Our ADC Global Championship preview takes us onto Group Two, where seven hopefuls will battle it out on Tuesday, 2 December, at the MODUS Live Lounge. The mission? Grab one of those all-important top four spots – or pack your darts and go home early.
Stijn Deklerck (Belgium)
Among the Flemish flingers, Deklerck isn’t exactly a household name – he’s no Huybrechts, and certainly no Van den Bergh – but he’s here on merit.
On his day, the Belgian can flirt with the 80-plus averages, though more often lands somewhere below that. Recently, he reached the semi-finals of the WDF Winter Classic Darts Open. Make of that what you will.
Nico Plovier (Belgium)
The other Belgian in the group and, interestingly, one who spends his weekdays improving homes rather than averages. A consistent if unspectacular thrower, Nico hovers just above Deklerck’s numbers but isn’t expected to trouble the business end of the tournament.
He’s put in a decent shift on the PDC Challenge Tour, with a best run to the last 32, but the search for a big title continues. Realistically, it’s not likely to end in Portsmouth – unless the prize is for ‘best DIY advice between matches.’
Brian Dawson (England)“Doggy,” as he’s affectionately known (reason unknown, and probably best kept that way), has been chucking darts for most of his life.
Now 56, the South Yorkshireman boasts a BDO World Championship quarter-final appearance, along with Gold Cup and German Masters titles to his name. Experience counts for a lot in these events, and Dawson’s got buckets of it.
Expect him to grind his way out of the group – maybe not in first gear, but he’ll proably get there.
Gary Stone (Scotland)
Born in North Lanarkshire, Stone is a seasoned campaigner who once held a PDC Tour Card – albeit over a decade ago. Despite still being only 44, he’s spent many years shining in the WDF, twice striking gold for Scotland at the World Cup and Europe Cup.
A Lakeside participant in the past two seasons, Stone’s made the trip to Portsmouth this time instead. It would be a surprise if he didn’t qualify comfortably from this group – he’s too steady, too seasoned, and too streetwise to slip up here.
Sander van Ockenburg-Zwaan (Netherlands)
Decent Dutch darter with a name that could fill a scorecard by itself. Sander sits slap-bang in the middle of this group in terms of quality – good enough to compete, but perhaps just shy of the sharp end.
Hailing from Groningen, he’s got PDC Challenge Tour experience and a full-time job, which is probably a blessing given his recent prize money wouldn’t stretch very far. On a hot week, he could sneak through with a few tidy 80-plus averages – but realistically, he’s more midfield than front-runner.
John O’Shea (Ireland)
Now here’s a man with pedigree. The Cork native, better known as The Joker, isn’t just the group favourite – he’s a genuine contender for the title.
A former WDF World Masters Champion (2019) and long-time PDC Tour Card holder, O’Shea has a trophy cabinet that makes most of this group look underfurnished.
Capable of real brilliance and blessed with big-match temperament, he’ll almost certainly coast through to the next stage. If his doubles land early, he could make a serious run at the championship.
Tom Sykes (England)
One of the most exciting names in this section, Sykes has the look of a man on the up. The 33-year-old Yorkshireman is improving at breakneck speed and has already enjoyed a few PDC Pro Tour outings this year – including a tidy win over Czech No. 1 Karel Sedláček before narrowly losing to recent-ish Ally Pally semi-finalist Gabriel Clemens.
He’s composed, clinical, and carries himself with quiet confidence. In short, the kind of player who could go deep – and probably will.
Verdict
If you’re looking for safe bets, it’s O’Shea, Sykes, and Stone all day long. The rest? Well, they’ll be scrapping for that last qualifying spot like it’s the final pint at closing time. If pushed, you might go with Dawson to grab it.
—–Ends—–
Images: PDC
Graphics:ADC
