ADC Vault 19 Finals Preview: Who Will Claim the South West and North Wales MODUS Super Series Places?

 

Two regional finals, two MODUS Super Series opportunities and plenty of players arriving with genuine title-winning form.

This weekend brings the ADC Vault 19.0 regional finals for the South West and North Wales, with both winners earning the opportunity to compete on the MODUS Super Series.

The South West final takes place at Break N Dish in Westbury on Saturday 31 October, followed by the North Wales final at The Goat in Penygroes, near Caernarfon, on Sunday 1 November.

Both competitions will be played over the best of 11 legs throughout, which should provide a rather different challenge from some of the shorter matches players have encountered during the regular Vault season.

I've been looking through the players in the Q4QS Database, examining their recent results, averages and performances against other strong opponents.

There are some interesting contenders in both regions, although I certainly wouldn't rule out a surprise.

South West: Can the form players deliver?

Saturday 31 October | 12 noon | Break N Dish, Westbury

The South West competition has places available for the top 32 qualifiers from the Vault 19 Best 10 Results table.

My supplied entry data includes 26 players, and there is a particularly interesting group near the top of the Q4QS rankings.

Jamie Kay is the highest-ranked player in that data, sitting at Q4QS number 349 with an overall average of 83.25.

Kay's experience outside the Vault circuit could prove useful. He reached the semi-finals of PDC Challenge Tour 24, averaging 82.91 across the event, and has recorded wins against Ted Evetts and Jonathan Kavanagh.

He also reached a quarter-final at the England Masters & Classic, averaging 90.24. If he brings that level of scoring to Westbury, he will be difficult to beat.

But he certainly isn't the only player with strong credentials.

Cooper, King and Palmer arrive in excellent form

Henry Cooper is one of the players who particularly interests me.

The Q4QS Database has him averaging 83.61 overall, and his recent tournament record is impressive.

He won at Portland Social Club with an 83.96 tournament average, reached a final at The Newtown in Poole averaging 88.06, and followed that with another victory at Pegasus 68 Club in Taunton, averaging 86.35.

That's a very encouraging sequence of performances, particularly with nine wins from his last ten recorded matches.

Ricky King is another who appears to be finding his best darts at exactly the right time.

His latest recorded tournament was a victory at The Sandpiper in Christchurch, where he averaged 87.59 across the competition. He also produced a 102.89 match average against Jayden Walker and a 100.20 against Lee Harding.

Those are the sorts of numbers that can make a real difference in a best-of-11 contest.

Then there's Ryan Palmer.

Palmer has been producing some exceptional individual matches at Widden Rugby Club in Gloucester, including averages of 109.98 against Alfie Ryan and 107.36 against Daniel Jeffrey.

His tournament-winning average of 87.62 at Widden is another strong indicator of what he can produce.

With nine wins from his last ten recorded matches, he has a good combination of scoring power and recent results.

Of those three, I find it difficult to separate Cooper, King and Palmer purely on their recent performances.

The Dorset challenge

There is also an interesting rivalry developing around Dorchester Trinity Club.

Liam Blakeley has won multiple Vault 19 events there, including one with an 81.69 tournament average. He has also recorded a victory over Robbie Martin with an 89.31 match average.

Matt Yarrow has been enjoying his own success at the same venue, including a recent tournament win in which he defeated Blakeley.

Yarrow has nine wins from his last ten recorded matches, while Blakeley has eight.

Their records suggest both are comfortable winning matches in competitive fields. Whether either can reproduce that form against unfamiliar opponents will be worth watching.

Don't overlook the wider field

Andy Steed has won at Legends Lounge in Plymouth, averaging 84.19, and has recorded a victory over Simon Stevenson.

David Farmer has ten wins from his last ten recorded matches, although his overall average of 74.89 is below that of the leading contenders.

Darren Herbert has been winning at The Choughs Hotel in Chard, while Steve Boundy has produced good performances at Portishead Workmen's Club.

Jack Walker is another name worth noting following success at Bessellscotts in Bristol, and Finlay Cleave has been reaching the latter stages of tournaments in Devon.

These players might not attract quite as much attention as the leading names, but knockout darts has a habit of producing unexpected results.

Q4QS Six to Follow — South West

1. Henry Cooper — Multiple recent Vault victories, an 83.61 overall average and excellent current form. My narrow statistical preference.

2. Ricky King — Arrives after an 87.59 tournament-winning average at Christchurch, with the ability to produce 100-plus match averages.

3. Ryan Palmer — Perhaps the most explosive scoring figures in the field, including individual matches averaging over 107 and 109.

4. Jamie Kay — Highest Q4QS-ranked player in the supplied field, with valuable PDC Challenge Tour experience.

5. Liam Blakeley — Consistent tournament success in Dorchester and a player who knows how to get through a competitive field.

6. Matt Yarrow — Dark Horse — Nine wins in his last ten recorded matches and a recent victory over Blakeley. Could go further than some expect.

My South West verdict: Cooper, King, Palmer and Kay are the four I would concentrate on, with Cooper just edging my selection on the combination of average, consistency and recent tournament wins. But if Palmer produces his very best scoring, he could be the one they all have to beat.

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North Wales: A much tighter contest than the rankings suggest?

Sunday 1 November | 1pm | The Goat, Penygroes

The North Wales final is restricted to the top 16 qualifiers from the regional Best 10 Results table.

The supplied Q4QS pack contains 15 names, and there are some very interesting comparisons to make.

Kelson Hughes is the highest-ranked player in the supplied field, sitting at Q4QS number 627.

His recent record is impressive, with tournament wins at The Nelson in Rhyl, Cross Foxes in Prestatyn and Castle Arms in Denbigh.

At Castle Arms, he averaged 80.81 across the event and recorded wins over fellow finalists Richard Martin and Tom Hughes, with match averages of 87.31 and 87.92 respectively.

He has also reached a final at the Keith Woodfine Memorial and a semi-final at Llandudno Conservative Club.

That is a strong run of results across different venues, and it makes Hughes one of the obvious players to watch.

Nash has the numbers to challenge

Terry Nash has the highest established overall average among the players in the supplied North Wales field, at 79.41, narrowly ahead of Richard Rowlands.

He has also won nine of his last ten recorded matches.

His tournament victory at a Vault 19 warm-up event came with an 84.94 average, and he has produced a 100.20 match average against Jake B-Smith.

Nash also recorded a Vault victory at The Angel in Welshpool with an 81.50 tournament average.

That combination of tournament-winning experience and recent form makes him a serious contender.

Jones and Rowlands bring winning experience

Kacey Jones has enjoyed a particularly productive Vault campaign at The Angel in Welshpool.

He has a tournament-winning average of 79.25 in the database, alongside several finals and semi-finals.

He has also recorded a 93.94 match average against Ben McNicholas.

But one of the interesting results in his recent history is a final defeat against Ewan Jones, who beat him 3-2.

Ewan has himself won a Vault event at The Angel, averaging 76.22, and arrives with seven wins from his last ten recorded matches.

Richard Rowlands is another player who deserves attention.

His overall average of 79.56 is the highest of the established figures in this North Wales field.

He has enjoyed success at Clwb Llyn Bach in Porthmadog and reached a final at The Goat, losing to Morgan Nash.

Nine wins from his last ten recorded matches suggest he is in good form, even if his most recent tournament averages have been slightly lower than those of some of his rivals.

Could Dobbins be the danger?

Chris Dobbins is another name I wouldn't dismiss.

He has won at Cefn Social Club in Wrexham, averaging 83.20, and recorded a 94.10 match average against Ian Pettigrew.

His recent results also include success in a cash competition at the Cefn Club.

He may sit below some of the leading contenders in the overall Q4QS rankings, but his better performances are certainly competitive with theirs.

And in a knockout competition, that's often enough to make somebody dangerous.

The Goat connection

There is also a local element worth considering.

Scott Bannerman has reached a Vault final at The Goat, while Morgan Nash has recorded tournament success there, including a victory over Bannerman.

Spud Thomas has also won at The Goat and has nine wins from his last ten recorded matches, although the Q4QS Database does not yet have enough events to publish a fully qualified overall average for him.

Familiarity with the venue isn't a guarantee of success, but it may help a player settle quickly.

Elsewhere, Baz Tym has reached a final at the Royal Oak in Rhyl, Darren Southall has won at Cross Foxes in Prestatyn, and Shaun Thompson has enjoyed success at Groves Sports & Social in Shotton.

There is certainly enough depth here to make this more than a contest between the first few names in the rankings.

Q4QS Six to Follow — North Wales

1. Kelson Hughes — Highest-ranked player in the supplied field, with several Vault wins across different venues.

2. Terry Nash — Strong recent form, an 84.94 tournament-winning average and some excellent individual match performances.

3. Richard Rowlands — Highest established overall average in the field and nine wins from his last ten matches.

4. Kacey Jones — A consistent performer at Welshpool with tournament wins, finals and some impressive scoring.

5. Chris Dobbins — An 83.20 tournament-winning average at Cefn Social Club makes him a genuine threat.

6. Morgan Nash — Dark Horse — Has already won at The Goat, the venue for Sunday's final, and could be a difficult opponent.

My North Wales verdict: I slightly favour Kelson Hughes because of the number of venues at which he has been successful. Terry Nash and Richard Rowlands are very close alternatives, while Chris Dobbins could cause problems for anybody if he reproduces his best form.

