KEVIN PAINTER admits that his win in the Budweiser UK Open North-East Regional Final has given him the belief to have a successful 2006.
Painter defeated Colin Lloyd 2-0 on Sunday to take victory in the fourth Regional Final and secure a place among the top seeds at Bolton.
After a disappointing campaign in 2005, he reached the quarter-finals at the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship before going out to a red-hot Phil Taylor.
And he is confident that he can build on his current streak of form throughout and add major honours to his CV in 2006.
"I played well at the World Championship and, if it hadn't been for Phil, I'm pretty confident I could have won it," he said.
"In my four times at the World Championship, I've lost to Phil in the final and two quarter-finals and also lost to John Part the year he won it.
"I've been beaten by the winner every year so it's good to win events like these to prove that I'm capable of it myself.
"I defeated the current world number one as well as other top 16 players like Adrian Lewis and Denis Ovens, so it's a good sign.
"Last year I injured my ankle and couldn't even come to this event, so this is a great way to start the year."