Vincent van der Voort has heaped praise on Brody Klinge after the Australian's sensational run to the final of the Australian Darts Masters, insisting the young star's success was anything but luck. Klinge, who emerged as one of the tournament's biggest surprises, defeated Ross Smith, Gian van Veen, and Jonny Clayton in succession before falling to James Wade in the final. Van der Voort, speaking on the podcast Darts Draait Door, was deeply impressed by what he saw.
"He's just got a really good throw. You can see in everything that what he's doing isn't down to luck," said the Dutchman. "You can see that he plays very calmly and he doesn't seem impressed by his opponent." Van der Voort believes Klinge's composure under pressure was a key factor in his impressive run, allowing him to match the level of established names despite facing tough opposition throughout the event.
The former pro also highlighted the significant challenges facing players from outside Europe who aspire to a career on the global circuit. "That's obviously difficult. If you have a family, you don't just say: guys, I'm off to Europe. See you," he noted, pointing to the huge distances and costs involved. Van der Voort stressed that many players heading to Q-School underestimate the financial realities that follow a PDC Tour Card, including travel, hotels, entry fees, taxes, and manager agreements.
He illustrated the financial strain with a stark example: "Suppose you have a year in which you earn 100,000 euros. Then you might have an 80–20 contract. You're left with 20,000 euros and you still have to pay tax on that. Then it hardly makes sense." Despite these hurdles, Van der Voort is convinced Klinge has the potential to make a mark on the international stage. "He's a really good player," he concluded.
Klinge's final appearance in Wollongong has ensured his name is no longer under the radar, and with Van der Voort's ringing endorsement, the coming years will be fascinating to watch as the Australian weighs his next move in the sport.
