JONNY Clayton is looking forward to another Wales v Australia sporting showdown when the PalmerBet Queensland Darts Masters kicks off on Friday night in Townsville.
Welsh star Clayton and teammate Gerwyn Price lost to Damon Heta and Simon Whitlock as Australia won their first World Cup of Darts title in Frankfurt in June.
Clayton and Price are one of the eight Professional Darts Corporation stars lined up to take on the home-based players at the Townsville Entertainment and Convention Centre.
Clayton, who won the World Series of Darts finals last year, could take on Whitlock, Heta, or UK-based tour professional Gordon Mathers or one of the five other qualifiers in the first round and knows it will not be easy whoever draws.
“We are the eight representing the PDC,” he said.
“But a lot of the players we are up against are on the PDC tour, so, we know what they are like.
“Gerwyn and I lost to Damon and Simon in the World Cup and we know that they are serious darts players.
“The title’s anybody’s, to be honest. Whoever performs on the weekend will pick up that trophy.”
Clayton, 47, is a big rugby union fan and says just like Australia, Wales is a proud sporting nation.
This is his first visit Down Under and he is hoping for some crowd participation in Townsville this weekend before the World Series roadshow moves on to Wollongong on Friday, August 19, and Saturday, August 20, and can’t wait for it all to get started.
“I thrive on banter, to be honest,” Clayton said.
“I had the experience of playing through COVID where it was behind closed doors.
“I did well during that, but I prefer the crowd and the banter.
“It’s the Welsh against the Aussies and we’re both proud sports nations.
“We want to do well. I’m looking forward to it. I think it’s going to be fantastic, and I hope the crowd got involved and we put on a show.”
Clayton’s past couple of years on the PDC Tour have been good, winning four TV titles in 2021.
He hopes to add a World Series of Darts title to his resume, and he is confident his game is in the right place to win a trophy in Australia before the tour rolls on to Hamilton, New Zealand in three weeks.
“As darts players, we all get ups and downs and I feel good,” he said.
“I’m playing quite well, so hopefully I can win one.”
BY PHIL DILLON
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