2026 PDC WC Day 5 Preview

James Punt landed a lovely 3.50 winner on Sunday thanks to the Kiwi Jonnny Tata. You can check out his 2026 PDC WC Day 5 preview below.

Afternoon Session

Brendan Dolan vs. Tavis Dudeney

Dudeney qualified via the tour card holder qualifier. He only won his tour card in January, so making his Ally Pally debut is a bit of a dream. Certainly, his first year on the Pro Tour has been anything but a dream. He averaged just 83.59 across his forty four matches and only won 38% of his legs played. Out of the 174 players that played a players championship event, he was ranked 160th.

To say that him winning one of the five places available at the qualifier was a surprise would be an understatement. He is not a heavy scorer, to put it mildly. In his last fifty matches he has averaged over 90 just once.

By contrast, Brendan Dolan was ranked 58th with a 3 dart average of 91.59, and that is a poor season by his standards. Dolan has played in seventeen World Championships, has got beyond the first round thirteen times and has won 3-0 seven times.

Dolan is in poor form and has lost seven of his last ten matches, but one of those wins was against Dudeney. That was a 6-2 win for Dolan who only averaged 83.21, in PC34. This is a very nice draw for Dolan.

Brendan Dolan is the 1.28 favourite, Dudeney 4.33. The odds on a 3-0 win for the Irishman have been slashed, but it is the only result that makes sense.

2026 PDC WC Day 5 Tip: 1 point Brendan Dolan to win 3-0 @ 2.60 with Ladbrokes

Cameron Menzies vs. Charlie Manby

Manby is a young player who has been tagged with the ‘next Luke Littler’ tag after hitting a 130.70 average. However, it was in a first to four leg match on the Development tour, so a touch of perspective is required. Yes, he can bang in quite a few big ton plus averages but he can also play some ropey stuff. He is still learning.

Manby hasn’t played in many senior events but in PC26 -PC27 he played four matches and hit two ton plus averages. He lost 5-6 to Luke Littler in the World Youth Championship qualifier, averaging 102. He is highly rated by those in the know, but he is not the finished article and largely untested at this sort of level. His A game gives him a very good chance of winning, but that applies just as much to Menzies, and he has more experience.

Modest Form

Cameron Menzies is not in great form, losing five of his last ten matches, but he knocked Gary Anderson out of the European Championships and took Luke Humphries to a deciding leg in round two.

Menzies is a mercurial character and he can be anything at any time. He has played in three World Championship and has never got past the second round, but he has won two first round matches.

Last year, he was not in a good place as his father was seriously ill in hospital and he was in bits on stage, losing 1-3 to Leonard Gates. He has now played five matches on this stage and not averaged over 90 in any of them. That is a worry.

Menzies is the 1.57 favourite with Manby 2.50. With Menzies most recent form not being great and his record here poor, I will give Manby a chance.

2026 PDC WC Day 5 Tip: 1 point Charlie Manby to win @ 2.63 with BET365

Mensur Suljovic vs. David Cameron

Suljovic has lost five of his last ten matches, half which saw sub 90 averages, including two sub-80s. He isn’t the player he once was. His win rate in 2025 is just 54% and he has only played four ranking matches on TV this season. He has played in sixteen World Championships but never got beyond the third round. Suljovic has lost half of his first-round matches in the World Championship.

David Cameron is another of the North American players in the event. He is making his third Ally Pally appearance. He beat Ritchie Edhouse 3-2 on debut in 2023, before losing 1-3 to Danny Noppert in round two. In 2024 he lost 1-3 in the first round to Jamie Hughes. His recent form sees seven wins from his last ten but with eight sub 90 averages. His highest TV average is 94.78.

It is not exactly a mouthwatering prospect. Suljovic is the 1.50 favourite, Cameron 2.88.

Cameron has always won at least one set in his Ally Pally matches, and I can see Suljovic dropping a set, or maybe two.

2026 PDC WC Day 5 Tip: 0.5 point Mensur Suljovic to win 3-1 @ 3.75 with Betfred

Peter Wright vs. Noa-Lynn Van Leuven

Peter Wright has blown very hot or cold at Ally Pally. He has won the World Championship twice, been runner up once and reached another semi-final and three quarter finals, including last year. He has also lost four first round matches.

His recent form has seen his struggles continue. Wright still talks a good game but he has lost six of his last ten matches and had five sub-90 averages. His seasonal win rate is just 47% and while occasionally he can remind us of how good he was, he is as likely to hit a sub-80 average than a ton plus. In fact, in his last fifty matches he has hit five sub-80 averages and just three ton plus.

Van Leuven has won eight of her last ten matches, all on the Women’s Series. Her highest average on TV is 88.59. She played here two years ago and lost 1-3 to Kevin Doets. She also played in the 2024 Grand Slam and took three legs off Ryan Joyce and two off Gary Anderson but lost all three matches.