One weekend, two big opportunities

What I like about these finals is that they reward players for competing regularly throughout the Vault season, but still require them to produce their best darts when the opportunity arrives.

A high ranking or a strong average might make somebody a favourite, but neither guarantees six winning legs.

And the prize is a significant one.

For the two eventual winners, this weekend could be the start of a very different darts experience on the MODUS Super Series.

I'll be following the results with interest, particularly to see whether the strongest performers in the Q4QS Database justify their form or whether somebody further down the rankings produces a memorable run.

Who are your picks for the South West and North Wales titles?

Analysis based on the Q4QS Database and supplied tournament entry packs. The South West pack contains 26 names and the North Wales pack 15; final official entry lists and draws may differ.

Official tournament pages:

South West Final

North Wales Final

MODUS Champions Week 2026: What Do the Q4QS Statistics Tell Us?

 

Twelve players, one title, and a rather interesting set of statistics.

With MODUS Super Series Champions Week about to begin, I've been looking through my separate Q4QS MODUS database to see whether the numbers tell us anything that might not be obvious from the names involved.

And there are a few surprises.

Rather than relying on reputation or general darts rankings, I've compared the players' recorded MODUS performances, including their overall averages, recent form and previous meetings.

There is one important qualification: my database currently contains ten of the twelve qualifying weeks from Series 15, so this is not a complete statistical record of the current series. However, it does give us plenty of historical MODUS performances to examine.

The twelve finalists compared

Averages are three-dart match averages from the database's calculated player statistics. Last 20 is each player's latest recorded MODUS matches, not necessarily their latest matches in all competitions.

Player	MODUS matches	Overall avg	Last 20 avg	Last 20 wins
Darren Beveridge	19	95.73	95.73*	16/19
Derek Coulson	286	93.66	94.80	16/20
Andy Baetens	61	92.19	94.18	15/20
Danny Ayres	56	89.65	92.68	13/20
Archie Self	109	89.33	95.65	13/20
Ted Evetts	133	88.90	88.55	13/20
Scott Robertson	75	89.74	88.60	16/20
Neil Duff	466	87.30	86.44	15/20
Scott Campbell	156	86.83	88.53	14/20
Michael Wiles	27	86.53	86.46	12/20
David Davies	210	85.86	90.11	13/20
Benito van de Pas	29	83.86	85.64	15/20

Beveridge has only 19 matches recorded, so his last-20 figure covers those 19.

The biggest takeaway is that the recent-form picture is quite different from the overall rankings. Archie Self's 95.65 over his latest 20 matches is particularly impressive compared with his longer-term 89.33.

Beveridge sets the average benchmark

Darren Beveridge tops the overall average comparison with 95.73.

That's an impressive figure, although his sample of 19 matches is considerably smaller than that of several other finalists.

He has won 16 of those 19 matches, an 84.2% success rate.

If he maintains that combination of scoring and winning, he will be difficult to stop.

Coulson has the experience and the numbers

Derek Coulson is perhaps the most convincing contender when we combine average and sample size.

Across 286 recorded MODUS matches, he has averaged 93.66 and won 207.

His last 20 matches are even more encouraging: 16 victories and a 94.80 average.

Maintaining those figures across so many appearances is no small achievement.

Coulson also has previous experience against several of the other finalists, something which could become important as the week develops.

Archie Self's recent scoring deserves attention

One of the most interesting figures belongs to Archie Self.

His overall MODUS average is 89.33 across 109 matches, but that rises to 95.65 over his latest 20 recorded matches.

That's a substantial difference.

It suggests that judging Self solely on his longer-term average could underestimate his current scoring ability.

He has won 13 of those last 20 matches, so his recent scoring hasn't translated into quite as high a win percentage as Coulson or Beveridge.

Nevertheless, that scoring level makes him a serious contender.

Baetens is another strong challenger

Andy Baetens has recorded 61 MODUS matches, winning 44 and averaging 92.19.

His latest 20 matches show an improvement to 94.18, alongside 15 victories.

That puts him among the strongest players when we look at both recent scoring and results.

If he brings that level into Champions Week, he has every reason to be confident.

Don't overlook the others

Danny Ayres has a 92.68 average across his latest 20 recorded MODUS matches, which puts him firmly in the conversation.

Scott Robertson has won 16 of his latest 20, matching Coulson's recent win total, although his average of 88.60 is lower.

Neil Duff has an extraordinary amount of MODUS experience in this comparison, with 466 recorded matches. His recent 15 wins from 20 show that he remains competitive.

David Davies is another interesting case. His overall average is 85.86, but his latest 20 matches average 90.11.

That is precisely the sort of difference I wanted this analysis to identify.

And Michael Wiles, Scott Campbell, Ted Evetts and Benito van de Pas all have records suggesting they shouldn't be dismissed simply because others have stronger headline figures.

What about previous meetings?

This is where the database becomes particularly useful.

Coulson and Scott Robertson have met seven times in the recorded MODUS data, with Coulson leading 4–3.

Coulson and Neil Duff have met six times, with their record level at three wins apiece.

Archie Self leads Scott Campbell 3–2 across five meetings, while Coulson leads Self 2–1.

Those results don't guarantee anything this week, but they do remind us that some of the players have already demonstrated an ability to beat one another.

And with several days of competition ahead, those familiar match-ups could become significant.

My statistical shortlist

Based on the available MODUS evidence, four players particularly interest me.

Derek Coulson has the strongest combination of long-term scoring, substantial match history and recent results.

Darren Beveridge has the highest average and best recorded win percentage, although his sample is much smaller.

Andy Baetens combines a strong overall record with excellent recent form.

Archie Self is the player whose recent scoring stands out most sharply against his longer-term numbers.

If I had to choose one player whose statistics might surprise people, it would be Self.

But this isn't a prediction that the title is his. It's an observation that his recent MODUS scoring deserves serious attention.

The real test begins now

Statistics can tell us who has performed well, but they cannot guarantee what happens next.

Champions Week brings different opponents, different pressures and a different challenge from winning an individual qualifying week.

That's what makes it worth following.

I'll be watching how these twelve players perform against their historical numbers, whether the leading scorers maintain their standards, and whether somebody further down the averages produces the performances of their life.

The Q4QS numbers point towards Coulson, Beveridge, Baetens and Self. But will the darts follow the statistics?

European Championship 2026 Preview: Humphries Withdraws – Who Can Take Advantage in Dortmund?

Luke Humphries' withdrawal has changed the complexion of the European Championship before a dart has been thrown. With the world number two absent, can Luke Littler add another major title, or will one of the chasing pack take advantage? I've been examining the Q4QS Database to see who arrives in form.

Well, that's thrown something of a spanner in the works.

I'd been looking through the Q4QS Database ahead of this weekend's European Championship, analysing recent performances, averages, winning percentages and results to see which players might be arriving in Dortmund in the best form.

And one of the strongest candidates was Luke Humphries.

Unfortunately, Humphries has now withdrawn from the tournament after suffering from gastroenteritis.

The world number two was due to face Ryan Searle in the opening round, but his place has been taken by Kim Huybrechts, the highest-ranked player on the European Tour Order of Merit who hadn't qualified.

It's a significant change to the tournament, and one that could have consequences for several players.

Humphries was the top-ranked player in the Q4QS Database, with a rating of 794.12 and an average of 99.61.

He was also arriving in outstanding form, having won the World Grand Prix and reached the final of the Swiss Darts Trophy.

His absence removes one of the strongest contenders and potentially opens up opportunities elsewhere in the draw.

But who is best placed to take advantage?

Littler now the man to beat?

It would have been difficult to look beyond Luke Littler as one of the favourites anyway, but the absence of Humphries makes his prospects even more interesting.

Littler sits third in the Q4QS rankings, with a rating of 770.42 and a Q4QS average of 99.40.

More importantly, he's won nine of his last ten matches recorded in the database.

His World Matchplay triumph remains one of the outstanding performances of the season.

Across five matches, Littler produced a remarkable tournament average of 111.04.

That included a 111.53 average against Gerwyn Price in the final, a 110.88 against Dirk van Duijvenbode and a 109.57 against Josh Rock.

Those are extraordinary numbers, even by Littler's standards.

Of course, darts doesn't always work quite as simply as that.

Littler suffered an early exit at the World Grand Prix, and even the best players can have an off-night.

But looking at his overall performances and recent results, he is certainly the player everyone else will be looking to stop.

His first-round opponent is William O'Connor, with Nathan Aspinall or Cristo Reyes waiting in the second round if Littler progresses.

Gerwyn Price – perhaps the strongest challenger

If there's one player who might particularly fancy his chances following Humphries' withdrawal, it could be Gerwyn Price.

Price is second in the Q4QS rankings, with a rating of 772.06 and an average of 98.79.

What stands out is his consistency in reaching the latter stages of major tournaments.

The database records him reaching the finals of the World Matchplay, World Series Finals and World Grand Prix.

He averaged 100.42 during his run to the World Series Finals final, including a 104.07 performance in a victory over Jonny Clayton.

He might not have converted every final appearance into a title, but consistently getting that far against the strongest opposition is an achievement in itself.

Price opens against Rob Cross.

Cross has plenty of major tournament experience, and his recent Swiss Darts Trophy performances suggest he is capable of providing a serious challenge.

