Former Ally Pally finalist loses PDC Tour Card without even playing in World Championship

Simon Whitlock has lost his PDC Tour Card after Wesley Plaisier's win over Ryusei Azemoto on Monday (December 16) in the World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace

Former World Darts Championship finalist Simon Whitlock has had his Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) Tour Card officially taken away following Wesley Plaisier's 3-2 victory over Ryusei Azemoto.

The Australian's departure comes not just as a consequence of missing out on qualification for this year's championship, but also due to poor form that saw him fail to appear in five of the PDC's ranked televised tournaments.

Whitlock's last chance to reach the Worlds through the Tour Card Holder Qualifier was lost when he was defeated in his first match by Germany's Paul Krohne. The 55-year-old now faces the challenge of regaining his Tour Card status.

The seasoned star has said, however, that he is prepared to attend Q-School - the qualifying school for darts - and is open to exploring various avenues to continue his career.

Speaking with Online Darts, Whitlock said: "I will go to Q-School, I'll try and get my card back. If not, then I've got other options. Seniors Tour, Modus [Super Series] and other things.

"It has opened a lot of doors for me and I'm excited to try new things and that hunger back to win in different events now. So it's actually a really good thing for me."

Whitlock is well-known for his distinctive hairstyles and beard on the oche, and missed out on attending Ally Pally this year for the first time since 2009.

LOVE THE DARTS? Get your ultimate World Darts Championship preview now

His last major attempt at the coveted title was back in 2008, when he narrowly lost out to top seed Mark Webster in a nail-biting 7-5 final. This achievement marked him as the first Aussie to reach the final since Tony David's victory in 2002.

Despite his absence from the Worlds, Whitlock remains undeterred, as the Australian darting legend is setting his sights on "new things" in his life.

He added: "I've always wanted to play in, and strive for the World Championships. But I'm not there and I'm looking forward to new things in my life."