HOOD EYES CHINESE RESTAURANT DREAM WITH HUMPHRIES

JUSTIN HOOD wants to swap double tops for woks after revealing plans to buy a Chinese restaurant with Luke Humphries.

‘Happy Feet’ enjoyed a dream Alexandra Palace debut on Tuesday afternoon as he thrashed Nick Kenny 3-0 and came agonisingly close to landing a nine-darter.

The 32-year-old soaked up every moment on the sport’s biggest stage and believes the record-breaking prize money on offer could help turn his off-the-oche ambitions into reality.

Hood will face Danny Noppert in round two of the tournament and knows another victory could move him a huge step closer to making that dream come true.

But first, the Somerset thrower told talkSPORT how he plans to prep for the crucial tie against ‘Noppy’.

He said: “I am going to eat Chinese and do a bit of practice.”

And on the restaurant, Hood added: “It’s coming. If I get to the £60,000 round, so round three or four…

“Luke Humphries said he would buy in with me.”

Hood also revealed he plans to speak to Gerwyn Price, who owns a fish and chip shop, as he looks for catering advice.

He continued: “He’s good mates with my friend Ryan Palmer, a class player in his own right, but he hasn’t given me any advice. But I’ll be speaking to him.

“I was over the moon with the way I played. I was clinical and scored well. Nick’s a good player and a good friend. But I took my chances.

“I don’t care if I play the worst player on tour or the best, Luke [Humphries]. If I play my game, I can beat everyone, and if I don’t, I can get beat.

“There are still five or six points to be put on that average, and I am confident that it will come.”

Image by Taylor Lanning.