The winner will face either Niels Zonneveld or Cameron Menzies.

There are no guarantees, but Price certainly looks capable of going a long way.

Chris Dobey – the statistical outsider?

One player who keeps appearing whenever I look at recent Q4QS performances is Chris Dobey.

He's fifth in the overall Q4QS rankings, with a rating of 756.63 and an average of 97.25.

But it's his recent individual performances that really catch my attention.

At Players Championship 29, Dobey reached the quarter-finals with a tournament average of 105.88.

That run included a 106.62 average against Josh Rock, 106.09 against Maik Kuivenhoven and an outstanding 112.73 against Wesley Plaisier.

And here's the interesting part.

Dobey faces Josh Rock in the first round in Dortmund.

Having recently beaten Rock with a 106-plus average, Dobey will surely approach that match with some confidence.

Rock remains a dangerous opponent, but the recent statistical evidence certainly suggests Dobey has a realistic chance of progressing.

He's one of the players I'll be watching particularly closely.

Ross Smith – top seed and a genuine contender

Ross Smith heads the European Championship seedings, and his recent results suggest he has every reason to be confident.

He sits ninth in the Q4QS rankings, with an average of 95.98.

His most significant recent achievement was winning the World Series Finals.

Smith averaged 99.10 across the tournament, including a 103.89 performance in an 11-5 victory over Gerwyn Price.

He also defeated Gian van Veen and Josh Rock during that successful run.

Those results demonstrate his ability to beat the very best players over longer formats.

Smith begins against Karel Sedlacek, with James Wade or Damon Heta potentially waiting in the second round.

Given his seeding, recent performances and tournament experience, he belongs firmly among the leading contenders.

Wessel Nijman – the numbers remain impressive

Wessel Nijman has been one of the more interesting players to follow statistically.

He is fourth in the Q4QS rankings, with a rating of 762.55 and an average of 97.30.

His results haven't always matched the quality of his scoring, with five wins and five defeats across his last ten recorded matches.

However, his performances at Players Championship 29 included a tournament average of 103.79.

That sort of scoring power makes him dangerous against almost anybody.

Nijman begins against Martin Schindler, another player capable of producing excellent averages.

Schindler's recent results haven't been particularly consistent, but he has shown signs of improvement in his scoring.

This is one of those matches where I wouldn't be surprised by either result.

The players arriving with momentum

There are a few players who deserve particular attention because of their most recent tournament performances.

Niels Zonneveld

Zonneveld arrives following his Dutch Darts Championship victory, having won six consecutive matches and averaged 96.35 across the tournament.

His run included victories over Danny Noppert, Stephen Bunting, Wessel Nijman and Gerwyn Price.

That's an impressive list of opponents.

His Q4QS ranking of 46 doesn't necessarily reflect just how dangerous he could be when producing those performances.

He begins against Cameron Menzies and could potentially meet Price or Cross in the second round.

Danny Noppert

Noppert was beaten by Zonneveld in that final, but his own performances deserve recognition.

He averaged 99.40 across the tournament and recorded a remarkable 113.42 against Luke Woodhouse.

He also defeated Gian van Veen and Jermaine Wattimena during the event.

Noppert has won seven of his last ten recorded matches, and his recent form suggests he could be particularly dangerous.

He faces Stephen Bunting in the opening round.

Gian van Veen

The defending champion arrives with another impressive run of results behind him.

Van Veen has won seven of his last ten recorded matches and recently reached the final of Players Championship 29.

He followed that by reaching the semi-finals of the Dutch Darts Championship, where he averaged 101.92 across his matches.

He'll begin his title defence against Andrew Gilding.

With Humphries absent, Van Veen must fancy his chances of another deep run.

Jonny Clayton

Clayton's victory at the Swiss Darts Trophy was another performance worth highlighting.

He averaged 102.95 across the event and defeated Luke Humphries in the final.

His route also included victories over Gian van Veen and Rob Cross.

Those results suggest Clayton is approaching this tournament with plenty of confidence.

He opens against Niko Springer, with the winner facing either Josh Rock or Chris Dobey.

That section of the draw could produce some excellent matches.

Kevin Doets – another potential surprise

Kevin Doets is seventh in the Q4QS rankings, with an average of 96.11.

He has won seven of his last ten recorded matches and has enjoyed some impressive Players Championship results.

He reached the final of Players Championship 27 and followed that with a semi-final appearance at Players Championship 29, averaging 100.29 during the latter event.

His problem is the draw.

Doets faces Michael van Gerwen in the first round.

Van Gerwen's recent results have been somewhat inconsistent, but his experience and ability to produce his best darts on the big stage cannot be underestimated.

Nevertheless, Doets has the scoring and recent results to make this a particularly interesting encounter.

I certainly wouldn't regard it as a straightforward opening match for Van Gerwen.

What does Humphries' withdrawal change?

The obvious consequence is that one of the tournament's strongest players is no longer in the field.

But the more interesting question is what it means for the draw.

Kim Huybrechts comes in to face Ryan Searle, with the winner meeting Danny Noppert or Stephen Bunting in the second round.

Searle will understandably see an opportunity, although Huybrechts is experienced enough to make life difficult.

Further down the tournament, players in that section of the draw may also view Humphries' absence as a significant opportunity.

It doesn't mean their path to the final is suddenly easy.

Far from it.

But a player who was performing exceptionally well, and who had recently won the World Grand Prix, is no longer there to stop them.

And that undoubtedly changes the tournament.

The opening matches I'll be watching

Several first-round ties stand out.

Gerwyn Price v Rob Cross: Two established major winners, both capable of going deep into this tournament.

Josh Rock v Chris Dobey: One of the most interesting matches statistically, particularly given Dobey's recent scoring performances.

Kevin Doets v Michael van Gerwen: An opportunity for Doets to demonstrate that his strong Q4QS ranking reflects his ability against the biggest names.

Wessel Nijman v Martin Schindler: Nijman's impressive overall numbers against a player capable of producing strong individual performances.

Danny Noppert v Stephen Bunting: Noppert arrives following a final appearance, while Bunting reached the semi-finals of the same tournament.

Kim Huybrechts v Ryan Searle: A late change to the draw and an unexpected opportunity for both players.

And I'll also be keeping an eye on Cristo Reyes against Nathan Aspinall.

Reyes has shown some excellent recent form, including a quarter-final appearance at the Swiss Darts Trophy and a tournament average of 101.17 at Players Championship 29.

He could be one of the more dangerous outsiders in the field.

So who wins the European Championship?

Before Humphries' withdrawal, I would have placed him alongside Littler as one of the two strongest contenders.

His absence changes that assessment.

Luke Littler is now my leading candidate, based on the Q4QS statistics and his ability to produce extraordinary performances over several matches.

Gerwyn Price would be my next choice.

His consistent appearances in major finals suggest he's rarely far away from challenging for titles.

Ross Smith, Wessel Nijman and Chris Dobey also deserve serious consideration.

And I certainly wouldn't dismiss Gian van Veen, particularly given his recent results and status as defending champion.

If we're looking for players who could surprise people, Kevin Doets, Niels Zonneveld and Cristo Reyes are all interesting candidates based on their recent performances.

But one of the things I've learned from looking through the Q4QS data is that statistics don't always tell us everything.

A player might be averaging 98 or 99 over several tournaments and still lose to somebody who produces one exceptional match.

That's darts.

What the figures can do is identify players performing well consistently, those whose form is improving and those who perhaps deserve more attention than they're receiving.

And with one of the strongest players in the world now missing from the tournament, the European Championship looks even more intriguing.

My leading contender: Luke Littler.

Main challengers: Gerwyn Price, Ross Smith, Wessel Nijman and Gian van Veen.

Player to watch: Chris Dobey.

Potential surprises: Kevin Doets, Niels Zonneveld and Cristo Reyes.

We'll see how well the Q4QS figures stand up over the next four days.

Q4QS analysis uses recorded match results and player rankings supplied on 22 October 2026. Rankings and averages refer to the Q4QS Database, not the official PDC Order of Merit. Match coverage may be incomplete, and predictions are statistical assessments rather than guarantees.

MODUS Super Series Week 12 Preview: Joe Hunt, Archie Self and Jack Aldridge Head a Strong Field

 

A recent PDC Challenge Tour champion, players fresh from ADC National Finals Weekend and some familiar rivalries make Week 12 of the MODUS Super Series an interesting prospect.

The MODUS Super Series returns for Week 12, and looking through the Q4QS database, there are several reasons why this could be a particularly competitive week.

Joe Hunt arrives with an impressive recent record, Archie Self has been collecting titles, Jack Aldridge has produced some excellent Challenge Tour performances, and Tommy Lishman has already demonstrated that he can beat some of the strongest players in the field.

There are also players arriving directly from the ADC National Finals Weekend, where several have enjoyed good runs.

What interests me most is the mixture of experience and recent form. Some have been competing regularly on the PDC Challenge Tour, others have been producing excellent performances in the ADC Vault competitions, and there are players who have been making progress through the Development Tour.

As usual, I've been looking at the available Q4QS figures to see what they might tell us about the week ahead.

Joe Hunt – The Man to Beat?

If we were choosing a favourite purely on recent results, Joe Hunt would have a very strong case.

