| Leonard Gates | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Gates at the2024 Grand Slam of Darts | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nickname | "Soulger"[1] "Soldier"[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1970-11-26)November 26, 1970 (age 55) San Antonio, Texas, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Home town | Houston, Texas, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Darts information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing darts since | 2007 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Darts | 22g Winmau Signature | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Laterality | Right-handed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Walk-on music | "Too Hot ta Trot" byCommodores | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Organisation (seesplit in darts) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| BDO | 2007–2020 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| PDC | 2016– | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| WDF | 2007– | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Current world ranking | (PDC)NR (23 November 2025)[3] (WDF) 2  (7 November 2025)[4] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| WDF major events – best performances | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| World Championship | Last 16:2023 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| World Masters | Last 272:2017 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| PDC premier events – best performances | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| World Championship | Last 64:2023,2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| UK Open | Last 64:2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Grand Slam | Group Stage:2022,2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| World Series Finals | Last 16:2022 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| WSDT major events – best performances | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| World Championship | Semi-final:2023 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| World Matchplay | Winner (1):2023 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| World Masters | Winner (1):2023 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Champions | Winner (1):2023 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other tournament wins | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
CDC Pro Tour (x11) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Leonard Gates (born November 26, 1970) is an American professionaldarts player who competes inProfessional Darts Corporation (PDC) andWorld Darts Federation (WDF) events. In World Seniors Darts (WSD) he won three televised titles in 2023; theWSDT Champion of Champions,World Seniors Matchplay and the World Seniors Masters. He was the2022 PDC North American champion and has won ten titles on the CDC Pro Tour. Gates is currently ranked WDFworld number two.
He is also a former baseball player, playing forAbilene Prairie Dogs,Massachusetts Mad Dogs,Catskill Cougars andNashua Pride.[5]
Gates started to play inWDF in 2007, winning numerous American darts tournaments, including exhibition ones.[5] His first appearance in majorBDO tournament was in2017 World Masters, where he lost in the last 272 to Paul Coughlin.[6]
In 2022, Gates qualified as a seed for the2022 WDF World Darts Championship, but he lost in the second round toSteve Hine of England.[6]
In June, Gates took part in the2022 US Darts Masters, where he was one of the eight North American qualifiers. He defeatedFallon Sherrock 6–2 in the first round before losing toPeter Wright 3–8 in the quarter-finals.[6] At the same time, he played in the2022 PDC North American Championship, where he went on to defeatJules van Dongen andDavid Cameron,[6] before beatingDanny Baggish in the final and securing his first PDC title, which meant he qualified for the2023 PDC World Darts Championship and2022 Grand Slam of Darts as well.[7]
In September, Gates took a part in the2022 World Series of Darts Finals, where he reached the second round, defeatingDevon Petersen 6–4 in the first round,[6] then losing toJames Wade 4–6 in the next one.[6]
In 2023, Gates andJules van Dongen represented the United States on theWorld Cup of Darts, but they lost in the group stage.[6]
In 2024, Gates qualified for his first PDC major of 2024, qualifying for theUK Open.[8] In round 1, he narrowly beatConan Whitehead in a close game, in the second round he faced Rhys Grffin whom he beat 6-3, in the third round he faced formerWorld Championship finalistJim Williams who Gates went on to beat 6-2 with an average of 92 per three darts, in the next round he faced a very experienced player inMartin Lukeman, it was a very long and competitive game but Gates was knocked out of the tournament with Lukeman beating him 10-5.[6]
Also apart from steeltip darts, Gates plays in darts tournaments of the World Soft Darts Association (WSDA) as well, being one of the most popular soft-tip contenders.[9]
Source:[6]
PDC
| Tournament | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PDC Ranked televised events | ||||||||||||||||||||
| PDC World Championship | DNQ | 2R | DNQ | 2R | ||||||||||||||||
| UK Open | DNP | 4R | DNP | |||||||||||||||||
| Grand Slam of Darts | RR | DNQ | RR | DNQ | ||||||||||||||||
| PDC Non-ranked televised events | ||||||||||||||||||||
| PDC World Cup of Darts | DNP | RR | DNP | |||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Season-end ranking (PDC) | 106[10] | - | 93[11] | |||||||||||||||||
WDF
| Tournament | 2022 | 2023 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WDF Ranked major/platinum events | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| WDF World Championship | 2R | 3R | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| WDF World Masters | 2R | DNP | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
WSD
| Tournament | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WSD Televised events | |||||||||||||||||||
| World Seniors Darts Championship | SF | 1R | QF | ||||||||||||||||
| Champion of Champions | W | QF | DNP | ||||||||||||||||
| World Seniors Masters | W | DNP | NH | ||||||||||||||||
| World Seniors Matchplay | W | F | NH | ||||||||||||||||
| Date | Opponent | Tournament | Method | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 25, 2023 |  Martin Thomas | MODUS Super Series | 3 x T20; 3 x T20; T20, T19, D12 | – |