Currently, the PDC World Matchplay race is hotter than the inside of a McDonald’s apple pie. And with just a trip to Slovakia and a Players Championship double-header in Leicester remaining before spots are determined, plenty of tungsten aficionados will be having an anxious glance at that Order of Merit. Some probably bricking it.
So why don’t we do the same without any shred of nervous anticipation? By “we”, I mean me. First off, let’s look at who is realistically still in the fight. To do that, I decided to include anyone above £60k, then spent far too long trying to work out how to insert a cut-off line. Of course, there are plenty of names below Veenstra (22nd) who could make it with Mo Farah-type long runs or claiming titles, but I’d be here all day doing that.
1 | Luke Woodhouse | £167.75
2 | Kevin Doets | £140.50
3 | Jermaine Wattimena | £137.50
4 | Krzysztof Ratajski | £110.00
5 | Andrew Gilding | £109.00
6 | Niko Springer | £108.25
7 | William O’Connor | £105.25
8 | Martin Schindler | £101.00
9 | Dirk van Duijvenbode | £99.00
10 | Niels Zonneveld | £97.50
11 | Rob Cross | £96.00
12 | Ryan Joyce | £93.25
13 | Joe Cullen | £91.00
14 | Daryl Gurney | £83.00
15 | Damon Heta | £81.25
16 | Cameron Menzies | £76.75
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17 | Dave Chisnall | £72.50
18 | Sebastian Bialecki | £72.50
19 | Kim Huybrechts | £71.75
20 | Karel Sedlacek | £71.75
21 | Jeffrey de Graaf | £69.25
22 | Richard Veenstra | £66.00
Right, first things first. I’m going to discard anyone from Cullen upwards. I can’t see four players breaking into the top sixteen, so Joe – according to my reckoning – you’re going to Blackpool, mate. If you don’t, then I am not responsible, merely a jinx.
From Gurney in fourteenth to the aforementioned Veenstra, I think you’re looking at three Matchplay spots from a possible nine contenders, with Superchin, Heta and Menzies currently holding the stronger hand – and Chizzy being dealt a decent and dangerous pair of tens.
However, we need to see who’s in this weekend’s Euro Tour. More importantly, who will be sat at home, chomping on fingernails desperately hoping those around them have a very brief stay in Bratislava. The big losers here are Sebastian Bialecki and Richard Veenstra, who are undoubtedly the more anxious ones. Of the group I mentioned, they are the only two not to qualify.
Dutchman Flyers had a difficult enough task on his hands anyway. After this weekend, Veenstra may need to win one of the two remaining events in Leicester, which he probably had to do regardless. But for the Polish Mr Bean, it’s a bit of a kick in the nuts. Not only will he not be in Slovakia, but everyone around him will. It’s all going to come down to what Bialecki can do at the Mattioli, but we know the little dude is more than capable. You don’t win three Development Tour titles in a single weekend unless you have something special about you.
My personal predictions? Not that anyone asked, but I’m going to stick my neck out as far as a nosey baby tortoise and go with the three already occupying the World Matchplay spots – Heta, Gurney and Menzies. That said, I wouldn’t be stunned in Chiz, Kim, Karel and baptised Swedish Jeff get the job done.
Whether my initial prediction comes as music to those trio’s ears or a massive Indian sign, who knows? But it won’t be what I type that proves decisive. It’ll be what they can produce on the oche. Therefore, I am completely devoid of any blame whatever happens. Exactly the way I like it.
