Modus Super Series Champions Week Preview

 

The stage is set for one of the biggest weeks of the Modus Super Series season, as twelve weekly winners return to battle it out for the coveted Champions Week title.

Every player has already proved they can win a week, but one name arrives with a remarkable record that immediately catches the eye.

Derek Coulson – The Man Everyone Has to Beat?

If there is one player carrying serious momentum into Champions Week, it has to be Derek Coulson.

Not only did he qualify for Champions Week, he did so in emphatic fashion by winning every single match during his qualifying week. That's a rare achievement at Modus level and sends a clear message to the rest of the field.

Coulson has also shown he possesses genuine scoring power. Earlier this season he fired a stunning 106.59 average at a PDC Players Championship and recorded an impressive 6-1 victory over Niko Springer. If he reproduces anything like that form this week, he'll take some stopping.

Robertson Arrives in Red-Hot Form

While Coulson may be the headline act, Scott Robertson is arguably the form player coming into the event.

The Scotsman has won his last ten matches in the Q4QS database and arrives after lifting both the England Open and Denmark Open & Masters titles. During that run he defeated WDF World Champion Neil Duff with a superb 103.58 average, highlighting the level he's currently producing.

Neil Duff Looking to Add Another Big Title

Former WDF World Champion Neil Duff is always a dangerous proposition.

Duff recently won the Eastern European Darts Challenge and arrives having won eight of his last ten matches. Champions Week has a habit of rewarding experience, and few players in this field possess more of it.

Young Talent Ready to Shine

Several younger players will believe this could be their breakthrough week.

Jack Aldridge has already shown he can compete with established names after defeating Michael Unterbuchner on the Challenge Tour, while Henry Coates continues to gain valuable experience through both the Development Tour and Players Championship circuit.

Both have demonstrated the scoring ability required to upset the favourites if they can find consistency over the week.

Dark Horses

Champions Week often throws up a surprise, and several players fit that description.

Jack Tweddell recently impressed against Raymond van Barneveld despite defeat and continues to produce strong performances.

Archie Self arrives in outstanding form after winning four Vault titles in recent months and boasting a 9-1 record from his last ten matches, while David Evans has already shown he can compete deep into PDC Challenge Tour events.

None of them will fear the occasion.

Six To Follow

🎯 Derek Coulson
🎯 Scott Robertson
🎯 Neil Duff
🎯 Jack Aldridge
🎯 Henry Coates
🎯 Archie Self

Storylines to Watch

• 🏆 Can Derek Coulson continue the incredible form that saw him qualify by winning every match?
• 🔥 Scott Robertson arrives on a perfect 10-match winning streak.
• 💪 Can Neil Duff add another televised title to his collection?
• ⭐ Will one of the younger stars announce themselves on the Modus stage?
• 🎯 Which weekly winner will handle the pressure of Champions Week best?

Prediction

Champions Week rarely follows the script, but it's difficult to look beyond Derek Coulson after the way he qualified.

Winning an entire qualifying week without defeat is an outstanding achievement, and if he can maintain that level he'll be the man everyone wants to avoid.

Scott Robertson looks the biggest challenger on current form, while Neil Duff's experience means he can never be discounted. Expect a week full of quality darts, high averages and plenty of drama before one player is crowned Champions Week champion.

Yesterday's Results Round-Up – Saturday 18 July 2026 (South and South West)

Saturday delivered another busy day of grassroots darts, with more than 30 tournaments added to the Q4QS database. Across the South West there were plenty of familiar faces collecting silverware, while several players continued the excellent form they've shown throughout the summer.

Warren Ryan Wins Birthday Bash Thriller

One of the standout events came at DartAsylum HQ, where the Browns Bar Birthday Bash lived up to its name with a dramatic final.

Warren Ryan edged past Colin Clarke 5-4 to lift the title after one of the closest finals of the weekend. Colin may have fallen just short, but his three 80+ averages showed just how high the standard was throughout the evening.

Steve Boundy and Liam Moore also enjoyed excellent runs, underlining the strength of the field.

