Herefordshire PDC darts ace Terry 'The Bull' Jenkins set to wind down his career (From Hereford Times)

Herefordshire PDC darts ace Terry 'The Bull' Jenkins, from Ledbury, set to wind down his career

10:00am Thursday 3rd January 2013 in Sport By Ian Morgan

DARTS ace Terry Jenkins will be hitting his very own bullseye later this year.

The Ledbury thrower turns 50 in September and says he will start to ‘wind down’ his darts career.

“I shall start to wind my darts down this year,” said Jenkins, who reached the third round of the PDC Ladbrokes World Championship.

“I am going to be 50 in September and I can’t keep going on like I have been.

“The travelling feels like it’s killing me. I have been doing the circuit for quite a few years and I have found it very exhausting in the last 12 months. I will cut down on competitions.

“I will concentrate on exhibitions and television tournaments. “I will give it a good go in the television tournaments.”

Jenkins expects to slip from 10th to 17th in the PDC Order of Merit.

The Bull peaked at number four in the world rankings and has been runner-up in seven major PDC televised finals during his career. He has not yet won a television tournament.

“I feel like I have been playing well ,” said Jenkins, who defeated former champion John Part before crashing out to Andy Hamilton in the World Championship last month.

“I went into the tournament ranked at number 10 but I could now go down to around 17th.

“I am playing well and I know that if I continue to play like I have been, I will climb back up the rankings. I am not worried.”

Jenkins also averaged 100.39 against Hamilton. But his opponent’s finishing percentage of 52 far outstripped Jenkins’ 31 per cent.

“Andy Hamilton usually averages about 90 but he needed an average of almost 100 to beat me,” said Jenkins.

“I would be a lot more disappointed if I had been playing badly and then knocked out.

“I am not worried about what’s happened – it’s frustrating more than anything else.”

Hamilton was then knocked out by Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor, who clinched the title for the 16th time on Tuesday night.

Jenkins’ best display at the World Championship was when he reached the semi-final in 2011.

Jenkins has a host of exhibitions lined up for the year ahead.

“Exhibitions are a good way to practice – and I get paid at the same time.

“It’s much better than having to spend four or five hours practising darts.

“A lot of the top players have someone in their town or city to practise with. It’s more difficult for me because I have no-one to practise with in this area.”