ROD HARRINGTON is backing James Wade to challenge for back-to-back majors in next week's PartyPoker.net Las Vegas Desert Classic VII.
Wade claimed his third major title earlier this month when he swept to victory in the Blue Square UK Open in Bolton.
He has been installed as the 9/2 second favourite for next week's Las Vegas Desert Classic, with Sky Sports pundit and former world number one Harrington expecting him to be the main rival to 8/11 favourite Phil Taylor.
"I can't really see anyone outside Taylor winning," Harrington said on the Matchroom Bets website.
"I tipped Phil to win the UK Open and he was flying, he had a nine-darter and broke the record for the average in a televised game, but he wasn't happy before the quarter-final with Raymond van Barneveld, went on the board with the wrong attitude and got beaten.
"But he won a tournament in Bristol and is back firing on all cylinders.
"You have to take James Wade into account. He's a great young player, he doesn't care who he plays and he just plays his own game. He went and won the UK Open tournament easily.
"I still don't think Raymond is right but this may suit him better because it's a bigger hall and doesn't get as hot. One of the problems he's having is that he's overheating and that is causing frustration in him.
"If Colin Lloyd can get over the first round he can be dangerous, and John Part is probably the best of the north Americans but is not doing that well at the moment.
"He can't get his concentration game-on-game together; he may do well in the early rounds but I can't see him really doing anything when he comes up against the big guns.
"Endurance is a big thing in this tournament, and that's why Taylor and Wade are the top favourites."
The top 12 players in the PDC rankings qualify by right for the tournament, and are joined by four north American pre-qualifiers and 16 players from the open qualifiers held on Monday and Tuesday at Mandalay Bay.
"This tournament is always a bit more casual than, say, the World Matchplay or World Championship," added Harrington.
"People fly out to Las Vegas, get into the party mood and sometimes you can see that in the way they play.
"They are tough qualifying events; a lot of people will expect to do well and don't."
Harrington is backing two players who have emerged in the past three years, Alan Tabern and Colin Osborne, to have good runs in Las Vegas and qualify.
"Alan is a great floor player and the UK Open is like a floor tournament, and that's why he did well," said Harrington.
"He is learning how to play the big stage and some of the players take him too lightly. He can score and he takes out some good shots, and I fancy him to do well.
"Two others players I think will do well are Andy Hamilton and Colin Osborne.
"Andy has already qualified in sixth place, he is a solid player with a great throw and he's coming back into form.
"Colin is a good young man, fit, strong and he can play the game.
"He's really starting to up his percentage of performance - he's starting to hit the 86 and 76 shots out which were missing before and I'd expect him to have a good run as well.
"I saw an upturn in Michael van Gerwen's performance at the UK Open and I think he's starting to turn it around."
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PartyPoker.net Las Vegas Desert Classic - Latest PartyBets.com Odds
Phil Taylor 8/11
James Wade 9/2
Raymond van Barneveld 11/2
John Part 20/1
Terry Jenkins 25/1
Adrian Lewis 25/1
Colin Lloyd 28/1
Andy Hamilton 33/1
Wayne Mardle 33/1
Roland Scholten 40/1
Peter Manley 50/1
Dennis Priestley 50/1
Darin Young 150/1
Bill Davis 250/1
Larry Butler 300/1
Gerry Convery 300/1
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