Chris Mason sat down with Online Darts for a lengthy chat including going back to speak about
Q-School and also the
Challenge Tour with the former player and current pundit/commentator believing changes need to be implemented in future for the yearly Golden Ticket qualifier with rewards being given to those who play the system consistently.
"I want to see the Challenge Tour used for what it should be, I think if there is 28 cards, top 20 over the course of the year. A big sample of darts not just four days, I'd still have a Q-School but I'd do it so four winners in UK and EU. I think you need to reward the commitment to the system. Commitment to the product and we do see that and I don't think they get rewarded enough," said Mason to Online Darts.
"They are spending a lot of money over the course of a long time and I think that would A make the ones that come through Q-School far better, you should if you created a fair Q-School system where you'd get the best players available and that's what we want. We want the top 128, not those that managed to navigate through a bit of good fortune, handy draw. How they do that I don't know but that's how they get the big bucks."
One player that came so close to winning a Tour Card back then was
Fallon Sherrock and Mason touched on that as well as hoping that the PDC don't make the same mistake in over hyping
Beau Greaves to a similar degree and let her grow.
"I don't like to use the word luck but more a bit of fortune. She didn't have a lot go her way but what she did prove is when she applies herself and she's fully committed. She is a very good player.
"We hear a lot about what Beau's achieved in the Women's Series, it's unbelievable. Is she ready to be thrown in as a 128 Tour Card holder? Certainly not.
"The truth is her average which is way superior to what I could achieve wouldn't put her in the top 100. We tend to sometimes lose reality, do I think she's one of the best female players I've ever seen? Absolutely. Could she go on and do stuff in the men's game? If she continues but let her grow. There are so many people pushing her and Fallon had that. The PDC have a duty of care.
"If Beau continues to show these incredible improvements and the growth in her game and her own maturity, who knows where she can go but people screaming out, give her a Tour Card. Leave her alone, let her grow and let her blossom and don't rush it."