He is the highest-ranked player in the supplied field, sitting at number 34 in the Q4QS rankings with an overall average of 88.97.

But it is his recent Challenge Tour form that really stands out.

Hunt won PDC Challenge Tour Event 23, winning all eight matches and averaging 95.71 across the tournament.

That is an exceptional standard to maintain over an entire event.

Among his victories were a 5-1 win over Jack Tweddell with a 99.48 average, a 5-3 victory over Harrison Leigh averaging 98.61, and a particularly interesting 5-4 win over Jack Aldridge, in which Hunt averaged 100.87.

He followed that success with another good run on the Challenge Tour and recently reached the final of a money-in, money-out competition during ADC National Finals Weekend.

There he averaged 87.87 across eight matches before losing to Roger Crook.

His last ten recorded matches show nine victories and just one defeat.

Of course, the MODUS format presents a different challenge. Producing one outstanding tournament is impressive, but sustaining a high standard across several days is another matter.

Nevertheless, Hunt arrives with plenty of reasons to feel confident.

Archie Self – Perhaps the Form Player

While Hunt's Challenge Tour victory is difficult to ignore, Archie Self has arguably been just as impressive in recent weeks.

Self won two events at the England Masters & Classic, averaging 92.49 and 91.50 respectively.

He also recorded a 96.61 tournament average in another event, despite eventually losing to Jarred Cole.

His recent results include a Vault victory at the Crucible Sports and Social Club in Newbury, where he averaged 88.00.

And during ADC National Finals Weekend, he reached the semi-finals of the UK & Ireland Classic, averaging 93.59 before losing to eventual champion Lewis Cook.

That is a substantial body of good form.

There is also an interesting connection with another Week 12 player.

Self defeated Nathan Potter in the semi-finals of PDC Development Tour Event 22, ending a run in which Potter had averaged 88.68.

Both now have another opportunity to test themselves against each other.

With nine wins in his last ten recorded matches, Self certainly deserves to be considered among the leading contenders.

Jack Aldridge – The Numbers Are Impressive

One player whose figures particularly caught my attention was Jack Aldridge.

His overall Q4QS average stands at 90.82, the highest of the players with established averages in this week's supplied field.

That doesn't necessarily make him the favourite, but it does suggest a player who is capable of producing a consistently high scoring standard.

Aldridge recently reached a PDC Challenge Tour final, losing to Patrik Williams after six victories.

He had previously reached the quarter-finals of Challenge Tour Event 23, where Joe Hunt defeated him.

Interestingly, the database also records Aldridge beating Hunt during their more recent Challenge Tour involvement.

So there is already some history between two of the strongest players in the competition.

Aldridge's most recent appearance came in a World Championship qualifier, where he averaged 93.84 across three matches before losing to Carl Wilson.

He has won eight of his last ten recorded matches.

If he can maintain something close to his overall average, he should be a difficult opponent throughout the week.

Tommy Lishman – A Player Who Can Beat Anybody

Tommy Lishman is another player who could have a major say.

Ranked 49 in the Q4QS database, Lishman has an overall average of 88.06.

His recent results include reaching the last 32 of a PDC Players Championship event, where he averaged 91.78 across four matches.

One of his most notable victories was a 6-5 win over Joe Hunt, with Lishman averaging 93.66.

That result is particularly relevant when assessing this week's field.

It demonstrates that Lishman is capable of matching one of the leading contenders in a competitive environment.

His recent form is a little less convincing than some of the others, with five wins and five defeats in his last ten recorded matches.

But I wouldn't read too much into that without considering the standard of opposition.

Players competing regularly at a high level are naturally going to encounter stronger opponents.

Lishman might not have the same winning momentum as Hunt or Self, but his scoring ability makes him a genuine threat.

Nathan Potter – Development Tour Form Worth Watching

Nathan Potter arrives with some strong recent Development Tour performances.

He reached the semi-finals of Event 22, winning seven matches and averaging 88.68 before losing to Archie Self.

During that run he defeated Kaya Baysal 5-3 with a 99.62 average.

Potter also competed in the World Youth Championship Finals, where he was eliminated by Arthur Allston.

His overall Q4QS average is 86.15, with seven victories in his last ten recorded matches.

I think Potter is one of the more interesting players in the field.

He has demonstrated that he can put together a long run against strong opposition, and his Development Tour performances suggest that his scoring is capable of reaching a considerably higher level than his overall average.

The question is whether he can reproduce that form consistently throughout the MODUS week.

Graham Usher – Plenty of Experience and Recent Success

Graham Usher is another player who arrives with a good recent record.

He won an event at the British Open & Classic, averaging 86.00 across eight victories.

He also reached another final during that competition, losing to Harry Lane.

His recent results include victories over Harrison Leigh, Jack Nankervis and Adam Winspear.

Usher has won eight of his last ten recorded matches, although his most recent appearance at ADC National Finals Weekend ended in defeat to Jack Walker.

His overall average of 85.22 might place him slightly behind the leading names statistically, but there is plenty of evidence that he can compete with them.

I certainly wouldn't be surprised to see him involved in the latter stages of the week.

Robbie Martin and Stuart Dutton – The ADC Connection

Two other players worth discussing are Robbie Martin and Stuart Dutton.

Martin has been enjoying an excellent run of results around the South and South West.

He won a Vault event at Dorchester Trinity Club with a 91.29 tournament average, reached the semi-finals at Stratford Social Club in Salisbury, and collected another title at The Newtown in Poole.

He also reached the final at St Ives Club in St Leonards.

Most recently, Martin made the quarter-finals of the UK & Ireland Classic, averaging 91.49 before losing to Lewis Cook.

That is a very encouraging result against a strong national field.

Dutton has also been playing well.

He won a Vault event at Danny's Bar in Banbury, averaging 89.76, and reached finals at both Bradmoor Farm and Riverside Club in Wycombe.

His recent record includes a 95.69 average in a victory over Chris Howse.

He reached the last 32 of the UK & Ireland Classic, where Sean McKeon ended his run.

Both players have been regularly competing in knockout and round-robin events, and both have demonstrated the ability to maintain good averages across a tournament.

That could prove useful in the MODUS environment.

Ricardo Ulrich, Graham Hall and Grant Sampson

The remaining players also bring some interesting backgrounds to the competition.

Ricardo Ulrich has been competing on the PDC Challenge Tour, reaching the quarter-finals of Event 20 with an 86.55 tournament average.

His recent results include victories over Harry Ward, Ryan O'Connor, Simon Stevenson and Jack Tweddell.

He also competed in a European Tour host-nation qualifier, averaging 90.31 in his most recent appearance before losing to Richard Veenstra.

Ulrich's overall Q4QS average of 84.92 puts him within reach of several players above him in the rankings.

Graham Hall has been competing on the Challenge Tour as well as in domestic competitions.

He recently reached a final at the Batchley Tuesday Open and made the last 32 of the UK & Ireland Classic, where he lost to Johnny Haines.

His overall Q4QS average is 84.72, although some of his recent domestic tournament figures have been lower.

That makes him a difficult player to assess, but certainly not one to dismiss.

Grant Sampson is the player for whom the database provides the least evidence.

His recorded appearances come from European Q-School, where he produced tournament averages of 74.51, 81.29 and 77.48.

He has wins over Stefan Schmitz and Leon Ebmeier in the available records.

With only three events represented in his Q4QS profile, I wouldn't want to draw too many conclusions about his overall standard.

And that is worth remembering when looking at statistics. A lack of data doesn't necessarily mean a lack of ability.

David O'Hara is also named in the supplied entry information, but without a matched Q4QS statistical profile. Rather than invent a form assessment, I'll leave him as an unknown quantity for now.

What Will Decide Week 12?

Looking at the overall averages, the leading players are reasonably close.

Jack Aldridge heads the established averages at 90.82, followed by Joe Hunt at 88.97 and Tommy Lishman at 88.06.

Archie Self, Nathan Potter, Graham Usher and Robbie Martin are all capable of producing tournament averages well above their overall figures.

That suggests we could see some excellent darts.

But the MODUS Super Series is not simply about producing one outstanding performance.

Players have to return to the board repeatedly, recover from defeats, and manage the pressure of a league table where every leg can become important.

A player who averages 95 in one match and 75 in the next may find himself struggling against somebody who consistently produces something in the mid-to-high 80s.

That is one of the things I enjoy about this format.

It rewards consistency, but still leaves room for somebody to find their best game at exactly the right moment.

Q4QS Six to Follow

After examining the available performances, these would be my six selections for Week 12.

Joe Hunt – The highest-ranked player in the supplied field, fresh from a Challenge Tour title with a 95.71 tournament average.

Archie Self – Multiple recent titles, excellent scoring figures and a semi-final appearance at the UK & Ireland Classic.

Jack Aldridge – The highest established overall average in the field at 90.82, with recent Challenge Tour final experience.

Tommy Lishman – Proven scoring ability at Players Championship level and a previous victory over Joe Hunt.

Nathan Potter – A Development Tour semi-finalist capable of producing averages approaching 100.

Robbie Martin – My slightly less obvious selection, with excellent Vault form and a 91.49 average at the UK & Ireland Classic.

Graham Usher and Stuart Dutton would be very close to making that list.

My Prediction

If I had to choose one player based purely on the available figures, I would probably lean towards Joe Hunt.

