MY CHILL CAN HELP ME THRILL

Montgomery insists his relaxed state makes him dangerous at the Lakeside after almost packing it all in last year

Ross ‘The Boss’ Montgomery says he’s more relaxed than ever ahead of the Lakeside Darts World Championships — after almost quitting the sport last year.

The 54-year-old admitted he was considering his future after his first-round exit to Jamie Hughes at the 2016 Lakeside event, but the Greenhills thrower has stuck at it and reaped the rewards with three title wins this season.

He claimed victory at the Belgium Open, H&S International and the Jersey Open to ensure he qualified for the British Darts Organisation (BDO) showpiece.

Now, as he prepares to face last year’s Lakeside semi-finalist Richard Veenstra in the first round next week, Montgomery told the News: “I’m more relaxed than I’ve ever been and I feel I’ve come on leaps and bounds since last year.

“My head wasn’t right and I felt like I didn’t want to be there. I wasn’t prepared mentally and I was beating myself before I went on stage.

“At that time, I was getting my coat and never coming back, but my wife (Dorothy) and close friends had a word with me and I decided to give it another go.

“My darts are back together again, I’ve won some tournaments and enjoyed my international games with Scotland as well, so I’m looking forward to it.

“It’s a strange feeling going into this year’s Lakeside because I’ve never felt this way before. I don’t know if it’s the fact I’m 54 and I’m getting on a bit, but my darts have come on.

“Jamie Hughes said to me when I won the Belgium Open in August that he’d never seen me play as well as that for years.

“I won the Jersey Classic soon after and I carried the form into the England Masters final, where I lost to Glen Durrant, the best player in the BDO at the moment.

“I just need to concentrate and keep that feeling going.

“If I can go in as relaxed as I have been, I know I can be a danger.”

Montgomery, who reached

the quarter-finals at Lakeside in 2015, also believes his charity work with Prostate Cancer UK has helped his game.

He added:“I’m the Scottish ambassador for the charity and that has helped me to focus on something other than darts.

“I really feel that has helped to ease the pressure outside the game, realising what’s really important in life.

“Darts falls way down the list. The more I have got involved, the more it has made me realise that.”

This will be Montgomery’s 10th appearance at Lakeside and he will have to overcome a tough opponent to progress beyond the first round for only the fifth time.

Dutchman Veenstra lost to eventual runner-up Jeff Smith in the last four in 2016 and helped his country win the Europe Cup in September, claiming gold in the singles and pairs events.

“Richard is a very good player,”said Montgomery.“He’s been playing very well all year and has been very consistent, so I know it will be tough.

“I’ve played him before and he beat me very well (4-0, in July) at Blackpool.

“I know what I’m up against, but I know if I can just keep calm and play my own game, he’ll have a hard time.”

Ross Montgomery takes on Richard Veenstra on Tuesday, January 10. The match is due to start at 1.45pm and will be shown live on Channel 4.