ALL eyes will be on St Helens arrows ace Stephen Bunting on Tuesday when he makes his PDC World Championship debut at Alexandra Palace.

The 29-year-old Windle-based thrower has a chance of being the first man in darts history to back up a Lakeside world title victory with immediate success in the PDC equivalent.

But the on-song Bunting, who has had an amazing year since switching from the BDO in January after reaching the pinnacle in that organisation, is confident that he has the game to trouble favourites Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen in what has become a massive tournament.

The 2014/15 competition is the biggest yet with 72 players from 21 countries – including three from St Helens – battling for a share of the £1.25 million prize fund with the winner going home with £250,000.

Good progress in the worlds would be the icing on the cake for the Fazakerley-born adopted Sintelliner, who has a good chance of making the elite Premier League next year.

Bunting said: “My aim at the start of the year was to get into the Matchplay – but to get to every televised tournament apart from one is an amazing achievement.”

He managed to do that on the basis of beating some elite competition by winning the UK Open on his first weekend with the PDC.

“That win showed me that I could compete with the top players and that gave me real belief going into the rest of the season – and it set me up to do what I did this year,” he said.

“When you come over as a World Champion you come with the confidence that brings. People know how well I can play now – they have seen that on my TV performances and on the floor as well.

“A lot more players are wary of what I can do.”

Now he is looking for a good worlds which could propel him into the Premier League which features the sport's elite players.

It is definitely something that appeals – as does more invitations to the World Series events on the other side of the globe.

“I was in Sydney for the World Series last year and lost in the final – that was another eye opener because the best players in the world were there and I got to the final.

“If I can get to a few more of those in 2015 and the Premier League that's my aim.

“But I’m not counting my chickens yet – I am just hoping for a good Ally Pally and then if I do enough in the Worlds the rest will take care of itself.”


This year’s tournament, which also features top ranking St Helens darters Dave Chisnall and Michael Smith, is going to be huge when it kicks off on 18 December with all 50,000 tickets for the 14 days sold out in record time.

The sport takes over a whole TV channel, too, with SKY Sports Darts giving it blanket coverage over the festive period until final day on 4 January. 

Bunting can’t wait - although he is going to have to with his first round game against the winner of the qualifiers clash between JermaineWattimena and Robert Marijanovic being the last on on Tuesday, 23 December.

He said: “I am sending the darts off into Christmas with the last game on so hopefully I can bring a performance that people will talk about.

“The first game is always the hardest so I've not really looked past that yet – I am just preparing as well as I can and will be down at Ally Pally on 22 December to have a look around, watch one or two games and get a feel for the place.”

With the way the draw works, there could be a meeting between Bunting and Smith in round three if both progress to that stage.

The presence of three St Helens men in such a high profile event is a bit of a talking point. It has certainly helped create a bit of a darts buzz in the borough.

Bunting said: “We are all good friends and always chatting about our performances,”Bunting said.

“In town now everyone asks how we are all doing. I am sure Chizzy and Michael will both be preparing well in their own special way.

“We have all got the game to win it – every single player in the tournament have their plus points and minus points. Hopefully my plus points will be better than everyone else’s that week.

“If you look at top 32 – there is massive talent all the way down.

“Obviously I have a bit more pressure on my shoulders because I would be the first to win Lakeside and PDC Worlds back to back, which would be a fantastic achievement."

“But I go into it really confident and I’m looking to top the year off.”