Darts star almost give up after mangling hand in rage however with hypnotherapy he may even fly
Cameron Menzies was so close to quitting darts earlier this year that he started refreshing his CV.
The Scot only gave up his day job as a plumber a couple of years ago to focus on darts full-time. But in the wake of his meltdown at the last World Championship, when he unleashed a trio of uppercuts on his water table after his defeat to Charlie Manby, Menzies’ game and life were in disarray.
The 36-year-old’s mood was so low that he genuinely pondered putting the arrows away and digging out his wrench again. “I was starting to think, ‘Is this it for me? Am I going to have to go back to being a plumber?,’ he admitted ahead of the World Matchplay this week.
Cameron Menzies started a job search(Image: Tom Dulat/Getty Images)
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“I’d started a new CV again on LinkedIn; that’s how bad it was. I even got three or four calls for jobs as a supervisor, which is what I did before. But the last couple of months, there’s been progress.”
Menzies is in a better place now, both mentally and physically. The right hand – his throwing hand – that unleashed hell on the unsuspecting Ally Pally table kept him out of action for six weeks and required surgery.
He returned to action earlier this year and impressed on his World Cup of Darts debut alongside Gary Anderson in June. The hand has healed as much as it can, although it is unlikely to be perfect again.
Darts fans were left stunned when Cameron Menzies started punching his table(Image: YouTube/Sky Sports Darts)
He revealed: “I wouldn’t say it’s fully healed – I don’t think it will ever be fully healed – but it’s a lot better than it was.
“It’s still a bit numb-ish but not to the point where it affects me [on the oche]. The only thing that affects me is cold.
“Compared to what it was, it’s much better. They [the doctors] said six months [for recovery], and it’s been that now. It feels fine, which is good on the mental side, as I was struggling to hold my dart.
Cameron Menzies punching the water table
“It’s been a tough few months with the darts. The last few weeks haven’t been great but there’s definitely been a few better performances and better runs.
“Before that, I was struggling with my hand and the mental side of things. I feel that the darts is getting better and my life is more settled now, which is a massive thing. I’m definitely feeling better now than I was three or four months ago.”
While the most extreme incident, Menzies’ table tirade wasn’t entirely out of character. While his ability is in no doubt, he has struggled to hold it together on the oche when the pressure ratchets up.
Cameron Menzies caused a huge amount of damage to his hand(Image: Warren Little, Getty Images)
No one is aware of that more than Menzies himself, and he has taken action by undergoing hypnotherapy. “Massively [it’s helped] and not just with my mental state and darts but with life as well,” he said.
“I used to really struggle with flying. I used to get really worked up about it. I’m still not a fan but I don’t get so anxious about it now.
“In life, when I’m trying to get too much done at once, it helps me deal with one problem at a time. It’s something I would never have tried until this happened, but I’m really glad I did try it.”
Cameron Menzies’ hand was covered in blood after his PDC World Championship exit in round one
So is he feeling calmer on stage? “Sometimes, yes, but there are times when I get caught up in the moment. But I feel like I’m enjoying it and appreciating it more, because I know how easy it is to lose it all.”
One of Menzies’ faux pas occurred on his World Matchplay debut last year when, at 3-0 down against Danny Noppert, he bust on 178 by hitting a 180. He never recovered and lost 10-2.
Menzies showed off the scar on his hand(Image: YouTube/Oche 180)
Nevertheless, Blackpool remains a special place for him and he is eager to get back to the Winter Gardens. He said: “Hopefully I’ll qualify and I’ll be a lot better than last year and not make the same mistake with counting!
“Blackpool is a place close to my heart because we used to go every September with my family. I went with my daughter last year.
“It was quite a quick visit, obviously, but it was still nice and hopefully I do better than I did last year. That’s the aim, to get there again and enjoy it more.”
