NICK Kenny will attempt to go one better than fellow Gwent darts ace Gerwyn Price when bidding for home comfort in the PDC tomorrow evening.
The 27-year-old from Cwmbran takes part in Group Five in the Home Tour event, a tournament that pits players against each other on video calls (7.30pm start).
Kenny, who won a two-year PDC tour card last month, will be up against World Youth champion Luke Humphries, South African Devon Petersen and former Players Championship even winner Joe Murnan.
He was one of the leading figures in the BDO but, as a newcomer to the tour, will be underdog up against Humphries, who is 34th in the PDC rankings and claimed his first World Youth Championship title last year.
The 25-year-old from Berkshire went on to reach a second World Championship quarter-final at Alexandra Palace and then this year, in Exeter, became the first challenger to win a Premier match when he beat Gary Anderson.
Peterson, known for his flamboyant walk-ons, won the ‘Darts At Home’ test event and is ranked 56th in the world while Murnon, from the north west of England, is number 72.
Kenny will be hoping that the shocks continue after world champion Peter Wright crashed out on Friday and world number three Price was knocked out on Saturday.
The 35-year-old from Markham was the victim of a nine-dart leg – 177, 177, 149 – when whitewashed by Luke Woodhouse.
Woodhouse, ranked 54 places below Price in the PDC rankings, averaged an incredible 113.9 against the Welshman in a 5-0 rout and topped the round-robin standings thanks to 5-2 wins over fellow Englishman Ted Evetts and Austria’s Rowby-John Rodriguez.
“It’s been unbelievable, probably about 300 per cent more than I was expecting, to be honest,” Woodhouse said.
“I haven’t really been putting in the hours on the board so to come and play a decent game is very nice.”
There was little Price, playing in his kitchen in what he admitted was a hastily arranged set-up, could do against Woodhouse.
Either side of those losses, Price did record 5-2 wins over Evetts and Rodriguez, who was back home in Vienna and said he had been given special dispensation by his neighbours to play beyond 8pm.
Price said after his runner-up finish: “It’s been good. Obviously I wanted to win the group and still be in the tournament but it’s a bit of fun, I tried 100 per cent and it just wasn’t meant to be.
“Luke played fantastic, he always plays his best game against me! Fair play, he played brilliant, I wish him all the best and I wish everybody all the best that’s left in.”
Following the conclusion of the initial 32 nights of league phase action, the 32 group winners will advance to the second phase of the competition.
Group Five fixtures
Luke Humphries v Nick Kenny
Devon Petersen v Joe Murnan
Nick Kenny v Joe Murnan
Luke Humphries v Devon Petersen
Devon Petersen v Nick Kenny
Joe Murnan v Luke Humphries
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