“This is the most excited I’ve ever been going to Ally Pally” - Josh Rock ready for breakout PDC World Darts Championship run as strong form continues in Minehead

Josh Rock remains one of the fastest-rising forces in modern darts, and his opening win at the Players Championship Finals in Minehead offered another reminder of why his name features ever more prominently in conversations about future major champions.

Despite an unexpectedly icy stage and a scrappy rhythm to the match, the Northern Irishman claimed a 6–3 victory over Gabriel Clemens before opening up about the conditions, his form, and his growing confidence heading towards the World Championship.

The stage temperature became as big a talking point as the darts themselves. Rock didn’t hide his frustration when asked about it afterwards. “It was the worst I’ve ever had — the coldness,” he said. “I said to Kirk (Bevins), ‘It’s really cold.’ He went, ‘I know.’ I couldn’t release properly. It couldn’t be normal. Neither could Gabriel.”

Even so, he approached the match with absolute belief. “I believed I was going to win the game, and I did. That’s not disrespect to him — I just felt very comfortable, even with the cold.”

At one stage Rock looked to be cruising, but admitted his focus dipped slightly as he neared the finish. “Yeah, a wee bit. I just wanted to get off the stage because it was that cold.”

That he still came through with authority underlined how stable his game has been this season. Remarkably, Rock didn’t even warm up properly before the match. “I didn’t have a practice at all — I just changed my points and went straight up the stairs. I felt 100%. That says enough.”

Rock’s experimentation doesn’t stop with his darts. His temporary change of walk-on music at the Grand Slam of Darts quickly proved a misfire. “Me and my dad were sitting talking nonsense after the Grand Slam and he said, ‘Change your walk-on.’ We listened to something new and I texted asking if I could switch. They said yes — but there was no good reception at all. I went straight back.”

The hunt continues. “I love DJ Chrisy – The Party,” he said, “but I still don’t feel it’s my song just yet.”

The Grand Slam again brought a familiar hurdle: Luke Littler. But Rock sees encouragement rather than frustration. “When you’re playing the best in the world, you have to up your game,” he said. “Every time we’ve played it’s been a ton-plus average. My time will come when the time’s right.”

His attention now turns to the World Championship — a venue that hasn’t always treated him kindly. This year, though, feels different. “This is the first Ally Pally where I’m going in very confident because I’ve nothing on my back,” he said. “This is the most excited I’ve ever been going.”

The rankings reflect his steady climb, and he’s setting targets accordingly. “Between the top eight and top 12 it’s very, very close,” he said. “Next year’s another free run for me — if I go far at the Worlds, I can be in the top four.”

Rock still marvels at the speed of his ascent from Q-School hopeful to top-tier contender. “Of course I’m surprised,” he admitted. “When you’re just starting off, you don’t believe in your ability. But the more you play the big players — Gezzy, Luke, Humphries — the more you learn.”

This season brought a defining moment of clarity. “This year was probably when I said, ‘I belong here.’ When I switched to Target — even from the first prototype — I knew it was going to be a different Josh.”

The switch in equipment has coincided with a switch in aura. “I felt the setup was perfect,” he said. “As soon as January came, I knew it was going to be a different Josh from then.”

If this display in Minehead proved anything, it’s that Rock is learning to win even when conditions are against him — a hallmark of a maturing contender.

“Thank you very much,” he said with a grin as he wrapped up his press duties, a player increasingly at ease with where he stands — and where he is heading.

The message is clear: Rock is knocking loudly on the sport’s biggest doors, and it feels like only a matter of time before one opens.