Edward Foulkes was an unknown coming into the William Hill World Darts Championship, but has his sights set on a spot in the third round of the sport's biggest event going into Tuesday's tie with Brendan Dolan.
Foulkes, a 30-year-old based in Nagoya, Japan, won October's PDJ Qualifier to earn a spot in his first World Championship, seeing off former Ally Pally competitors Mikuru Suzuki and Seigo Asada in the event.
Primarily a soft-tip player, Foulkes showed few nerves on his big-stage debut to defeat Mike De Decker in straight sets, averaging 91 and losing just three legs to the Belgian.
Also a talented musician playing the Japanese "Shamisen" guitar, Foulkes will take on Dolan on Tuesday afternoon bidding to continue a remarkable breakthrough tournament.
"My dream has come true," admitted Foulkes. "I work in a darts bar and play soft-tip professionally. I quit for four years and started playing [again] last year.
"I was working hard and trying to join the soft-tip tour, but there's no tour any more because of the virus.
"There was the PDJ Japanese qualifier, and I tried it and won, and I'm here right now. I never dreamed about it but here I am.
"I was just thinking that I had to play my best, and if I do my best I can win. I'm so happy. This is my first time [in the UK] but I'm enjoying it."
Whilst this may be Foulkes' first visit to the UK, his first round win has fired an ambition to compete full-time one day on the PDC circuit as well as on the PDC Asian Tour in the future.
"I want to [play on the PDC Asian Tour] next year," he said. "Right now soft-tip is bigger, but maybe in two or three years steel-tip will be the biggest in Asia."
Foulkes' musical career has seen him perform alongside his mother Keiko, a famous singer in Japan, although it is his Welsh-born father's roots which have unearthed a remarkable family history.
Father Paul left Llandudno in 1981 to join the US Marine Corps, and later met Keiko in 1984 whilst stationed in Okinawa.
Foulkes' grandfather Hugh was a professional golfer based at Llandudno GC, whilst great-grandfather Hugh played football for West Bromwich Albion and Darlington as a left-back and also represented Wales once in 1931.
"I hope my family are very proud," he added. "I have had a very good year and I will be ready for the next round."
William Hill World Darts Championship
Tuesday December 22
Afternoon Session (1200 GMT)
4x Second Round
Brendan Dolan v Edward Foulkes
Joe Cullen v Wayne Jones
Simon Whitlock v Darius Labanauskas
Adrian Lewis v Danny Baggish
Evening Session (1800 GMT)
4x Second Round
Danny Noppert v Cameron Carolissen
Devon Petersen v Steve Lennon
Rob Cross v Dirk van Duijvenbode
Dimitri Van den Bergh v Paul Lim