Dorchester Pairs Produce Quality

The DTC July Pairs Open at Dorchester Trinity Club produced some outstanding darts.

Matt Yarrow & Robbie Martin lifted the title after defeating Matt Read & Dan Perry 6-2 in the final. Their best average of 97.13 was among the highest recorded anywhere in the South West on Saturday, while Andy Steed & Paul Millford also impressed with a superb 92.02 average during their run.

James Chudleigh Comes Through in Indian Queens

A huge field assembled for the Indian Queens Non County Competition, making James Chudleigh's victory all the more impressive.

James came through a demanding day of darts to defeat Andrew Daniell in the final, while Kev Dunstan caught the eye with the highest average of the tournament at 93.94. It was another reminder of the strength in depth on the Cornish circuit.

Robbie Long Adds Another Title

After reaching Friday night's Hangar 61 final, Robbie Long wasted little time getting back to winning ways.

He claimed the Saturday Night Money In Money Out Knockout title after overcoming Bobby Vickors in the final. Another deep run, followed by another trophy, continues an excellent spell of form for one of the region's most consistent performers.

Ross Godfrey Impresses in Devon

The Galaxy July Open saw Ross Godfrey produce one of the standout individual displays of the day.

His 98.56 average was comfortably the highest of the tournament as he defeated David Dodds in the final, finishing an excellent day's work in style.

Street Delivers Another Busy Evening

Street Darts Organisation hosted another double-header.

Jack Western claimed the Week 5 Open title, while Kevin Marlow came through to win the Week 5 Under-50 competition, ensuring another successful evening for one of the South West's busiest local venues.

Performance of the Day

Saturday produced plenty of quality darts, but the story of the day was perhaps Robbie Long. After finishing runner-up on Friday evening, he bounced back immediately to collect Saturday night's title.

Elsewhere, Matt Yarrow & Robbie Martin impressed in the pairs, James Chudleigh negotiated one of the largest fields of the day in Indian Queens, and Ross Godfrey's near-ton average was one of the standout performances across the South West.

Congratulations to all of Saturday's winners, and good luck to everyone taking to the oche on Sunday. 

Q4QS Bristol Area Rankings – Last 90 Days

 

One of the things I want Q4QS to become known for is providing meaningful local rankings that players can genuinely follow throughout the season.

Today are the Q4QS Bristol Area Rankings, covering English venues within a 20-mile radius of Bristol over the last 90 days.

Unlike the overall Q4QS Rankings, these tables focus purely on recent local form. I think a 90-day period provides a good balance, rewarding players who continue to perform week after week while still allowing new players to climb the rankings relatively quickly.

For these area rankings I've also introduced a minimum requirement of two qualifying events. That means players don't need a huge number of appearances to feature, but they do need to demonstrate their ability over more than a single night.

The rankings are compiled from 4,205 matches involving 422 different players, making them a great snapshot of one of the strongest local darts scenes in the country.

Top 10

1. Josh McCarthy

2. John Brown

3. Ashton Brown

4. Geoff James

5. Shaun Vernall

6. Steve Boundy

7. Darren Davies

8. Robbie Long

9. Zach Quinn

10. Lee Andrews

The full Top 50 can be found below.

My aim is to build similar rankings for other areas including Bath, Gloucester, Taunton, Exeter, Salisbury, Yeovil and beyond, before eventually bringing everything together into a Q4QS South West Top 100.

These rankings aren't designed to replace national rankings—they're designed to give players something local to follow, debate and, hopefully, climb.

As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts, and good luck to everyone trying to move up the table over the coming weeks.