Peter Wright is the 1.11 favourite and the draw has been kind to him. His B game against Van Leuven’s A game might give us a bit of a match, but Wright would likely still win. It is a no bet match for me.

2026 PDC WC Day 5 Tip: No Bet

Evening Session

Martin Lukeman vs. Max Hopp

I expect a sizeable German contingent in the crowd tonight and they should be treated to a win for Der Maximiser, Max Hopp. He dropped off the radar and was a TV commentator before winning his card back in January. It would hard to be too enthusiastic about his chance of keeping it, but a win here would some way to helping to do just that.

His seasonal win rate is just 53% but his scoring is a lot better than it was in the first half of the year. He is hitting ton plus averages again but he is much more likely to hit a sub-90. He has lost seven of his last ten matches but hit six 93+ averages.

Smash Struggling

Martin Lukeman had a torrid time at the recent Grand Slam. Runner up in 2024, he lost all three group matches. He has lost seven of his last ten matches and hit eight sub-85 averages. He is really struggling. Lukeman has played in three World Championships and won all three first round matches.

Max Hopp’s Ally Pally record sees three first round exits from eight played. His last appearance was five years ago but he is an experienced player.

Max Hopp is the 1.62 favourite, Lukeman 2.50. It is impossible to fancy Lukeman given his form and Hopp is short enough given his recent form, but it is at least better than Lukeman’s. Hopp is the default favourite, not because he is in great form, but just that he is scoring better.

2026 PDC WC Day 5 Tip: 1 point Max Hopp to win -1.5 sets @ 2.20 Betfair

Dirk van Duijvenbode vs. Andy Baetens

Dirk was never even mentioned as a player who might have a good run this year. His recent form sees six defeats from his last ten matches. His game is not in the bin, but it is lacking consistency.

He hit a 106 average in one match in PC34, but two matches later he had back to back sub-90s. You just do not know what you are going to get with Dirk. His record at Ally Pally shows six appearances and he has lost half of his opening matches. All of his wins were 3-2.

Andy Baetens came through the Netherlands-Belgian Qualifier. He is a tour card holder but it is fair to say that since getting his tour card in 2024, he has done very little. He was a WDF World Champion and BDO World Championship quarter finalist, but he has floundered at PDC level.

Ally Pally Debut

Baetens did play some good stuff in the qualifier with five 94+ averages and he hit a ton in the final. He does have a good game in him, but there are a lot of sub-90 averages in his game. He is making his Ally Pally debut.

Dirk van Duijvenbode is the 1.40 favourite with Baetens 3.25. They have met three times with Dirk winning two and Baetens their last match 6-3 three months ago.

Van Duijvenbode is the better player and should win, but his confidence is brittle. He is very hard on himself and can give up a bit too easily. If Baetens plays like he did in the recent qualifier, he can beat Dirk, helped by Dirk beating himself up. If Dirk does win, a 3-2 scoreline would keep his run going, but he has lost his last two matches here 1-3.

2026 PDC WC Day 5 Tip: 0.5 point Andy Baetens to win 3-1 @ 8.50 with Livescorebet

Jonny Clayton vs. Adam Lipscombe

Clayton has lost seven of his last ten matches and can’t be feeling very confident. He is scoring well enough but he flopped in the European Championship, the Grand Slam and the Players Championship. All big money events and he fell at the first fence. Clayton has not lost an opening match here since 2018.

Lipscombe lost his third-round match at the Players Championship finals 5-6 to Daryl Gurney. It was a match he should have won, easily, but he just went to bits and blew a great chance to make the quarter finals. That will have hurt.

He has won five of his last ten matches but hit six sub-90 averages. This is his Ally Pally debut and despite Clayton having lost seven of his last ten matches, Lipscombe has got a tough draw.

Clayton is the 1.30 favourite, Lipscombe 5.50. It is hard to see any value in this match. No bet.

2026 PDC WC Day 5 Tip: No Bet

Conor Scutt vs. Simon Whitlock

The Wizard makes a return to the World Championship stage after missing out on qualification last year. He also lost his tour card and decided to return to Australia to play in the new ANZ Premier league, which he won, and also won him a place in the World Championship.

It is hard to say where is game is. Playing at a lower level tends to mean hitting lower averages and most of his are mid-80s, but up on the big stage again, I wouldn’t be surprised if he was more competitive than he was Down Under.

However, he lost his card as time has finally caught up with him. He will not be trying to get his tour card back at Q school, as he knows he is past it.

Conor Scutt is one of the up and coming players. He is maybe a little overhyped in some places, but he is a decent player. His win rate is 47% and his recent form saw him winning seven of his last ten matches. He has hit six 97+ averages in his last ten.

Scutt has played Whitlock five times, winning three, back in 2022-2024. I would say that Scutt has improved since then, Whitlock hasn’t.

Scutt is the 1.29 favourite, Whitlock 4.33.

2026 PDC WC Day 5 Tip: 0.5 point Scutt to win 3-1 @ 3.50 with Betfred

-JamesPunt