Tough start for Waites

Scott Waites celebrates with the trophy during the BDO World Championship Final at the Lakeside Complex, Frimley Green. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Sunday January 10, 2016. See PA story DARTS Frimley Green. Photo credit should read: Adam Davy/PA Wire

Waites, who works as a carpenter for Pennine Housing 2000 in Calderdale, faces Scotland’s Ross Montgomery in Sunday’s first round on Channel 4 (3.30).

A clash with the number five seed from Scotland represents a tough test for Waites, who lifted the trophy in 2013 and 2016.

Although Waites is a 1-2 shot to beat Montgomery, his 55-year-old rival beat him 4-0 in the last 16 at the Lakeside in 2015 and on his way to winning the British Open title last year.

Montgomery also won the Wolverhampton Open and reached the final of the Dutch Open in 2017, while the 40-year-old Waites took a break following the birth of his daughter.

However, Waites won the Jersey Open in November, beating England’s Dave Parletti in the final, and Montgomery said his opponent was “a dangerous player.”

The Lakeside event, the 41st World Championship organised by the BDO and the 33rd at the Lakeside, runs from January 6 to 14.

It lives in the shadow of the PDC World Championship, won last weekend by Rob Cross, who beat Phil Taylor in the final at the Alexandra Palace, London at the start of the week.