Q4QS Bristol Area Top 50

English venues within a 20-mile radius of Bristol

Last 90 days · Minimum two qualifying events

Rank	Player	Q4QS Rating	Average	Events	W	L	Win %
1	Josh McCarthy	115.59	82.11	9	48	8	85.7%
2	John Brown	115.37	81.15	6	30	8	78.9%
3	Ashton Brown	114.06	78.69	7	32	13	71.1%
4	Geoff James	113.97	80.59	7	38	8	82.6%
5	Shaun Vernall	113.19	76.22	6	30	7	81.1%
6	Chris Hartrey	112.36	81.75	2	16	0	100.0%
7	Steve Boundy	110.73	71.98	14	83	20	80.6%
8	Darren Davies	108.88	68.43	6	27	10	73.0%
9	Robbie Long	108.64	73.89	9	38	12	76.0%
10	Zach Quinn	108.46	71.84	12	56	22	71.8%
11	Lee Andrews	107.78	71.70	20	77	34	69.4%
12	Matty Rogers	107.43	69.76	13	69	17	80.2%
13	Rich Griffee	106.04	76.63	15	65	21	75.6%
14	Jacob Godber	105.83	67.07	9	33	13	71.7%
15	Ellis Radford	105.64	72.15	15	59	28	67.8%
16	Mitch McCarthy	105.44	73.58	11	46	18	71.9%
17	Gary Hiscock	105.42	80.94	6	21	9	70.0%
18	Woody Jewell	104.23	68.94	14	63	28	69.2%
19	Johnny Haines	103.79	86.47	2	12	2	85.7%
20	Codi Wagstaff	103.78	55.33	6	35	8	81.4%
21	Chris Allen	102.52	69.32	3	19	5	79.2%
22	Mervyn Adams	102.48	67.54	12	49	26	65.3%
23	Owen Smith	102.08	67.50	8	30	17	63.8%
24	SKITZ 007	101.96	64.24	6	25	15	62.5%
25	Logun Godbeer	101.68	65.32	10	48	16	75.0%
26	John Maggs	100.85	61.32	14	58	22	72.5%
27	Declan Cox	99.87	74.78	3	15	4	78.9%
28	Lewis Kendall	99.85	64.37	4	22	6	78.6%
29	Samuel King	99.44	66.93	10	30	18	62.5%
30	Ryan Palmer	99.17	81.06	4	16	6	72.7%
31	Craig Britten	99.05	62.43	12	51	21	70.8%
32	Jason Batman Tunnicliff	99.03	58.94	8	31	13	70.5%
33	Joe Sellick	98.99	70.92	6	22	10	68.8%
34	Matthew Reddy	98.80	58.76	8	26	16	61.9%
35	Mac Docherty	98.61	60.12	10	32	23	58.2%
36	Jimmy Bristow	98.34	78.58	4	17	5	77.3%
37	The Knightmare Ryan Knight	98.31	68.01	4	21	9	70.0%
38	Cori Wiltshire	98.02	66.24	19	56	40	58.3%
39	Adrian Wood	97.80	72.84	7	23	14	62.2%
40	Shay Goff	97.49	65.29	13	42	30	58.3%
41	Alfie Barney	97.32	61.60	6	25	13	65.8%
42	Charlie Grabham	96.95	63.56	6	22	10	68.8%
43	Christopher Staples	96.69	57.50	8	27	21	56.2%
44	Alfie Palmer	96.47	65.47	13	35	30	53.8%
45	Luke Harding	96.08	68.72	3	17	6	73.9%
46	Richie Hunt	95.25	67.51	9	26	17	60.5%
47	Keith Norris	95.13	67.16	2	14	3	82.4%
48	Garry Harding	94.40	75.64	2	12	3	80.0%
49	Neil Raikes	94.37	70.01	2	13	2	86.7%
50	Brogan Bayford	94.35	62.95	11	33	23	58.9%

Rankings are based on matches played at English venues within 20 miles of Bristol during the last 90 days. Players must have competed in at least two qualifying events.

My aim is to build similar rankings for other areas including Bath, Gloucester, Taunton, Exeter, Salisbury, Yeovil and beyond, before eventually bringing everything together into a Q4QS South West Top 100.

These rankings aren't designed to replace national rankings—they're designed to give players something local to follow, debate and, hopefully, climb.

As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts, and good luck to everyone trying to move up the table over the coming weeks.

Country Spotlight: Denmark

 

I've decided to start a new weekly feature on Quest For Q School called Country Spotlight.

Each week I take a closer look at a different darts nation from around the world. Some are emerging nations beginning their journey, while others have already established themselves on the international stage.

