After two weeks of pure, unfiltered tungsten carnage on the south coast — the kind of fortnight where treble 20s get bruised and grown men question their eyesight — we are finally down to the last eight standing in Portsmouth. Eight survivors. Eight gladiators. Eight darting desperadoes chasing the same glittering dream: Become the ADC Global Champion and walk away £60,000 richer.
From fifty-six hopefuls came joy, despair, mathematical confusion, and margins thinner than a dart wire. Now, after two brutal qualifying stages, the calendar has circled one final date: Sunday 4th January, where the MODUS Live Lounge will transform into darts’ very own Thunderdome.
Eight groups. Four players each. One golden ticket per group. And when the dust finally settled? Six Englishmen, one Scot, and an Irish raider said, “See you in the New Year, lads.”
Group One – Haines the Hammer
Johnny Haines was basically halfway through writing his victory speech before anyone else realised the group had even started. Five wins from six? Job done. Only danger? A late surge from Carl Wilson… which evaporated the moment Wilson lost to Phil Johnson-Hale. The final match — Haines vs Belgium’s Stijn Deklerck — changed absolutely nothing, but Johnny being Johnny still smacked in a 4–2 win just to underline the point: Group One belongs to him.
Group Two – The Sykes Steamroller
Tom Sykes didn’t top Group Two. He obliterated it. A clean sweep, a full house, six matches, six wins — Yorkshire’s tungsten tank storms into the quarter-finals without so much as a wobble. The man didn’t qualify; he cruised through traffic in a convertible.
Group Three – Stone Stands Tall
Gary Stone needed a win over Ricardo Ham in the final leg of the final match of the entire group. And, in true “Scottish heart rate assassin” style, he delivered exactly that. Tight group, tight margins, big moment. Stone marches on to ensure Scotland is represented at the business end.
Group Four – The Knife-Edge Shootout
It all came down to one match. Shane Turner vs Stuart Dutton. Both on four wins. Winner takes all, loser goes home muttering about doubles. Turner held his nerve, held his throw, and held the ticket to Pompey 2026 with a huge 4–2 victory.
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Group Five – Martin Manages the Maths
Robbie Martin went into his final match knowing the stakes: Lose 4–0 or 4–1? Graham Hall steals his spot.Anything better? Robbie advances. Drama? Nope. Robbie smashed in a 4–1 win over Mat Caste and politely slammed the door shut on any plot twists.
Group Six – Barnes Survives a Barstow Barrage
This one was chaos. Filipino star Christian Perez whitewashes Conor Heneghan to crank up the pressure.
Chas Barstow suddenly has a chance to nick it. But Jonny Barnes? Not today. A huge 4–2 win secures his quarter-final seat and denies Perez a late miracle.
Group Seven – Tweddell’s Wobble But Makes It Through
Jack Tweddell went four wins from four. Looked invincible. Looked done and dusted. Then he lost his last two. Thankfully, the darting gods took pity as the rest of the group cannibalised itself — everyone beating everyone — meaning Jack’s early surge carried him over the line. Sometimes it’s better to be lucky and good.
—–ENDS—–
Images: ADC
