Zoran Lerchbacher

Zoran Lerchbacher (born 30 May 1972) is an Austrian professional darts player from Graz, Austria currently playing in the Professional Darts Corporation.

Zoran Lerchbacher
Personal information
Full nameZoran Lerchbacher
Nickname"The Hypercane"
Born (1972-05-30) 30 May 1972
Graz, Austria
Home townKnittelfeld, Austria
Darts information
Playing darts since1994
Darts21g Target
LateralityRight-handed
Walk-on music"Wake Me Up" by Avicii
Organisation (see split in darts)
BDO2008–2011
PDC2011–2022
WDF major events – best performances
World MastersLast 128: 2009
PDC premier events – best performances
World Ch'shipLast 32: 2018
UK OpenLast 64: 2017, 2018
PC FinalsLast 64: 2017
Other tournament wins
PDC World Qualifying 2016
Medal record
Men's Darts
Representing  Austria
EDF European Ch'ship
Gold medal – first place 2018 Podčetrtek Men's singles
Silver medal – second place 2019 Podčetrtek Men's singles
Silver medal – second place 2019 Podčetrtek Men's cricket

Career

Lerchbacher qualified for the 2014 PDC World Darts Championship and won 4–1 in the preliminary round against Ben Ward.[1] He then went out in a 3–0 loss to Michael van Gerwen.[2] Lerchbacher was able to score a slightly higher average than Van Gerwen,[2] but was only able to win one leg in the match.[1][2] He entered Q School to try and win a tour card to compete on the PDC tour and lost in the final round of the fourth day 5–1 to Joe Murnan.[3] Nevertheless, Lerchbacher had done enough to finish tied second on the Q School Order of Merit to seal his place on the PDC for 2014 and 2015.[4] He had a disappointing first year on tour as his deepest runs were three last 64 defeats.[5]

In 2015 Lerchbacher, attempted to qualify for six European Tour events and was successful at the final attempt in the European Darts Matchplay, but lost 6–1 to Darren Johnson.[6] After his tour card expired Lerchbacher again entered Q School, but one last 32 exit over the four days was not enough to stay on tour.[7]

Lerchbacher qualified for three European Tour events in 2016, losing 6–5 from 3–0 up in the first round of the Dutch Darts Masters to James Richardson.[8] At the Austrian Darts Open he beat Jeffrey de Zwaan 6–4, before being whitewashed 6–0 in the second round by Jelle Klaasen.[9] Lerchbacher advanced to the same stage of the European Darts Trophy by seeing off Joe Murnan 6–2 and lost 6–5 to Terry Jenkins.[10]

A 10–1 thrashing of Dietmar Burger in the final of the East European Qualifier saw Lerchbacher play in the 2017 World Championship.[11] He saw off Simon Stevenson 2–1 in the preliminary round and then lost 3–0 to Robert Thornton in the first round.[12]

His best professional run came at the 16th Players Championship on the 2017 PDC Pro Tour: Six (four of them 6–5) wins en route saw him reaching his first PDC final. Players Lerchbacher beat included Mark Webster, Robert Thornton and Steve Beaton, before he fell to Joe Cullen 6–4 in the final.

At the 2018 World Championship he reached the second round after beating Mervyn King 3–2 in sets.

Lerchbacher fell off the Pro Tour at the end of 2019, and after a year without a Tour Card in 2020, he was successful at European Q School in February 2021 to turn professional again.

World Championship results

PDC

Performance timeline

BDO

Tournament20092010
BDO World Championship DNP DNQ
World Masters 2R DNP

PDC

Tournament20122013201420152016201720182019202020212022
PDC World Championship DNQ DNP 1R DNQ 1R 2R DNQ 2R DNQ
UK Open DNP 2R DNS 3R DNP 1R 3R
Players Championship Finals DNQ 1R DNQ DNP DNQ
Non-major televised events
PDC World Cup of Darts DNP NH DNP 1R QF DNP
Career statistics
Year-end ranking 185 108 126 206 92 61 61 76 - 89 133

References
  1. "Ladbrokes World Championship Day Five". PDC. 17 December 2013. Retrieved 28 December 2013.
  2. "2014 World Championship NetZone".
  3. "Record Entry For 2014 Qualifying School". PDC. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  4. "2014 PDC Qualifying School Day Four". PDC. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  5. "Zoran Lerchbacher 2014". Darts Database. Archived from the original on 10 October 2014. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  6. "2015 PDC European Matchplay Results". Darts Database. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  7. "2016 PDC Qualifying School Day Four". PDC. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  8. "Dutch Darts Masters Day One". PDC. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
  9. "2016 PDC Austrian Darts Open Results". Darts Database. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
  10. "HappyBet European Darts Trophy Day Two". PDC. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
  11. "2016 PDC World East European Qualifying Event Results". Darts Database. Retrieved 22 December 2016.
  12. "William Hill World Championship Day Seven". PDC. Retrieved 22 December 2016.
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