This week the spotlight falls on one of the true powerhouses of Nordic darts – Denmark.

Where is Denmark?

Denmark is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, connecting mainland Europe with Scandinavia. Home to around six million people, it has a rich sporting heritage and is recognised globally for success in football, handball, cycling and badminton.

Over the last two decades, darts has also flourished, with Denmark producing world-class players and becoming one of the strongest nations in the Nordic region.

A Strong Darts Tradition

Unlike many countries featured in this series, Denmark is no longer an emerging darts nation.

The Danish Darts Organisation has helped create one of Europe's strongest domestic structures, with ranking events, youth competitions and major international tournaments attracting players from across the continent.

Denmark also hosts the annual Denmark Open & Masters, one of the longest-running and most respected tournaments on the WDF calendar.

Denmark on the International Stage

Denmark has been a regular presence in both WDF and PDC competitions for many years.

Its players have represented the nation at World Cups, Nordic championships and on the professional circuit, while Danish tournaments continue to attract international competitors looking to test themselves against strong opposition.

The country's success has come through consistency rather than one outstanding generation, with experienced internationals regularly joined by talented young players.

Players to Watch

One of the brightest prospects in European darts is Benjamin Drue Reus. Although still early in his Q4QS journey, he has already won 6 of his first 9 recorded matches, producing a best average of 91.54. His performances have marked him out as one of Denmark's most exciting young talents.

Another player enjoying an excellent season is Andreas Toft Jørgensen. Across 53 recorded matches, he has won 33, reaching a Q4QS Average of 76.56 and recording a best average of 87.48. His consistency across the PDC Nordic & Baltic Tour highlights the depth of Danish darts.

Brian Løkken has also impressed with a 79.45 Q4QS Average across 17 recorded matches, while Simon Bak has matched that same Q4QS Average and produced a best average of 88.07, demonstrating the strength of competition within Denmark itself.

Another name worth following is Ivan Springborg Poulsen, who has won 10 of his 17 recorded Q4QS matches and continues to gain valuable experience on both the Danish and Nordic circuits.

Why Denmark Matters

Denmark has become the benchmark for darts development in the Nordic region.

A strong domestic circuit, regular international competition and an emphasis on youth development have created a conveyor belt of talented players capable of competing at WDF and PDC level.

Looking Ahead

The future looks exceptionally bright.

With experienced internationals continuing to compete and exciting youngsters such as Benjamin Drue Reus emerging, Denmark appears well placed to remain one of Northern Europe's strongest darts nations for many years to come.

Q4QS Darts Nation Rating

Current Strength: 9/10

Participation: 8/10

International Success: 9/10

Future Potential: 9/10

Overall Q4QS Nation Rating: 8.75/10

Denmark has earned its place among Europe's most respected darts nations. Strong foundations, excellent player development and a thriving domestic circuit make it one of the continent's leading countries outside the traditional powerhouses.

Useful Links

Danish Darts Organisation
https://dart.dk

World Darts Federation
https://dartswdf.com

Yesterday's Results Round-Up – Friday 17 July 2026

 

Friday nights rarely disappoint on the grassroots circuit, and this week was no exception. Several familiar names were back in the winner's circle, while a handful of outstanding performances stole the headlines across the South West.

Joe Bagguley Ends Shaun Vernall's Charge

The biggest story of the evening came at Vault 18.0 @ Saintbridge Sports Club, Gloucester.

Ahead of the tournament, Shaun Vernall looked the man to beat after another excellent run of form. He certainly lived up to the billing early on, producing a magnificent 107.36 average before reaching the latter stages.

But it was Joe Bagguley who had the final say.

After firing successive 103.66, 100.20 and 93.94 averages, Joe defeated Andy Hammond in the final to lift the title, capping one of the finest performances of the evening. It was a statement victory against one of the strongest Friday night fields of recent weeks.

Andy Steed Continues His Excellent Summer

Over in Taunton, Andy Steed added another Vault title to an already impressive season.

He defeated Steven Rees in the final and once again showed why he remains one of the most consistent performers in the region, producing a best average of 91.65 during another successful evening.

