There are two groups left in the second phase of the PDC Home Tour II, the first of which takes place on Tuesday as four more spots in the next stage of the competition get filled as seven more players battle it out in their homes hoping to progress.
With the World Grand Prix beginning elsewhere on Tuesday, the big names are heading for that rather than this so there is something of a low key affair about this group but that doesn’t mean it won’t be competitive as always.
The Format
Each day seven players will be in action on their home oches in a group stage format looking to progress. In every group in the tournament the seven players will each play each other once. In the first round the top three players in each group and the five best fourth-placed players go through to the second stage. Five groups are played out in the second phase with the top four in each making it through to the third stage along with the best fifth-placed player. The final stage begins with three more groups with the top two in each and the best third-placed player qualifying for the Championship Group where the champion is crowned. Each match throughout is the best of nine legs and the tournament will be streamed live on PDCTV or the consoles on the bookmaker websites.
Phase 2 Group 3 Recap
There was a major shock in terms of the group winner on Monday as Carl Wilkinson went under the radar to top the pile with five wins. Kirk Shepherd was second with four wins while James Wilson also picked up four wins from his day to make it through. The other qualifier from this group was Nick Kenny whose three wins was enough to get him into the next stage. Jeffrey de Zwaan is the man who will have to wait and see if he has done enough as although he won his first two matches he couldn’t win any of his last four and could only finish fifth. The two men definitely eliminated from the event were Adam Hunt and Geert Nentjes.
It was one of those annoying days for us betting wise as the only match that Geert Nentjes won was the one we didn’t want him to win as he beat Nick Kenny. We took Kenny to win that match but he had a bit of a mare on his doubles and never really got close. In the end he went down 5-2 so that was more than disappointing and leaves us needing a couple of good days to get back on track in this competition.
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Phase 2 Group 4 Line Up
The Favourites
The former World Youth champion Luke Humphries is the man who will be expected to come through this group and progress courtesy of winning it. This sort of thing should be right up his street. Humphries won all six matches in his first phase group and sets the standard here. It wasn’t too long ago that Damon Heta was winning an Autumn Series event though and he could be the closest challenger to Humphries. The Australian made it through in third place in his first group but has clearly kicked on since then.
The Outsiders
Luke Woodhouse didn’t actually make it through the first stage but because a couple of players have withdrawn since then he gets a second chance. He’ll be looking to show that he has what it takes to make it through. Ross Smith is another player who will be hoping to do enough and with four places on offer they are the ones expected to qualify. Mike de Decker was the winner of the first group in the opening phase of the competition and he’ll be popular at 9/1 while Joe Murnan and Barrie Bates will attempt to prove they are not just making up the numbers.
Group Betting
On the face of it this group would appear to be between the two favourites. The talent that Luke Humphries has is incredible and if it all clicks here he could lead this lot a merry dance but as we know he isn’t always the most consistent which would bring the in form Damon Heta into the game. The other thing Heta has going for him in this group is if it were to come down to his match with Humphries he has the throw in it which could be significant.
Of the rest it is hard to find much to like although the Belgian player Mike de Decker has been offering up some decent results this year and wasn’t too bad in the first Home Tour. I just wonder if it was too long ago when he won the opening group of this event because we saw Geert Nentjes go pretty badly from that group on Monday but at 9/1 I’ll pay to see how the Belgian goes. To be fair to Nentjes he was in a tougher group than this one and if Humphries doesn’t perform then de Decker could be the one to take advantage.
Match Betting
I’m keen to take on Luke Woodhouse in the match betting but the question is who to do it with and how and I think I’ll go with the other Luke in the group to beat him with a little bit to spare in Luke Humphries. Woodhouse made news in the first Home Tour when he hit the nine dart finish but that aside his form throughout 2020 has been pretty ordinary and he’s never completely convinced me whenever I’ve seen him. I think he lacks the scoring consistency that is needed at this level.
That is something that will never be labelled at Humphries. He is one of the best and most natural scorers in the game. He can get himself in trouble on the finishing but as long as he doesn’t do that in this match then he should really win it with something to spare. He has the throw here so if he can get off to a good start and get Woodhouse under pressure from the beginning then he might not find much resistance coming his way.
Tips
Back M.de Decker to win Phase 2 Group 4 for a 1/10 stake at 10.00 with Betfair
Back him here:
WON – Back L.Humphries (-1.5 legs) to beat L.Woodhouse for a 3/10 stake at 2.05 with Betway
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