One of Yorkshire’s finest current tungsten slingers, Tom Sykes is currently enjoying the best season of his professional darting life.

Granted, it’s his debut year on the PDC Tour, therefore his only season. But the ginger sensation – not his official nickname – has burst out of the blocks faster than a jet-propelled cheetah chasing the big cat which ran off with his missus.

Of course, Tom’s actual moniker is the Castleford Tiger – a play on his beloved local rugby league team and their nickname. However, to look at the 33-year-old, he’s about as terrifying as a box of Frosties.

So, the first thing I wanted to know about the West Yorkshire chucker, whose bathroom cabinet is loaded with high-factor UV sun cream, was about his home life.

“I live in Cas with my partner of four years, Emma. No children yet.”

Fair enough, nothing of sarcastic note there, so I moved on to what has, so far, been a sparkling maiden year on the ProTour and asked him how he’d rate it out of ten.

“I’d give it a seven. The reason being I’d have liked a few more European Tour events under my belt.”

There’s only been the one appearance – but what a one it was. More on that very shortly. I then probed further and asked why he thinks he’s only managed to qualify for that solitary tournament in Bratislava.

“I’d say I put myself under a bit too much pressure because my main goal this year was to qualify for more of those Euro ones. Looking back, I’ve probably tried too hard at times.

“My ProTour performances have generally been really solid though, so that’s a positive. I just want more stage time now and to keep making the latter stages of tournaments. Qualifying rewards the hard work you put in.”

Indeed it does, sir.

Still, as mentioned, he may have had only the single foray onto the continent, but it was certainly a memorable one, reaching the semi-finals of the Slovak Darts Open. Given that nerves play a huge part, especially on a Euro Tour debut, I asked Sykes how he coped.

“It honestly wasn’t that bad,” he admitted. “I enjoyed every single minute of it.”

In fact, he revealed he had actually experienced greater nerves earlier in the qualifying stages.

“I was more nervous playing Madars [Razma] in the last match to get there. Once I was in Slovakia, it almost felt like a free hit.”

After seeing off two former German Euro Tour champions in Niko Springer and Martin Schindler – one a superb performance and the other a fantastic battling display from 4-2 down – Sykes then beat Cameron Menzies in a ginger derby before overcoming Jermaine Wattimena to book a semi-final meeting with Rob Cross – which sadly didn’t go according to the script:

“Yeah, I didn’t really play great in that game. It was incredibly hot! And my darts were sticking to my hands.”

Excuses, excuses! In fairness, if I superglued my arrows to my fingertips, it’s doubtful they’d go where I wanted them to either – even if I possessed a fraction of Tom’s oche prowess. All in all though, it was an outstanding experience.

“Oh yes. So many positives looking back. The whole experience left me wanting more.”

With just four more chances remaining this year to get back onto Euro Tour duty, Sykes is confident he can still claw his way into the European Championship places.

“If I manage to qualify for a few more, then I’ve every confidence I can do it.”

Got to be in it to win it, hey mate?

The Castleford man has, however, already had a little taste of television darts. It came at last year’s UK Open in Minehead. After getting past young Dutchman Owen Roelofs, he was set to face Thibault Tricole on the main stage.

“I was really nervous. I got to the point where I nearly told one of the staff I was going to be sick,” he laughed. “I stayed in the practice area trying to calm myself down, but as soon as I got to the top of the walk-on everything disappeared.”

Although his run ended with a third-round defeat to Willie O’Connor, the experience has only strengthened his belief that he belongs on the biggest stages.

When asked to reflect on the highlights of his season so far, he doesn’t hesitate.

“Just mixing it with the big boys. On my very first Players Championship outing in Hildesheim, I beat two legends in Raymond van Barneveld and Peter Wright.”

Quite the feather in the flamed haired lad’s metaphorical cap. They may not be the force they once were, but beating two former World Champions still does wonders for the old confidence.

Looking at Sykes’ career, I noticed that from 2016 to 2024 he went full Lord Lucan and dropped off the darting radar. Nosey as I am – and given that it’s kind of my job – I wanted to know why. Asking Tom seemed the best way to find out, so that’s exactly what I did.

“I just loved playing football more. I dreamed of making it, but everyone was telling me otherwise, hence the return to darts.

“I played in an exhibition recently at the pub where I used to be part of their football team. The manager wanted me to re-sign, but nah. Not for me.”

Wise. There’s no point a top club signing a left winger who could only play one half in the shade due to sun exposure. There’s absolutely no team out there looking for a sunburnt wide man with a face like a traffic light. When Tom dares to sunbathe, the heat coming off his face is so intense he could sit in a room and become a one-man sauna.

Nowadays though, he says, “I honestly couldn’t think of anything worse than playing football now.”

Personally, I’m thinking being a news reporter in Iraq carries slightly more peril. But I know what he means.

It’s been quite the transition since beating Stephen Burton at this year’s Q School. Until May 2025, Sykes still had a full-time job.

“I worked in a warehouse driving forklift trucks before making the difficult decision to quit around five months ahead of Q School.

“I was only working four or five days a month towards the end. I was doing well enough on the Challenge Tour and MODUS Super Series that my employer kept giving me unpaid time off because I’d already used all of my holiday in the first six months.”

That gamble has undoubtedly paid dividends. Down in Portsmouth at the Live Lounge, the red-headed arrow-smith has picked up four weekly MODUS titles. Still no Champions Week crown though, despite hitting the post a few times, frustratingly.

Despite now holding a Tour Card, he says the transition felt surprisingly natural.

“I’d already had ten or eleven call-ups the previous campaign before winning my Tour Card, so it didn’t feel completely brand new. I wasn’t overawed when I walked out for my first game to face the likes of Van Gerwen and other big names.”

One mystery, however, remains unsolved. I wanted to know why he suddenly decided to quit the England Test cricket side.

“Haha. Thanks to you, Paul, I get called Stokesey [Ben Stokes] a lot now. Even my missus thinks I look like him. But I can’t disclose the reason why I stepped down.”

I’m sure it’ll all come out in the wash. Unlike Tom’s T-shirts, thanks to the countless sun cream stains. And that’s just when he’s indoors and stood near the oven.

It’s a trip to Bradmoor Farm this week for Sykes and many other big names from the sport as they appear at Operation Bullseye, a fantastic and worthwhile event organised by Defence Darts. The organisation raises awareness and much-needed funds for former and serving military personnel, generating and donating substantial sums to affiliated charities.

With growing confidence, increasing experience and major television events firmly within his sights, 2026 is already proving to be the breakthrough season for the proud Unicorn thrower. A few more of those Euro Tour bad boys in the bag this year and he may well end up giving himself higher than a seven out of ten.

To chat to, and purely for comedy value though, I give the Castleford Tiger full marks.

Cheers, buddy, and all the very best for the rest of 2026.