With another trophy added to the cabinet, Andy's excellent run of form continues.

Jamie Kay Dominates in Bodmin

At St Breward AFC & Social Club, Jamie Kay enjoyed one of the performances of the night.

His route to the title included four averages above 93, finishing with a commanding victory over Joshua Meneer in the final. That level of consistency made him one of Friday's standout champions.

Robbie Roy Wins in Yeovil

The Friday Vault at Bullets Sports Bar, Yeovil produced another competitive evening.

Robbie Roy lifted the title after defeating Daren Field in the final, while Jim Chappell's 93.94 average and Adam Kingsnorth's 95.00 showed just how competitive the standard was throughout the night.

Liam Blakeley Comes Through in Dorchester

The Dorchester Vault may have been one of the smaller fields of the evening, but it still produced quality darts.

Liam Blakeley defeated Matt Yarrow in the final, although Matt recorded the highest average of the event with 93.94, underlining just how closely contested the tournament proved to be.

Logun Godbeer Adds Another Title

The Worle Summer Open saw another impressive performance from one of the area's brightest young talents.

Logun Godbeer defeated Adrian Wood in the final after another excellent evening. Adrian produced the highest average of the tournament at 92.02, but Logun once again found a way to get over the finishing line and collect another title.

Performance of the Day

There were several outstanding displays across Friday's action, but Joe Bagguley's performance at Saintbridge stands out.

Not only did he produce three ton-plus averages, but he also negotiated one of the toughest fields of the evening to claim the title. Meanwhile, Shaun Vernall's superb 107.36 average served as another reminder of the incredible standard currently being produced on the South West circuit.

Congratulations to all of Friday night's winners, and good luck to everyone competing over the rest of the weekend.

Yesterday's Results Round-Up – Thursday 16 July 2026

 

Thursday night was another busy one for the grassroots game, with 46 tournaments added to the Q4QS database. Across the South West there were plenty of familiar names collecting titles, while several players produced outstanding performances on another action-packed evening.

Josh McCarthy Continues His Winning Form

One of the standout stories came at The Carlton Club, Stroud, where Josh McCarthy added yet another Vault 18 title to his growing collection.

Josh defeated Paul Meyer in a closely fought final and once again showed why he remains one of the form players in the region. Averaging over 91 in the final, he continued the consistency that has made him one of the toughest opponents on the South West circuit.

Andy Steed Back on Top

At the rearranged Vault 18 at Stalbridge RBL, Andy Steed claimed another title after defeating Callum Harrison in the final.

Andy produced a superb 92.02 average during the evening and once again demonstrated the quality that has kept him among the leading performers in the Q4QS rankings throughout 2026.

Henry Cooper Triumphs in Yeovil

The Yeovil Labour Club hosted another competitive Vault 18, with Henry Cooper lifting the trophy after overcoming Steve Donohue.

Henry impressed throughout the evening, producing multiple 90+ averages and finishing strongly to secure another excellent title.

Robbie Long Returns to Winning Ways

The weekly Hangar 61 Thursday Night Round Robin once again delivered a highly competitive field.

Robbie Long defeated Martyn Freeman in the final after both players enjoyed excellent evenings. Martyn recorded the night's highest average at 93.94, while Robbie responded with an 88.06 average in the final to seal the title.

Miles O'Toole and Mark Jennings also enjoyed strong runs to the latter stages.

Jamie Shovelton Wins at DartAsylum

Another quality field assembled for the Thursday Night Round Robin at DartAsylum HQ.

Jamie Shovelton emerged victorious after beating Ashton Brown in the final. Although Ashton narrowly missed out on the title, he produced some of the best darts of the evening, recording three averages above 91 during another impressive run.

Morgan Fowler Keeps Momentum Going

Morgan Fowler continued his recent excellent form by winning the Purton Red House Under 70 Round Robin.

His victory over Dillon Moran in the final was built on another consistent night's scoring, while Dave Legg posted the event's highest average with an impressive 91.09.

