CAMERON MENZIES believes if he finds his A-game it will take a good player to stop his World Championship run.

The Ayrshire ace goes into his second Paddy Power PDC World Championship facing Rusty-Jake Rodriguez at the Alexandra Palace tonight (Friday).

Menzies was last year dubbed ‘the new Jocky Wilson’ after his bubbly performances.

He knows he has to be calmer this time, adding: “To be compared to Jocky is amazing, a total legend, probably the biggest ever Scottish player along with Gary Anderson. It’s not a bad thing.

“When I’m up on that stage the heart is racing, nerves and stuff. But for some reason I’m not the same on the floor, with no crowd behind me.

“Some days though I’m fighting myself. In my head I’m fighting three throws ago. It’s just trying to keep the head clear and not get caught in the moment.”

Menzies will a tough battle with Austrian Rodriguez and knows he needs to find his A-game.

He added: “We’ve played twice and won one each and both games have been 6-5 so it could be a close game again.

“I’ll be honest I was quite gutted to be on opening night. I was wanting to watch it for a few days and get into it.

“Hopefully the real me turns up and I’ll hit the doubles and a wee run that will take a good player to beat me.

“I’ve showed this year in spells that I’ve got that A game in me. So if that appears it will take someone pretty good to knock me out.

“I think I did better last year results-wise but this year I have played better but the results haven’t been great.

“I’ve had a couple of good runs. I’ve had a couple of bad games which is usual for me. I think my average is 94 and I’m pretty happy with that.

“The plan was to get to the Worlds and take it from there. Keep the tour card was the other plan, it’s not safe yet but there’s a good chance I will keep it. I’ve just got to build on it.

“I had issues with my hands at the Players Championship. It happens after I use certain power tools which vibrate. My hands were a bit numb-ish.

“I’ve now got gloves to wear and I’ll only use my left hand but before any darts tournaments I’ve stopped using the power tools altogether!

“I feared that it might be a Carpal tunnel syndrome problem but the docs said it was the tools I was using.”

2023/24 Paddy Power World Darts Championship
Schedule of Play
Sky Sports, 7pm.

3x First Round, 1x Second Round
Kevin Doets v Stowe Buntz (R1)
Cameron Menzies v Rusty-Jake Rodriguez (R1)
Simon Whitlock v Paolo Nebrida (R1)
Michael Smith v Doets/Buntz (R2)

Words by Phil Lanning