ROSS SMITH admits he is ready for success despite a “scrappy” start to the year.

The Dover thrower is determined to finally return to glory at the UK Open this weekend.

Smith, 35, has shown great form over the past 18 months but has been unable to deliver a trophy since his shock European Championship win in late 2022.

He said: “I don’t think the season has started off that well this year. I’ve just been a bit scrappy really. I haven’t hit the ground running like I would like to have.

“I’m sure it will come good this weekend and I’ll knuckle down and keep working hard.

“It’s been really frustrating to be fair. Since winning the Euros in 2022 I feel like I’ve been playing really well and really consistent.

“Honestly it’s insane. I’m playing well enough to go into every major thinking I can win this.

You do need a bit of luck along the way, I don’t care how good you are.

“There’s no point being down about it. You’ve just got to get on with the next one and hopefully my luck will change.

“I’m feeling really good and I’m sure I’ll kick into wins fairly soon.

“I just play who is in front of me. I’m not ever bothered about who I’m playing. All I concentrate on is myself.

“I’m going to the UK Open thinking I can win it, without a shadow of a doubt.

“It’s just whether my brain kicks in when I get on stage. It’s very much the mental side of the game. It’s just getting over the finish line sometimes. If it clicks it clicks.”

Smith lost out to Chris Dobey in the World Championship and then best pal Stephen Bunting in the Masters a month later.

He will now enter the draw for the fourth round of the UK Open on Friday night.

He added: “The Masters was a great game with Stephen Bunting. It hurt to lose it.

“He’s a brilliant player, a very good friend of mine. I’m sharing an apartment with him this weekend, funnily enough.

“Hopefully no more TikToks with him though. He gets me every time, it’s always a bit of a shock.

“I don’t expect him to include me or film me and the next thing I know I’ve gone viral on social media in some silly cartoon on TikTok.

“Honest to God I’m useless on social media, absolutely useless. It’s probably the most uncomfortable thing I could do is video myself. I’m not that sort of person!”

Words by Phil Lanning.