Performance of the Day

There were several outstanding performances across Thursday's tournaments, but Andy Steed, Josh McCarthy and Henry Cooper all continued their excellent recent form with another title.

Martyn Freeman's 93.94 average at Hangar 61 and Ashton Brown's scoring display at DartAsylum also deserve special mention despite both falling just short in their respective finals.

Congratulations to all of Thursday night's winners, and good luck to everyone back on the oche over the weekend.

What's in a Name? Which First Name Rules the Q4QS Rankings?

 

Every now and then I spot something in the rankings that makes me wonder...

This week I noticed that Luke Humphries sits at No.1 in the Q4QS Rankings, Luke Littler is No.2, and Luke Woodhouse isn't far behind.

So naturally I started thinking...

Is Luke the strongest first name in darts?

To find out, I grouped every player in the Q4QS rankings by first name. Rather than simply looking at the highest-ranked player, I added together the rankings of each name's best five players. That rewards names with real depth rather than just one superstar.

The results were a real surprise...

The Strongest First Names in Q4QS

🥇 1. Jack (Combined Ranking Score: 558)

• Jack Drayton (#34)

• Jack Aldridge (#50)

• Jack Tweddell (#136)

• Jack Johnson (#145)

• Jack Todd (#193)

🥈 2. Daniel (571)

• Daniel Ayres (#25)

• Daniel Klose (#46)

• Daniel Zapata (#87)

• Daniel Larsson (#171)

• Daniel Nicholls (#242)

🥉 3. James (670)

• James Wade (#13)

• James Beeton (#40)

• James Hurrell (#163)

• James Howard Hughes (#226)

• James Parkin (#228)

4. Ryan (761)

• Ryan Searle (#100)

• Ryan Hogarth (#114)

• Ryan Joyce (#119)

• Ryan Branley (#196)

• Ryan Furness (#232)

5. Michael (811)

• Michael van Gerwen (#6)

• Michael Smith (#84)

• Michael Unterbuchner (#178)

• Michael Wiles (#202)

• Michael Bajowski (#341)

6. Adam (812)

• Adam Gawlas (#37)

• Adam Sevada (#116)

• Adam Leek (#142)

• Adam Beck (#189)

• Adam Paxton

7. Scott (895)

• Scott Robertson (#26)

• Scott Waites (#29)

• Scott Walters (#258)

• Scott Campbell (#277)

• Scott Winder (#305)

So what about the Lukes?

This was the whole reason I looked into it.

With Luke Humphries at #1, Luke Littler at #2 and Luke Woodhouse at #11, I thought Luke would probably top the table.

Not even close!

Once you get beyond those three, the rankings thin out, meaning Luke only finishes 15th overall in the first-name standings.

It just shows that having the world's two best players doesn't necessarily give you the strongest name overall.

Is your name any good?

Being called Paul myself, I couldn't resist checking.

There are 107 Pauls in the current Q4QS rankings.

The leading five are:

• Paul Krohne (#19)

• Paul Milford (#240)

• Paul Rowley (#369)

• Paul Hogan (#379)

• Paul Redfern (#575)

That puts Paul in 17th place overall. Not bad... but I'll admit I'm slightly disappointed we couldn't crack the Top 10!

What about some of darts' legendary names?

I also wondered how some of the sport's most famous first names were represented today.

• Eric – Just 9 players appear in the rankings, with Eric Wadlow (#1064) currently leading the way.

• Phil – 27 players, headed by Phil Johnson-Hale (#708).

• Philip – 16 players, with Philip Van Gasse (#738) the highest ranked.

• Raymond – Led by Raymond Smith (#58) and Raymond van Barneveld (#399), giving the name a respectable showing.

• Ray – Only 6 players, with Ray Byron (#3302) currently the highest ranked.

It seems some of darts' most iconic names have become surprisingly uncommon in today's rankings.

Which name comes next?

This started as a bit of fun, but it turned out to be a fascinating look at the depth of talent behind each first name.

It also raises plenty of other questions...

• Which surname is strongest?

• Which first name is the most common?

• Which names are climbing fastest?

• Is there a lucky darts name after all?

I'll definitely be digging into the data again.