Winning a Challenge Tour event with a 95.71 average is difficult to ignore, particularly when followed by another final during ADC National Finals Weekend.

But Archie Self's recent consistency is equally impressive, and Jack Aldridge has the overall scoring figures to challenge both.

I also think Tommy Lishman could be a dangerous opponent if he finds the form he showed on the Players Championship circuit.

The interesting thing is that this doesn't look like a week where one player stands miles ahead of the others.

There are several players capable of winning, and I suspect the opening group matches will tell us quite a lot about who has settled into the format.

I'll be following the results through the week, particularly to see whether the recent Challenge Tour and ADC form carries over into the MODUS Super Series.

Q4QS will be keeping an eye on Week 12 as the action unfolds, with results and performances helping to build the picture of who is emerging as the strongest contender.

This preview uses the Q4QS Database and the supplied Week 12 player export. Rankings, averages and form refer to recorded performances and are statistical indicators rather than guarantees of future results.

National Finals Doubles 2026: Who Looks Strongest on Paper?

 

245 partnerships, nearly 500 players and plenty of potential contenders. But which teams look strongest when we examine the numbers?

With the National Finals Doubles approaching, I've been having a look through the provisional entry list and comparing it against the Q4QS database.

At the time of writing, there are 245 partnerships entered, with the possibility of a few late additions. That's a substantial field, and one which should produce some fascinating matches.

Rather than simply pick out the familiar names, I wanted to see which partnerships stood out statistically.

There is, of course, one rather important consideration.

Doubles is a different game.

Two outstanding singles players don't necessarily make an outstanding doubles partnership. Players need to complement one another, cope with the different rhythm of throwing every other visit, and perhaps most importantly, trust their partner.

None of that can easily be measured using singles statistics.

What I can do, however, is examine the individual records of both players and establish which partnerships look particularly strong on paper.

And the results are quite interesting.

The Statistical Favourites

Of the 245 partnerships, I was able to match both players reliably to the Q4QS database in 207 cases.

For the main rankings, I've concentrated on the 139 partnerships where both players have competed in at least six recorded tournaments. That gives us a more meaningful comparison and avoids putting too much emphasis on players who have only appeared once or twice.

The leading ten partnerships, based on their combined Q4QS ratings, are:

Pos	Partnership	Combined Q4QS rating
1	Graham Usher / Sam Spivey	647.59
2	Darren Brown / Jack Main	612.26
3	Sean McKeon / Dylan Slevin	607.26
4	Mike Huntley / Archie Self	605.51
5	Daryl Hunt / Joe Hunt	601.93
6	Carl Wilson / Jack Johnson	600.02
7	Harrison Leigh / Joseph Heywood	591.84
8	Jamie Kelling / Chas Barstow	587.95
9	Stuart Dutton / Danny Lauby	585.25
10	Kevin Edwards / Michael Wiles	581.05

Combined rating is the mean of the two individual Q4QS ratings, rather than an official doubles ranking.

There are some familiar names in there, but perhaps the most interesting thing is the difference in how the partnerships arrive at their positions.

Usher and Spivey Set the Standard

On the figures available, Graham Usher and Sam Spivey are the strongest partnership in the competition.

Usher has a recorded average of 85.35, while Spivey is remarkably close at 85.02.

Their combined figure of 85.19 is the highest of the partnerships with sufficient tournament history.

Usher also arrives in excellent form, winning nine of his last ten recorded matches. His recent British Open & Classic success, where he averaged 86.00 across the event, is further evidence of his quality.

Spivey's recent results are less impressive, with four wins in his last ten, but his overall scoring figures remain strong.

If both reproduce their usual standard, they should be extremely difficult opponents.

Could Brown and Main Be the Most Balanced Pair?

Darren Brown and Jack Main sit second in the combined Q4QS ratings, but another figure caught my attention.

Brown's recorded average is 82.84.

Main's is 82.88.

Just 0.04 separates them.

Of course, virtually identical averages don't guarantee a successful partnership. But it does suggest two players capable of contributing at almost exactly the same scoring level.

Main has won nine of his last ten recorded matches, while Brown has won seven.

There is also plenty of recent tournament success between them.

They look like a very solid pairing, and one that wouldn't surprise me at all if they went deep into the competition.

Huntley and Self: Two Players in Form

Mike Huntley and Archie Self are fourth in the combined ratings, but they might be one of the most interesting partnerships in the field.

Self has been producing some outstanding results.

His recorded average is 86.17, and he has won all ten of his most recent database matches.

He also won an England Masters & Classic event with a 92.49 tournament average.

Huntley, meanwhile, has an average of 82.25 and has won nine of his last ten matches.

Between them, that's 19 victories from their last 20 recorded matches.

Both also have substantial tournament histories in the database, with more than 100 events apiece.

If we're looking for a partnership arriving with a combination of experience, scoring power and current form, they certainly qualify.

Wilson and Johnson: Another Serious Threat

Carl Wilson and Jack Johnson are sixth in the combined Q4QS ratings, but second when ranking partnerships purely by their combined scoring averages.

Wilson averages 86.50 and Johnson 82.98, giving them a combined figure of 84.74.

Those numbers are impressive enough, but their recent form makes them even more interesting.

Wilson has won his last ten recorded matches, with Johnson winning eight of his last ten.

Wilson's recent Rusthall Club victory included a tournament average of 90.06, while Johnson has also produced tournament-winning performances above 90.

There is plenty of evidence that both are capable of performing at a high level.

They are certainly among the teams I'd be watching closely.

The Most Balanced High-Scoring Partnerships

One question I wanted to explore was whether having two similarly strong players might be more valuable than having one outstanding player alongside somebody averaging considerably less.

We cannot answer that definitively using singles data, but we can identify the partnerships with the smallest differences in scoring averages.

Among the stronger partnerships, these caught my eye:

Partnership	Player averages	Difference
Brown / Main	82.84 / 82.88	0.04
Edwards / Wiles	84.39 / 84.19	0.20
Usher / Spivey	85.35 / 85.02	0.33
Evans / Hall	84.05 / 84.83	0.78
Kay / Meneer	83.25 / 82.18	1.07

Kevin Edwards and Michael Wiles are particularly interesting.

Their averages are almost identical, and both have won nine of their last ten recorded matches.

Lee Evans and Graham Hall also have an impressive combined scoring record, supported by considerable tournament experience.

These partnerships might not necessarily attract the most attention, but statistically there is very little weakness in either player's scoring figures.

What About the Partnerships With One Outstanding Player?

There is another side to the argument.

A player capable of producing exceptionally high averages might be able to transform a partnership, even if the other player's usual scoring level is lower.

Daryl Hunt and Joe Hunt are an interesting example.

Joe has a recorded average of 89.02, one of the strongest individual figures in the field. His recent Challenge Tour results include an event victory with a 95.71 average.

Daryl averages 75.25, leaving a considerable difference between the two players.

That doesn't necessarily make them a weaker doubles partnership. It simply means that their individual scoring records are quite different.

Sean McKeon and Dylan Slevin provide another example.

Slevin averages 85.98 and has recent Development Tour semi-final experience. McKeon's recorded average is 75.34.

Could the higher-scoring player make enough of an impact to carry the team through difficult matches?

Or would a partnership containing two consistently strong scorers have the advantage?

That's one of the questions I'll be interested in seeing answered on the day.

The Dangerous Outsiders

Looking beyond the leading ten, several partnerships deserve attention.

Jamie Kay and Neil Meneer

Their averages of 83.25 and 82.18 place them among the stronger scoring combinations in the field. Both have won seven of their last ten recorded matches, suggesting a reasonable level of consistency.

James Richardson and Steve Haggerty

Richardson averages 80.35 and Haggerty 85.00. More interestingly, their combined recent record is 19 wins from their last 20 recorded matches.

They sit outside the leading ten by combined Q4QS rating, but their scoring and form suggest they could be underestimated.

Henry Cooper and Ricky King

Another pairing with strong overall scoring figures, averaging 83.26 and 81.97 respectively.

Between them, they have won 19 of their last 20 recorded matches.

Curtis Hammond and Brett Claydon

Hammond averages 80.67 and Claydon 84.22, giving them a combined figure of 82.45.

Both have won their last ten recorded matches.

That's 20 wins from 20 across the two players' latest database records. It doesn't guarantee anything in doubles, of course, but it's difficult to ignore.

Experience Could Matter Too

With such a large field, there will inevitably be difficult periods during matches.

A missed opportunity at doubles, a poor scoring leg or a sudden burst of brilliance from an opponent can change everything.

For that reason, I also think tournament experience is worth considering.

Stuart Dutton and Danny Lauby have 316 recorded tournament appearances between them.

Lee Evans and Graham Hall have 212, while Mike Huntley and Archie Self have 241.

These figures don't measure experience of playing together, but they do demonstrate plenty of exposure to competitive darts.

In a long tournament, that could be useful.

My Statistical Shortlist

If I had to narrow the field to six partnerships purely from the information available, I'd go with:

1. Graham Usher / Sam Spivey — The strongest combined Q4QS rating and highest combined scoring average.

2. Carl Wilson / Jack Johnson — Excellent scoring figures supported by very strong recent form.

3. Mike Huntley / Archie Self — Two experienced players, both producing excellent recent results.

4. Darren Brown / Jack Main — Almost identical scoring averages and a strong combined rating.

5. Jamie Kelling / Chas Barstow — One of the strongest scoring combinations, with both players in excellent recent form.

6. Kevin Edwards / Michael Wiles — Balanced scoring, with both players arriving on nine wins from their last ten.

And if I were looking slightly further down for a partnership that could upset the predictions, Curtis Hammond and Brett Claydon would certainly be on my list.

