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Deal darts pro Ross Smith starts his Home Tour challenge tonight from a log cabin in his garden.
The world’s best players are taking each other on from their own homes in an innovative new tournament set up to beat the coronavirus lockdown.
Viewers can watch live on the internet, for free, with 32 nights of action, culminating in a knock-out and an eventual champion.
The event, which started on Friday night, has already seen a nine-dart finish beamed live from Luke Woodhouse’s kitchen but is being played without former two-time world champion Gary Anderson because of a poor WiFi signal.
Former World Grand Prix champion Daryl Gurney also pulled out because his internet connection wasn't up to scratch.
Smith, 31, tested his own internet connection speeds on Sunday with the PDC and although he’s having to use his mobile data to take part, he is ready to go.
He said: “Everybody is craving to watch a bit of sport as nothing is going on and this is a great idea from the PDC. Players can keep their arm in, it keeps us in work and gives us a bit of appearance money which is import as it is hard financially at the moment.”
Smith says he’s in his best ever form at present, reaching the UK Open quarter-finals a year ago, his biggest payday to date and puts it down to a two-year break from the sport.
He said: “I had dedicated so much time to the sport, since a young age, I just felt like I wanted to explore a few different things. After a couple of years I missed the game and I now feel I am playing the best darts of my career. The break was a massive help.”
He has since put everything into the game, going full-time and building a cabin in his back garden to have somewhere to practice. It’s where tonight’s live performance will take place.
Nobody is allowed in and his partner will have to watch from the house.
"It has to be silent," said Smith. "My partner will be watching from the front room unless she's putting the little one to bed!
"Games are usually played infront of rowdy crowds on TV or in silence, so it's usually 50-50. I would usually have my music on in my cabin but that's fine.
"Luckily there's unlikely to be any garden parties to disturb us."
While Smith's form might be good, he admits he hasn’t been able to practice as much as he would like. While his partner is working full-time, looking after his four-year-old boy is taking up much of his time.
“I will just be happy to make it into the last 32,” he admitted.
“I have not been practising as much as I would have liked but I feel good and whatever happens I am confident I will kick on from here.”
Smith’s opening group game is against the first female Tour Card winner, Lisa Ashton.
Former Players Championship event winner Mickey Mansell will also join the live video call from Northern Ireland, along with young Dutch talent Geert Nentjes, to make up group four.
A nightly league format will see all four competitors play each other once in matches played over the best of nine legs, with a winner crowned each night.
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.
Each night’s action starts at 7.30pm. Darts commentator Dan Dawson will be on hand to talk through proceedings, which will also include live score graphics on screen.
All of the Home Tour action is being broadcast live on PDCTV for free to all registered users. The action will also be shown live through a series of bookmakers’ websites.
Monday night's schedule;
Ross Smith v Lisa Ashton
Mickey Mansell v Geert Nentjes
Lisa Ashton v Geert Nentjes
Ross Smith v Mickey Mansell
Mickey Mansell v Lisa Ashton
Geert Nentjes v Ross Smith
