SIMON WHITLOCK believes the race for places in the 888.com Premier League Darts play-offs in May is wide open, as he prepares to face Terry Jenkins in Exeter on Thursday.
Australian ace Whitlock picked up his first win of the season with an 8-5 defeat of James Wade in Belfast last week, after suffering losses to Gary Anderson and Raymond van Barneveld in his opening two games.
Whitlock is one of five players sat on two points ahead of Thursday's visit to the Westpoint Arena, while Gary Anderson is the only unbeaten player following the three rounds so far.
He believes the table will still be as close in May when the top four players qualify to compete in the play-offs on May 19.
"Gary's top of the table and Phil Taylor is playing really well," said Whitlock. "Phil's always going to be up there but you've got the best eight players in the world and I think anybody is capable of making the top four.
"I've got to keep going and get some more wins. I hope I can get some momentum now and carry it on from last Thursday.
"The first week I played really well and had a 99 average but I missed a few doubles and Gary hit everything.
"I was a bit disappointed to come away with a loss in that match, and then Raymond turned up in Nottingham and destroyed me.
"It's different every week and players' form goes up and down, so it's pretty near impossible to predict who's going to win."
Whitlock meets Terry Jenkins in Exeter on Thursday, with the Ledbury ace having reached the World Championship semi-finals at the turn of the year and two other televised quarter-finals in a return to form over the past six months.
"Terry's a brilliant player," adds Whitlock. "He's so gritty and he keeps grinding away and never gives up, and you've never got him beaten.
"He's a player I do enjoy playing a little bit more than others, and you know exactly what you're going to get from him."
Whitlock overturned a 5-4 deficit against Wade to win the last four legs without reply last week, and admitted the support of the Belfast crowd buoyed him.
"It's hard for me to get the crowd on my side because I'm usually playing an English player, so to go to Northern Ireland and have them on my side was good for me," said Whitlock.
"It would be great to get support like that again in Exeter. I'm getting more experience in front of the big crowds now and even though the noise and atmosphere is unbelievable I love it."
Some tickets for Thursday's 888.com Premier League Darts at the Westpoint Arena in Exeter remain on sale on through 08444 99 99 55 or www.ticketzone.co.uk.
888.com Premier League Darts
Week Four - Westpoint Arena, Exeter
Terry Jenkins v Simon Whitlock
Mark Webster v Adrian Lewis
Gary Anderson v James Wade
Raymond van Barneveld v Phil Taylor
Tickets: 08444 99 99 55 or www.ticketzone.co.uk
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