TheBoss predicts ‘open’ Lakeside
Ross ‘The Boss’ Montgomery reckons the BDO Darts World Championships is wide open this year.
The Greenhills thrower was in action yesterday as the News went to press, playing his first round match against England’s Scott Baker, and before his clash he reckoned it is too close to call who will take the 2019 crown.
Glen Durrant has won the last two titles at Lakeside and is biding to become the first player since Eric Bristow to win three on the trot.
But the Boss, making his 12th appearance at Frimley Green this year, believes there are plenty of pretenders to the throne.
Montgomery said: “You’ve always got to look at Glen – he’s hungry for that third title to put himself in the record books.
“But there’s plenty of players playing really well right now.
“Richard Veenstra from Holland is playing some fantastic darts. There’s Scott Mitchell and Scott Waites and Mark McGeeney is knocking at the door.
“Mark is ranked number one in the BDO at the moment and he’s winning a lot of matches, beating the top players.
“Lakeside is all on the day. You can get an outsider coming from nowhere.
“It’s happened before and who is to say it won’t happen again. I think it’s pretty open this year.”
Asked about his own hopes, The Boss – who reached the quarter-finals in 2015 – added: “I always feel I’m capable of going far, but if it’s not working on the day it’s not working, there’s not much you can do.
“I’ve been playing a long time now and I never go in overly confident. I’ve learned my lesson on that.
“If I prepare myself properly and it happens, it happens, but if it doesn’t work out then so be it.”
The Championships run until Sunday, January 13 and matches are being shown live on Eurosport and Freeview channel Quest. The winner will take home a cheque for £100,000. Festive fun