CHRIS MASON is tipping the Boxing Day clash between Phil Taylor and Mick McGowan to be a classic - as he awaits the winner in the third round of the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship.
Mason booked his place in the last 16 by defeating John Part on Friday, giving him a happy Christmas back in his new Stoke home.
He will be watching when the tournament resumes on Boxing Day, when defending champion Taylor takes on the rising Irish star McGowan.
McGowan has made a massive impression on the PDC circuit in 2006, and Mason is tipping him to show his class against Taylor.
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"I've got the winner of Mick McGowan and Phil Taylor and I don't want to play either of them!" Mason said.
"I chalked their last match, in Holland. Phil was at his very best and Mick beat him.
"A couple of weeks earlier, Mick beat me 5-0 and had a 43.19 average against me, which is 129.57. That's by far a record.
"In his next match, which I also marked, against Lee Palfreyman from Liverpool, he had a 37.50 average. He is just phenomenal.
"Everyone kept saying he didn't look great in his first match (a 3-1 win over Matt Clark), but he still had a 94-odd average.
"If that's him not looking great, then it's a bit like Taylor. Taylor didn't look great (against Anton Pein) but still had a 96 average.
"It's going to be a tough match. Obviously Mick's a bit more inexperienced than Phil on the big stage but it depends how Mick responds.
"If he settles in early and plays his own game, then it's game on!
"The bookies make it a walkover, but I think there will be a little bit of sensible money out there for Mick, just because he has beaten him recently, is in good form and worth a punt."
Mason has written off his own hopes of winning the tournament, but was delighted to avenge his 4-3 loss to Part of 12 months earlier when they again met in round two.
"It was a great win," added Mason. "John Part's pure class, one of only three players to win World Championships with both organisations.
"Last year he just nipped me 4-3 but I was phenomenal, I played much better than I did this year but probably finished a bit better this year.
"I took some great shots out under pressure.
"With John, you're not just playing his darts, you know in the back of your mind that at any minute he can take any kind of shot out - he is just class."