DORCHESTER ace Ben Ward was force to endure a tough time across the pond, after flu struck him down during the Las Vegas Open.

Ward, an avid Magpies’ fan, managed to deal will the illness admirably to reach the quarter-final stage of the pairs’ competition, but crashed out in the first round of the singles.

“My wife had flu before we went out there and I thought I had missed it,” he told Echo-sport.

“I started feeling it on the Friday night but I took part in the pairs’ event and played really well.

“I got drawn to play with a guy who was wearing a hat – you don’t wear a hat to play darts.

“I ended up dragging him through to the quarter-finals and won $100.

“I got up on the Saturday morning and played in the singles, though I really shouldn’t have given the way I was feeling, but I thought to myself that I hadn’t gone that far not to play.

“I lost in the first round and was terrible. It was frustrating to go all the way out there and then get ill.

“I’m definitely going to go back next year.

The county town thrower, who plans to compete in the Southern Counties Open next month – a title he won in 2011, will be back in action next weekend at the qualifiers for the UK Open, held in Wigan.