Matchplay championship.Regardless of this form, he will be playing in the 2008 Grand Slam of Darts in November.

Outside darts

Shepherd is not a full-time professional player, he makes his living as a sheet metal worker. He is a supporter of Manchester United F.C., and is a Second Dan black belt at karate, thus the nickname "karate kid".

External links

* [http://www.kirkshepherd.co.uk/ Shepherd's official website]
* [http://www.teessidesoftware.no-ip.com/DartsDatabase/PlayerDetails.aspx?playerKey=1492 Shepherd's darts database]
* [http://www.pdpa.co.uk/profiles/Kirk%20Shepherd.htm PDPA profile]
* [http://www.infodarts.nl/index.php?p=129&stat=detail&n=4434&t=7401 Infodarts 2008 World Championship results]