24/01/2024

"Last time it was Covid" - Brett Claydon back on the Pro Tour and ready for the proper experience this time

Brett Claydon returns to the Pro Tour after a year's absence. The 41-year-old Englishman recently captured a PDC Tour Card for the next two years via Q-School.

"Everyone says that the Tour Card is the golden ticket in darts,” Claydon says in conversation with Suffolk News. “There are only 128 Tour Card holders across the game, so to get one is a big achievement on its own."

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Claydon captured a Tour Card for the first time in 2021, but he insists he's felt this good. “I would say it was the most confident I’ve ever been going into Q-School. I’ve done a lot of travelling to events to get that confidence and it’s great to see that the hard work has paid off."

"I didn’t pick up a point on the first day, but I averaged 94 and I knew I was playing well. It was just a case of sticking to what I was doing, preparing right and taking my chances.”

Claydon wants to take a different approach whilst on the Pro Tour this time around however. "Last time it was Covid and so I didn’t get to take anyone with me to events,” he explains. "There was no company and it was just a very strange time to get a Tour Card for the first time. It will be a lot more laid back and sociable this time. I’ve got to try to hit the ground running, but I know I can do that. The seven days straight at Q-School were tough mentally, but I prepared right and stuck with it. I have to process things the same way in the big events – starting with the UK Open – and then see where it takes me. It’s an exciting time.”

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Littler

On the Pro Tour, Claydon will of course, face off against darting sensation Luke Littler. “I came across Luke at a competition in Bristol last year,” says Claydon. “I think he won two of the four events and you could see the talent. He threw some ridiculous stuff and I remember telling people that they had to watch this kid. I’d seen him live and he was amazing."

“It was fantastic what he did at the Worlds. He took the sport to a whole new level and hopefully we can all jump on the bandwagon and keep the sport moving forwards. To deal with that pressure at 16, he’s done so well and I’m sure he’ll win plenty of big tournaments.”