BILL DAVIS will enter the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship with a new wave of confidence following a month competing full time on the PDC circuit.
The American has had a dream 2006, qualifying for both the World Series of Darts and Las Vegas Desert Classic to make his televised debut.
He went on to win a play-off of American players to book a place in the sport's biggest event, the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship in December.
Since then, Davis has travelled to play in Wales, Ireland, Scotland and Holland in the recent Pro Tour events, and feels he will be ready to take on the world's best at the Circus Tavern.
"I came here to get experience of playing these top players and playing in the long format to get ready for the World Championship," said Davis.
"It's been really good and I've worked through my own mental training.
"There are little things you have to deal with like anxiety, and we're not used to the long format and pacing yourself.
"I feel I have improved and in Holland I think I shot the best.
"Mentally I was prepared and I just got beaten, Wayne Jones was great on Sunday and the same thing happened on Saturday against James Wade, but I played well and was confident.
"In Scotland I didn't perform well but on the first weekend in Wales I played great, in Dublin I was a little worse and I've pulled out of it.
"I feel like I'm prepared now so I'm going back to Philadelphia to practice and put a lot more time in.
"I should be ready for Purfleet, and I feel much more confident."
The 47-year-old has been playing for over 20 years, but make his big breakthrough when he was one of four "Friday Night Madness" qualifiers at the World Series of Darts.
"By the end of last year I was shooting more and more and I relaxed, and things kind of fell into place," he said.
"I was shooting well early in the year and practising a lot and then in Connecticut and Las Vegas it came together.
"I guess the short format worked for me this year and things have picked up."
A quarter-final appearance in May's Le Skratch tournament in Montreal, where he lost to eventual champion Barrie Bates, was followed by a narrow 6-4 loss to Denis Ovens in the World Series.
"I have a lot of tenacity, I don't give up but it's been tough," added Davis. "In Montreal, I played Barrie Bates and shot well but kind of surprised myself in how well I was playing.
"When I was shooting well it was great but it's a matter of doing it long term, being able to play for over 20 minutes steady darts.
"I'm happy with the experience I've got recently, it's been great."
Davis has also used his spare time on the PDC tour recently to travel with his wife Jane around the UK and Europe.
"It's been great to see Europe, a lot of fun," he said. "Dublin was a really nice city, and after the tournaments there I went back for about a week.
"We flew into London and then went up to Edinburgh. We had a couple of days there and went across to Irvine. Ater that we had a few days in Amsterdam before coming to Lisse.
"I'm a little drained from the travel. I'm ready to go home and sleep in my own bed, get back to work and prepare myself for the World Championship."
See Bill in action during the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship
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Highlights from the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship will be available in DartsTV
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