Q-School, the first Challenge Tour weekend and even last week’s MODUS Super Series Champions Week did not come up to snuff. I had been playing well in open events and, at times, devastatingly well in practice.
Champions Week has a dynamic all of its own down in Portsmouth. You know from Monday morning that every one of the players won through a tough week against a variety of talented players just to reach that point.
As much as you try to remember that it is a 5-day long event, with various outcomes along the way, it is hard not to think about Wednesday qualifying if you have a good Monday. Or which group you might get into if you are playing Thursday and Friday.
As I write this I shall be about to play in Super Series III with a very interesting group of players, including USA representatives: Larry Butler and Leonard Gates.
In my early days as a professional, we spent quite a lot of time in Chicago and later in Las Vegas. I dimly recall playing Larry only once in all this time and perhaps getting the better of that encounter? Gates, I met more recently via online events during the lockdown and he had the upper hand. Both are very nice people and I look forward to seeing them again.
‘The Soulger’ Gates will be coming straight from the World Seniors where he has already shown what he is capable of by sending home Martin Adams whilst posting a 96+ average.
As much as I believe Terry Jenkins will thrive in the Seniors it’s not happened for The Bull just yet. A swift look at those who do best tells you all you need to know. Activity and competitive play are the keys to success in the over 50s majors. My old friends Robert Thornton and Kevin Painter have produced some high-quality stuff and David Cameron is still basically a full-time pro. Could ‘The Thorn’ defend the crown or will another North American crash the party?
Michael Smith’s World Championship win sees Bullyboy almost universally congratulated and wished nothing but the best by everyone. Seems to me that he has had a much-deserved ‘Peter Wright’ moment when he became comfortable with himself and, like many before him, discovered the key to winning. He completely deserves all that comes to him now.
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Image: Lawrence Lustig / PDC
Colin ‘The Wizard’ Osborne claimed 6 PDC Pro Tour events, reached the UK Open final, and won the 2009 Championship of Darts.GM Darts Management, Winmau, and Sidekick Sports. He is also a Darts World Ambassador.
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