The second. and final week ,of the ADC Global Championship starts today. Last week saw Adam Lipscombe take the win, with Daryl Pilgrim, Bradley Brooks and Andy Boulton joining him for the Grand Final.
The favourite for this week is the Dutch player, Marvin Van Velzen. He is a player that has really made is mark, particularly within the Modus Super Series set up, where he won Champions Week in September. He will prove a tough opponent and has the ability to qualify.
I'm a big fan of Gary Stone, but he does have a habit of not quite making the final stages. If he gets his game right, then he will have a very good chance of winning this week. It depends on whether he can get over the mental hurdles that he has had in the past. No doubt he is an amazing player though.
Adam Mould and Joe Croft are specialists at ADC events. This is where they perform particularly well .They both have Challenge Tour experience too, and have done well on the Modus stage. They are consistent type players, who are difficult to beat. I don't think either of them have quite reached their potential, so they could both play a big role here.
James Welding, Charlie Martin and Shane Hayward,are all very capable players and have all had experience on the Modus stage. I imagine one of these three will make it to finals night, at least. They are solid players, but can all be inconsistent. Hayward is probably the strongest of the three and will prove a tricky opponent.
Devon Petersen at his best would easily qualify for the Grand Final, but so far this year, there have only been glimpses of it. He will need to get off to a good start, to build confidence. Then he may have a chance. If not, then it may be a very tough ask for him to qualify.
James Bailey has been around for a long and played on the DPA Tour and BDO/WDF. He has also played twice at the PDC World Championships. He has to be respected, and his experience may help. Could be a dark horse, if he gets off to a good start.
The other three contenders, I admit, I have very little information on. Clearly they must be good players, to have made it this far, so can't be discounted. John Desreumaux, Ivan Springborg Poulsen, Donnt Scheurwater represent, perhaps, the 'wild card' contenders, but we will certainly know more about them by the end of the week.
So in summary, I think Marvin van Velzen will be the player to beat. If Petersen finds form, then he has a real chance, as does Gary Stone. Mould and Croft will also have a say if they stay consistent.
