Jonny Clayton embodies grit and Belfast presents his last realistic path to the play offs. The Welshman known as the Ferret sits seventh with twelve points after ten rounds leaving him desperate for a deep run on April seventeen. The SSE Arena is a fitting backdrop because it witnessed both heartbreak and heroics in his recent career.
Clayton revisits the scene where he missed two match darts against Chris Dobey on opening night a lapse that has shadowed his season. He insists the memory fuels extra practice hours and confidence received a boost after he captured Players Championship fourteen with a clinical eight two win that featured a one hundred and four average.
Momentum therefore leans in his direction just as scheduling favours him slightly. He opens against Nathan Aspinall whose form dipped following an ankle strain. A win would likely tee up a semi final with Luke Littler but Clayton has beaten the teenager in two ranking events this year giving him genuine belief.
Mathematics remain stark. Historical data shows sixteen points is usually the bar for the top four meaning Clayton must harvest at least four points across Belfast Aberdeen Sheffield and Manchester. Anything less makes the O two dream improbable for this season.
Yet sport thrives on revival tales and the Ferret has penned them before. He stunned the wider audience by winning the Masters title in twenty twenty one as a late invite and parlayed that into a Premier League triumph months later. Belfast may therefore script another twist if Clayton turns regret into ruthlessness.