A Final Thought

I enjoy looking at darts statistically because sometimes the numbers confirm what we already suspect, while occasionally they highlight players or partnerships who might otherwise be overlooked.

But this is one competition where I would be particularly careful about treating statistics as predictions.

Doubles brings an entirely different set of challenges.

A player might feel more relaxed with a partner alongside them. Another might struggle to find their rhythm when throwing less frequently. Some partnerships will have played together regularly, while others may be relatively new combinations.

My analysis doesn't attempt to measure any of those factors.

It simply asks a question:

If we judge these partnerships on the individual performances recorded in the Q4QS database, who looks strongest?

On that basis, Graham Usher and Sam Spivey lead the way.

Whether they — or any of the other leading partnerships — can turn that statistical advantage into a successful doubles campaign is another matter altogether.

And that's what makes the competition interesting.

Analysis based on Q4QS database exports dated 16 October 2026. Entry list provisional. Partnerships without sufficient verified individual data have not been ranked in the main statistical comparison.

MODUS Super Series Week 11 Preview: Morris, Tweddell and McCarthy Lead a Fascinating 12-Player Field

 

Tommy Morris, Jack Tweddell and Josh McCarthy are among the names to watch as Week 11 of the MODUS Super Series gets underway, with a field containing experienced campaigners, emerging talent and several players enjoying excellent recent form.

One of the things I enjoy about looking ahead to a MODUS week is seeing how players from different levels of competitive darts measure up against each other.

This week's line-up is particularly interesting. There are players regularly producing averages in the 90s on the Challenge Tour, others arriving from successful grassroots campaigns, and a few who might surprise people once the short-format matches begin.

Using the latest Q4QS database, I've looked at the players' recent performances, rankings and results to see who might make an impression.

Morris and Tweddell Bring Challenge Tour Form

Tommy Morris enters the week with some of the strongest figures in the field.

Currently ranked 48th in Q4QS, Morris has an established Q4QS average of 89.08 and has won seven of his last ten recorded matches.

His recent Challenge Tour performances are particularly impressive. He reached the final of Event 21 with a tournament average of 95.42, including a 104.26 average in a 5–3 victory over Joe Hunt.

He followed that with a semi-final appearance at Event 23, where his run was eventually ended by another Week 11 entrant, Jack Tweddell.

That immediately gives us an interesting storyline.

Jack Tweddell, currently 128th in the Q4QS rankings, has an average of 87.30 and has also won seven of his last ten recorded matches.

Tweddell reached the final of Challenge Tour Event 23, averaging 91.11 across his campaign before losing to Joe Hunt.

There is already plenty of recent history between Morris and Tweddell. Both have beaten the other in Challenge Tour competition, and another meeting during MODUS Week 11 would be well worth watching.

On the evidence of their recent scoring, both should be serious contenders.

Josh McCarthy: The Player Arriving with Momentum

If there is one player whose recent results particularly caught my attention, it is Josh McCarthy.

McCarthy is currently ranked 112th in Q4QS, with an average of 82.70, but his recent winning record is the standout figure.

Nine wins from his last ten recorded matches.

He recently won a Vault 19.0 event at Wiltshire Darts House in Swindon, winning all eight of his matches and averaging 80.06 across the tournament.

He has also recorded tournament-winning form elsewhere, including an event average of 82.42 in a Saturday night round-robin competition.

McCarthy has demonstrated that he knows how to win tournaments, and that is something which shouldn't be underestimated.

MODUS presents a different challenge, but players arriving with confidence and a winning habit can be difficult opponents.

Jenson Walker and Ashley Coleman Have the Scoring Power

Jenson Walker is another player capable of producing some outstanding darts.

Ranked 134th in Q4QS with an average of 84.54, Walker recently recorded a remarkable 105.47 match average in a 4–1 victory over Damien Grimes at the WDF Europe Cup.

He also averaged 92.67 in his latest recorded World Youth Championship Finals appearance.

His recent results have been mixed, with four wins from his last ten recorded matches, but the scoring potential is clearly there.

Ashley Coleman also deserves considerable attention.

Coleman sits 171st in the Q4QS rankings with an average of 86.35. His most recent recorded tournament saw him reach the last 32 of a PDC World Championship qualifier, averaging 92.88 across his matches.

Those are competitive figures in this company.

If Coleman can reproduce that standard consistently, he could become a significant factor in the week's outcome.

Experience Could Make the Difference

There are some familiar names in the field who will not be intimidated by the format.

Jim McEwan arrives with seven wins from his last ten recorded matches and a Q4QS average of 82.95.

He reached the semi-finals of the England Open, averaging 87.70 during that run before losing to Chas Barstow.

Brian Raman also has impressive tournament form behind him.

Raman reached the final of the 2026 WDF World Masters, averaging 88.37 during his campaign before losing to Chris Lim.

His run included a 96.20 average in a 5–2 victory over Jeff Smith.

Scott Mitchell is another experienced competitor who could prove difficult to beat.

His most recent recorded appearance was a Vault 19.0 final at The Sandpiper in Christchurch, where he won seven matches before losing to Riley Milligan.

His overall Q4QS average is 78.27, although his most recent tournament average was lower at 69.82.

Experience and the ability to manage difficult matches could be particularly valuable as the week progresses.

Ashton Brown: Another Grassroots Contender

One of the players I'll be particularly interested in following is Ashton Brown.

Brown currently sits 188th in the Q4QS rankings with an average of 81.45.

He recently reached the semi-finals of a Vault 19.0 event at The Sartan Club in Bishopsworth, winning six matches before losing to Zach Quinn.

He has also recorded a 92.44 match average against Alfie Palmer and averaged 88.55 during his latest appearance at Hangar 61.

With seven wins from his last ten recorded matches, Brown is another player arriving with encouraging form.

He might not attract quite the same attention as some of the established names, but his recent performances suggest he deserves respect.

Davies and Williams Have Something to Prove

David Davies and Alex Williams complete the players covered by the Q4QS narrative data.

Davies has been competing regularly in Vault 19.0 events at Shooters Bar in Leominster, reaching a final and a semi-final in his recent appearances.

His Q4QS average is 61.87, although he has also recorded an 87.62 tournament average in a recent Challenge Tour appearance. That variation makes him difficult to assess purely from his overall figure.

Williams is another player whose recent results suggest a higher level than his overall Q4QS average of 56.32.

He reached the quarter-finals of a Welsh Open, Masters & Classic event with an 83.84 tournament average and has produced a 90.70 match average.

He also averaged 83.55 in his latest British Open & Classic appearance.

Both players have shown they can compete at a considerably higher standard than their overall averages might initially suggest.

What About Sander van Ockenburg-Zwaan?

The final name in the field is Sander van Ockenburg-Zwaan.

He isn't currently matched to a verified player history in the Q4QS export, so I don't have enough reliable information to make the same statistical assessment as the other eleven entrants.

That doesn't mean he should be discounted. It simply means there is less Q4QS evidence available to assess his recent form.

My Six to Follow

Rather than simply taking the six highest-ranked players, I've chosen six who bring different storylines into the week.

1. Tommy Morris – Outstanding recent Challenge Tour scoring, a final appearance and a Q4QS average above 89.

2. Jack Tweddell – Another Challenge Tour finalist with the scoring ability to challenge Morris.

3. Josh McCarthy – Nine wins in his last ten matches and recent tournament-winning form.

4. Jenson Walker – Has already demonstrated three-figure scoring power and could be dangerous if he finds consistency.

5. Ashley Coleman – Recent averages in the 90s suggest he has the ability to go a long way.

6. Ashton Brown – My less obvious selection, with strong recent grassroots form and some impressive individual performances.

Final Thoughts

Looking through the figures, Morris and Tweddell stand out for their recent Challenge Tour performances, while McCarthy arrives with arguably the strongest winning momentum.

But there are enough players capable of producing averages in the high 80s and 90s to make this a genuinely competitive week.

What interests me most is how the grassroots regulars perform against players with extensive experience of higher-level competition.

The Q4QS figures provide a useful guide, but they don't guarantee anything. Different tournaments, opponents and match formats all influence the numbers.

That's part of what makes MODUS so interesting.

I'll be following the results throughout the week to see whether the form translates into performances when it matters.

Follow more player statistics, rankings and tournament coverage at Quest For Q School.

ADC & WADC Winmau Championship North Events 9–12 Preview: Who Can Make the Headlines in Middlesbrough?

 

The ADC and WADC Winmau Championship North returns to Middlesbrough Sports Village this weekend, with Events 9–12 taking place across 5–6 September.

Eight events into the 2026 North series, there has already been plenty of variety in the men's competition and a fascinating pattern developing in the women's events.

The ADC side has produced seven different title winners across the opening eight events, with only Daniel Ayres and Steve Lennon managing to win twice. David Sumner, Lewis Pride, Scott Winder and Danny Trueman have also taken titles, while the scoring standard has remained consistently high. Across Events 1–8, the average of each event's top ten match averages stands at 98.54, with Danny Trueman's 109.61 in Event 8 the highest individual performance so far.

