What is the PDC ProTour? It is tournament combining the European Tour and Players Championships
Friday 7 February 2020 11:51, UK
With the ProTour starting this weekend, our man Wayne 'Hawaii 501' Mardle has picked out the names he thinks are worth following this year.
Michael Smith
The one I've been banging on about that keeps getting close and might not necessarily do amazing things on the Pro Tour, but I'm sure Smith will win a big one. He has to win a big one. Whatever it is, whether it's classed as a major or not.
You can't be bashing on the door and not smash it down.
He gets to point where he tells himself he should have to keep fighting back, he should be in front.
He keeps giving himself chances. He keeps putting himself there and has shown a lot of maturity in some games. He hung in there in The Masters final against Peter Wright last weekend, where in years gone by he wouldn't have done.
He gets to point where he tells himself he should have to keep fighting back, he should be in front. It is what it is at that moment and he has to deal with it and he is. But he's still got some growing up to do and when he fully matures he will be a force to be reckoned with, which he already is, he's just not won.
Jeffrey De Zwaan
This may sound brutal but De Zwaan's talent is that of anyone in the top 10 and he continues to underachieve. He is number 20 in the world by not achieving a lot. I think he is ready to go bang and if he does then maybe these games where he completely loses the plot might disappear. I just think he's got such a great game in him.
I wouldn't be surprised if he breaks inside the top 16 or top 12 this year.
He reached the Matchplay semi-finals 18 months ago and that was the last thing he did. He's number 20 in the world and that's by not achieving a lot, so he could be ready to go bang.
Chris Dobey
He's not under the radar anymore but Dobey is ranked 19 at the moment. He has to be saying to himself 'I have got to be top 10'. When you look who is in front of him and there's no disrespect to them, but you've got Mensur Suljovic, Joe Cullen, Simon Whitlock and Jonny Clayton. These are not players who are showing better form than him. He can easily match them as well as James Wade, Ian White and Dave Chisnall.
He is there or thereabouts is Dobey and I really do believe he can climb the ranks.
Jelle Klaasen
We could see a re-rise from Klaasen. I like what he does and he's been working on the errors within his game. He's been looking for ways to improve. He had wrist surgery three years ago and he still gets repercussions from that. He's looking for ways to make it easy on his body. These are the things that improve players, not just having three hours at the board everyday and doing the same thing.
I can see a re-rise from him which would be good to see.
He's thinking more logically now, he's thinking more long-term and I noticed at the Worlds his dispersion at the ones and fives was less than what it would be normally so I can see a re-rise from him which would be good to see.
He's very capable and he's got a great ability. A huge talent. He's been working hard on his game better by making everything better. He's also been working on his throw to make it as reliable as it can be.
Stephen Bunting
Yes, there are youngsters but outside of that Bunting is only 34 and I've liked what I've seen from him over the last six or seven months. Quarter-finals of the Matchplay and he has achieved things before so he wouldn't be pushing the limit of his mind should he have another good run in a major tournament.
I believe he has something left.
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Coverage of the Premier League continues on Thursday, February 13 in Nottingham at 7pm on Sky Sports Action with 'The Sherrock of Nottingham' in action.
