The wait is over. A brand-new Modus Super Series season gets underway this week, launching another fascinating twelve-week campaign that will eventually culminate in the return of Champions Week.
Each of the twelve weekly competitions offers one player the chance to qualify for the season finale, where the week's winners will battle to become the overall Modus Super Series champion. Last season ended with Derek Coulson producing a superb Champions Week performance to lift the title, and now a fresh group of hopefuls begin their quest to follow in his footsteps.
Week One always carries extra significance. Every player starts with a clean slate, momentum is built quickly, and one outstanding week is all that's required to book an early place in Champions Week.
Several players arrive in encouraging form.
Matt Clark is arguably one of the form players entering the week. The Gibraltar Open & Classic champion has already shown he can finish tournaments strongly, lifting the title with an event average of 84.83 before reaching the latter stages of several WDF events. A recent 7–3 record across his last ten matches suggests confidence is high.
Another player capable of making a deep run is Joe Croft, who has quietly put together one of the strongest recent records in the field. Croft arrives on the back of victory at the Galaxy Sports Bar event and boasts an impressive 9 wins from his last 10 matches, making him one of the week's most in-form competitors.
Darren Beveridge has already demonstrated the scoring power needed to compete at this level. His excellent 96.63 average against James Beeton at PDC UK Q School earlier this year showed exactly what he is capable of when everything clicks together.
Patrik Williams also has pedigree, having produced a superb 95.01 average on the PDC Challenge Tour while recording notable victories over players including Daniel Nicholls. If he can rediscover that level consistently, he could become one of the week's dark horses.
There are several familiar names capable of causing problems throughout the week. James Buckby has Development Tour experience and has already produced performances above the 92 average mark this season, while former professionals Mark Dudbridge and Dean Gallagher both possess the experience to upset higher-ranked opponents despite mixed recent results.
One intriguing storyline surrounds Mason Whitlock, who recently reached the final of an event at The Phoenix Club before losing to Simon Whitlock. A strong week here would represent another step forward in his development. Meanwhile Richie Parkin continues to progress despite not yet meeting the minimum number of events for a published Q4QS ranking, having already produced some encouraging ADC performances.
As always with the Modus Super Series, consistency is everything. Five or six excellent matches can transform an entire week, while one difficult session can leave players chasing qualification. That's exactly why the format remains one of the most entertaining in modern darts.
With Derek Coulson watching on as the reigning champion, the race to become the first qualifier for Champions Week starts now.
Six To Watch
🎯 Matt Clark – Recent Gibraltar Open champion arriving with winning momentum.
🎯 Joe Croft – Nine wins from his last ten matches and full of confidence.
🎯 Darren Beveridge – Proven scoring power capable of producing huge averages.
🎯 Patrik Williams – Challenge Tour pedigree and dangerous on his day.
🎯 James Buckby – Development Tour experience makes him one to watch.
🎯 Mason Whitlock – Recent finalist who continues to improve.