The WADC series has followed a very different pattern. Every title so far has been shared between just four players: Natalie Gilbert, Vicky Pruim, Kim Holden and Steph Clarke, each winning twice.

That gives this weekend an obvious question on both sides: do the established North winners extend their grip on the series, or are Events 9–12 where somebody new finally breaks through?

ADC: A strong field with several players arriving in serious form

Daniel Ayres has arguably been the benchmark of the North campaign so far. He won Events 2 and 4, reached the final of Event 7 and has produced some of the strongest individual numbers of the series.

His recent form away from the ADC adds another layer. Ayres reached the Last 32 at Players Championship 28 with a 92.93 event average, beating Cameron Menzies, Niels Zonneveld and Ritchie Edhouse along the way.

But the man arriving with perhaps the most eye-catching recent record is Ryan Hogarth.

Hogarth already showed his ceiling during the earlier North events, producing a 105.64 average in Event 3 and reaching back-to-back semi-finals in Events 7 and 8. He has since won at the Welsh Open, Masters & Classic, going 9–0 with an 89.16 event average. His recorded last-ten form is a perfect 10–0.

Jack Drayton brings similarly imposing momentum. He won ADC Championship South Event 11 with an 87.62 tournament average and is also 10–0 across his most recent ten recorded matches.

That potentially gives us an intriguing collision between players who have already dominated the North series and others arriving with outstanding form from elsewhere.

Six ADC players to watch

Ryan Hogarth – A Welsh Open title, an 89.16 winning event average and a 10–0 recent record make Hogarth one of the clearest headline candidates this weekend.

Jack Drayton – Another player arriving 10–0, with his recent ADC Championship South Event 11 title showing he can sustain his level through a long tournament run.

Daniel Ayres – Already a two-time North winner and now coming off a strong Players Championship 28 run; few entrants combine his North record with such a high current scoring ceiling.

Stuart Dutton – An 88% win rate in the selection data is backed up by genuine recent tournament form. Dutton has won at the Riverside with an 87.47 event average and more recently reached another final, while going 8–2 in his last ten.

Lewis Cook – Cook has been producing plenty of scoring power, including a 91.09 match average during Championship South Event 10, where he reached the quarter-finals. He is 7–3 across his last ten recorded matches.

Tom Baughan – Perhaps the less obvious name among the six, but his form warrants attention. Baughan is 9–1 across his last ten and has made two recent Riverside finals as well as a semi-final and quarter-final in his last five tournaments.

There are plenty of dangers beyond those six.

Danny Trueman comes back as the defending Event 8 champion after recording that huge 109.61 during his title run, while Steve Lennon has already won twice. Lewis Pride, Graham Usher, Carl Batchelor, Danny Lauby and Ciaran Forde all have enough evidence in the numbers to make deep runs.

The strength of these events has been their depth rather than simply one or two dominant names. Event 5, for example, had a top-ten average of 100.05, while every ADC event so far has had a top-ten figure above 96.

That makes four more tournaments over one weekend a particularly interesting test.

WADC: Can anybody break the four-player title monopoly?

The women's competition has a clearer established hierarchy.

After eight tournaments, Natalie Gilbert, Vicky Pruim, Kim Holden and Steph Clarke have won every single title between them.

Pruim won Events 2 and 6, Holden took Events 3 and 4, Gilbert won Events 1 and 7 and Clarke claimed Events 5 and 8.

And Pruim may be the player arriving in the strongest form of all.

She has since won at the Welsh Open, Masters & Classic with an 80.24 tournament average and followed it with another semi-final. Her recent notable wins include Deta Hedman and Fallon Sherrock.

The North events already showed what her scoring ceiling can look like. Pruim's 88.41 in Event 6 remains the highest WADC North match average across the first eight events.

Steph Clarke is another obvious threat. She has already won twice in Middlesbrough, including Event 8, and recently reached the final of Championship South Event 8 with a 72.53 tournament average.

But perhaps the player with the biggest unfinished business is Angela Kirkwood.

Kirkwood reached the final of North Event 1 and again in Event 8 without taking the title. She also produced an 87.38 average during Event 2 — one of the highest performances of the entire WADC North series.

Could Events 9–12 finally turn those deep runs into a win?

Six WADC players to watch

Vicky Pruim – Already a two-time North champion, and now arriving with another title and semi-final from the Welsh Open weekend. She remains the player with the highest WADC North match average so far.

Angela Kirkwood – Twice a North finalist and still searching for that first title. Her recent Women's Series quarter-finals and 7–3 last-ten record suggest another deep run would be no surprise.

Steph Clarke – Two North titles already, including Event 8, plus another recent final on the South circuit. Clarke has repeatedly shown she can convert a good day into a tournament run.

Jackie Brighton – The 82% selection win rate is backed by a recent WADC Vault title, where she went 5–0 with a 70.72 event average, followed by a regional final.

Eleanor Cairns – Already a North finalist in Event 2, when she produced 76.23 and 75.75 averages in the latter stages. Cairns also reached the quarter-finals of Championship South Event 5 and has remained competitive across the recent Women's Series.

Sarah Roberts – A recent WADC Vault winner who went unbeaten through that event with a 65.99 average. She also defeated Kirsty Hutchinson on her way to the quarter-final stages of North Event 8.

The six are certainly not the only names capable of making an impact.

Natalie Gilbert and Kim Holden deserve particular mention simply because both have already won twice in this series. Kirsty Hutchinson has reached a recent Women's Series semi-final, while Rebecca Allen's results include a JDC Girls Series title and a JDC Nations Cup win.

Four events could change the picture quickly

Perhaps the most interesting thing about this weekend is the volume.

Four tournaments means one poor event does not necessarily define the weekend. Players have time to adjust, build confidence or suddenly find a scoring level that changes everything.

On the ADC side, Daniel Ayres and Steve Lennon currently lead the way with two titles each, but neither has yet established outright control of the series.

On the WADC side, the symmetry is even more remarkable: four players, two titles each.

By Sunday evening that picture could look very different.

Hogarth and Drayton arrive carrying outstanding winning runs. Ayres has combined North success with strong PDC performances. Dutton and Baughan are quietly putting together some excellent tournament results.

Pruim and Clarke already know how to win in Middlesbrough, Kirkwood has repeatedly gone close, while Brighton, Cairns and Roberts all have reasons to believe they can challenge the established four.

Events 9–12 may therefore tell us whether the first half of the North series established a genuine hierarchy — or merely set the stage for somebody else to break into it.

Worthington's Champion of Champions 2026 Preview: 256 Players, Two Legs to Win – and Almost Anything Can Happen

 

There are bigger tournaments in darts. There are richer tournaments. There are tournaments with considerably longer matches and far more television coverage.

But there can't be many quite like the Worthington's Champion of Champions, which takes place on Saturday 22nd August 2026

In Cardiff, 256 qualifiers will come together for one of grassroots darts' great annual shootouts. Every player has earned their place through a qualifying venue, there are no PDC Tour Card holders in the field, and eventually one player will emerge as the 2026 Champion of Champions.

The extraordinary part is how little time they have to prove themselves.

Every match is best of three legs.

First to two.

That's it.

You could arrive as one of the strongest players in the tournament, lose the bull, watch your opponent throw a 15-darter, miss one dart at double in the second leg and be packing the darts away a few minutes later.

Equally, you could arrive in Cardiff as one of the lesser-known qualifiers and genuinely believe you can beat anybody in the room.

That's what makes the Champion of Champions special.

And this year's provisional field looks absolutely fascinating.

From Price and Clayton to the Grassroots Stars of Today

Red Dragon relaunched the Champion of Champions in 2014 and its roll of honour tells you plenty about the quality required to win it.

Steve Degville won the first edition in 2014 before Gerwyn Price took the title in 2015. Jonny Clayton followed in 2016, Paul Hogan in 2017 and Ryan Searle in 2018.

Jim Williams became champion in 2019 before the competition's interruption, with Alec Small winning in 2022, Kurt Parry in 2023, Nick Kenny in 2024 and David Davies becoming the latest champion in 2025.

It's quite a list.

Price, Clayton and Searle subsequently became established names at the highest level of professional darts, while Williams and Kenny have also competed extensively within the PDC system.

But perhaps the most remarkable statistic is this:

Nobody has ever won it twice.

Ten completed tournaments. Ten different champions.

And there is another sequence on the line in Cardiff.

The last five completed editions have all produced Welsh champions: Jim Williams, Alec Small, Kurt Parry, Nick Kenny and David Davies.

Can Wales make it six?

With the tournament being staged in Cardiff and another huge Welsh contingent expected, there is every reason to think it can.

But in this format, expecting anything is dangerous.

The Modern News of the World?

The Champion of Champions is sometimes compared to the old News of the World Championship and it's easy to understand why.

Short-format darts creates a completely different test.

In a best-of-11 or best-of-19 match, the stronger player has time to recover from a poor leg. Over best of three, there is almost no margin for error.

One leg against throw can effectively decide the match.

One missed double can decide the match.

One 12 or 15-dart burst can decide the match.

Even winning the bull could become hugely significant.

To win a 256-player straight knockout tournament requires eight victories.

Eight best-of-three matches.

