JAMIE HUGHES will make his debut in the SINGHA Beer Grand Slam of Darts on Saturday hoping to enjoy a double celebration following the birth of his daughter in the build-up to the Sky Sports-televised event.
BDO number four Hughes is the most local of the 32 players competing at the Wolves Civic from November 12-20 in the Grand Slam of Darts, hailing from nearby Tipton.
The six-mile journey will enable him to return home following his matches in Wolverhampton to resume his duties as a father, following the arrival of his second daughter on Friday after fiancee Jayne gave birth.
Hughes makes his debut on Saturday against former finalist James Wade, and will also take on Dave Chisnall and James Wilson in Group G at the Wolves Civic.
"I am really looking forward to it," he told the Express & Star. "I'm very happy [to have qualified] and the face that it's my home tournament puts the cherry on top of the cake.
"I'm coming in for my debut and there's no expectations on me. It may be my home crowd but it will be all new to me. I'll just play my own game.
"I know it's an uphill task, starting with Wade. If you give him a shot at a double, he'll take it. I'll need to find the treble early, put him under pressure and, hopefully, he'll have an off afternoon.
"Chisnall is a high scorer and I know Wilson from his BDO days, I think I've only beaten him once."
Tickets for the SINGHA Beer Grand Slam of Darts can be purchased by calling 0870 320 7000 or online at www.theticketfactory.com/PDC.