That potentially means a player could become Champion of Champions by winning just 16 legs of darts.

Of course, actually doing it is anything but easy.

You have to repeatedly deal with the pressure of knowing there is virtually no recovery time. You have to find doubles immediately. And you need to survive the inevitable match where your opponent suddenly produces their best darts of the day.

That's why simply looking at the rankings won't tell us who is going to win.

But they can tell us who arrives with a particularly interesting chance.

Stevenson Sets the Statistical Standard

Of the provisional qualifiers I've been able to match against the Q4QS database, Simon Stevenson is the highest-ranked player.

Stevenson sits at No.62 in the database with an overall average of 88.47 and has won seven of his last ten recorded matches.

More importantly, the numbers show the level he's capable of producing.

He won the Legends Darts Lounge UK Open Grand Final Qualifier with a 92.31 tournament average and has recorded notable victories in the database including a 98.82 average against John Mann. His recent Challenge Tour appearances also include a Last 64 run at Event 18 where he averaged 92.44 across the event.

In a conventional tournament, Stevenson would be one of the obvious favourites.

He still is here.

But Champion of Champions favourites come with a very large warning label.

Jim Williams Could Become the First Two-Time Champion

If history is the theme, Jim Williams might have the biggest story of all.

The 2019 champion is back and attempting to do something nobody has managed before.

Win it twice.

Williams remains one of the highest-quality players in the provisional field. He is ranked 209 in the Q4QS database but averages 87.17 overall, while his recent results demonstrate that his scoring remains extremely dangerous.

He reached a Vault final at Shooters Bar in Leominster with a 92.55 event average and has subsequently produced Challenge Tour event averages around the 89 mark.

There are players ranked above Williams in this field.

There aren't many I'd particularly want to draw against him in a first-to-two shootout.

If Williams wins, he doesn't merely take the 2026 title.

He breaks one of the tournament's great traditions.

Paul Hogan Is Flying

Then there is the 2017 champion.

Paul Hogan might sit only 471st in the current Q4QS rankings, but that ranking seriously understates the form in which he arrives.

His database record reads:

Last 10: 10 wins, 0 defeats.

Hogan recently won at the Wolversdene Club in Andover with an 87.02 event average and has been collecting titles and deep runs consistently. His recent five-event sequence includes three victories, another win at Burghfield and a semi-final.

Experience also counts for something in a format like this.

Hogan knows how to win the Champion of Champions because he's already done it.

Nine years later, could he become its first repeat winner?

On current form, it certainly isn't an outrageous suggestion.

Alec Small and Kurt Parry Chase History Too

Two more former champions arrive with outstanding recent numbers.

Alec Small, champion in 2022, is another player showing 10 wins from his last ten recorded matches.

His recent Vault results include an 88.04 winning average at the National Club in Wattsville, while his database numbers show repeated tournament victories rather than one isolated good performance.

Then comes 2023 champion Kurt Parry.

Parry has won nine of his last ten, recently won a Vault at Duffy's in Pontypridd and then reached another final at the Mile End Inn while averaging 86.48.

His overall Q4QS average of 81.61 doesn't put him alongside Stevenson and Williams for pure scoring, but that's precisely where this tournament becomes interesting.

Parry doesn't need to average 90 for eight matches.

He needs to win two legs at a time.

And he has already demonstrated that he knows exactly how to do that on Champion of Champions day.

What About the Defending Champion?

David Davies is another fascinating inclusion on the provisional qualifier list.

The defending champion has the opportunity to become the first player ever to successfully retain the title.

His wider database numbers aren't as eye-catching as some of the headline contenders, but that hardly matters when discussing a player who proved only 12 months ago that he can navigate this unique format.

There is no gradual settling into the Champion of Champions.

The defending champion gets exactly the same two-leg target as everyone else.

Survive, and move on.

The Q4QS Top 20

Among the provisional qualifiers matched to the Q4QS database, the leading 20 are:

#	Player	Q4QS Rank
1	Simon Stevenson	62
2	Keenan Thomas	105
3	Neil Wild	136
4	Graham Usher	137
5	Jim Williams	209
6	Chas Barstow	241
7	Johnny Haines	307
8	Dean Reynolds	324
9	Jamie Kelling	360
10	Martin Thomas	417
11	Stephen Cake	423
12	Paul Hogan	471
13	Mike Huntley	516
14	Chris Hurds	518
15	William Thomas	547
16	Jason Collins	568
17	Matt Dennant	654
18	Clive Langford	671
19	Nigel Prior	685
20	Alec Small	691

That list itself demonstrates the depth.

Keenan Thomas has recently won a Vault event with an 86.29 average and has Challenge Tour experience. Graham Usher carries an 85.12 overall average and has been playing both Challenge Tour and ADC competition.
Chas Barstow has an 86.10 overall average, while Johnny Haines has won nine of his last ten and recently produced a 90.85 event average in a Vault victory.

And that's before we reach some of the most interesting form players in the entire tournament.

The Dangerous Outsiders

If you're looking for players capable of wrecking the predictions, Neil Wild immediately stands out.

Wild is 9-1 across his last ten matches in the database and has produced some extraordinary scoring. One recent tournament victory came with a 104.63 event average, including recorded match averages of 119.55, 104.51 and 100.31.

If anything approaching that Neil Wild turns up in Cardiff, nobody will want to see his name beside theirs.

Matt Dennant comes in at 9-1 and has been accumulating Vault titles. His recent results include multiple tournament victories and a recorded 104.86 match average.

Bryan Flew is another name I like in this format. He's 8-2 across his last ten and recently produced winning event averages of 88.39, 84.61 and 85.52 across a run of strong Vault performances.

Stephen Cake is in excellent form too. Cake is 8-2, recently won at the Junction Inn with an 85.15 average and has followed that with further titles and a final.

Mike Huntley brings a 9-1 recent record, while Alec McCready has the same last-ten record and has been collecting titles around Hereford and Leominster.
And don't overlook Gavin Sterio, also 9-1, or Dean Reynolds, whose recent 9-1 run includes victory at the Towy Sports Bar Open.
In a best-of-three tournament, those are exactly the sort of players who can suddenly find themselves five or six rounds deep.

Players to Watch

There are stories much further down the field as well.

Robbie Long's recent results include a nine-win unbeaten tournament at Hangar 61, while his database contains a 96.39 match average amongst his notable performances.

William Thomas deserves attention after winning all ten of his most recently recorded matches. His recent results include a tournament win, another final and a semi-final run at the Towy Sports Bar Open.

Kai Clark has Development Tour experience alongside strong grassroots results and is 8-2 in his last ten.

Clive Langford has also been winning, including success at the Out Out Bar UK Open Grand Finals, and has seven victories from his last ten recorded matches.

There will undoubtedly be others.

That's an important point with a tournament like this. Rankings tell us about what players have already achieved in the events captured by the database. They don't guarantee what happens when two players stand eight feet from a dartboard and race to two legs.

Can Wales Make It Six?

The Welsh dominance is difficult to ignore.

Five consecutive completed editions have been won by Welsh players.

The provisional field again contains enormous Welsh representation, including former champions Williams, Small, Parry and Davies alongside players such as Cake, Huntley, Flew, Sterio and a long list of dangerous qualifiers from across the country.

Home advantage doesn't guarantee anything.

But the sheer depth of Welsh grassroots darts means it would be no surprise whatsoever if the trophy remained in Wales.

The intriguing alternative is whether somebody from outside Wales can finally break the sequence.

Stevenson has the highest Q4QS ranking among the provisional qualifiers. Wild's recent numbers are frightening. Usher, Barstow, Haines, Hogan, Evans and Dennant provide serious opposition.

Wales may have the numbers.

It certainly doesn't have a monopoly on contenders.

Two Legs From Disaster – Eight Matches From Glory

That's ultimately why I love the Champion of Champions concept.

Imagine being the best player in a 256-player tournament and knowing that none of it matters if your opponent throws two brilliant legs.

Imagine being ranked well outside the leading contenders and knowing exactly the same thing works in your favour.

You don't have to beat Simon Stevenson over 19 legs.

You don't have to outscore Jim Williams for an hour.

You don't have to match Neil Wild's best tournament averages across an entire afternoon.

You have to beat whoever stands in front of you twice.

Then do it again.

And again.

Eight matches later, you're Champion of Champions.

The format creates jeopardy from the opening dart. It rewards nerve, doubling and the ability to produce your best darts immediately. There is almost no opportunity to play your way into a match.

That makes predicting a winner extraordinarily difficult.

But if I were building a shortlist from the provisional field and current Q4QS data, Simon Stevenson and Jim Williams have to be among the headline names, while the current form of Neil Wild, Paul Hogan, Johnny Haines, Alec Small, Kurt Parry, Lee Evans and Matt Dennant makes all of them extremely interesting.

Then there are another 200-plus players perfectly capable of making that prediction look ridiculous.

And that's the point.

The Red Dragon Champion of Champions has produced future PDC stars, established champions and grassroots heroes.

It has never produced a two-time winner.

Wales has won the last five.

And somewhere in Cardiff, among 256 qualifiers, there may be a player almost nobody is talking about who is only 16 winning legs away from becoming the 2026 champion.

In most major darts tournaments, saying almost anyone can win is a cliché.

At the Champion of Champions, it might actually be true.