JOHN PART is hoping that Sunday's Players Championship victory can kick-start his rise back up the PDC Order of Merit.
The Canadian won his first PDC ProTour event since 2007 with a whitewash of Mark Walsh in Sunday's Players Championship final in Derby, following a brilliant day of darts.
The £6,000 prize money puts Part in a healthy position in the Players Championship Order of Merit in the battle for qualifying places in this year's World Matchplay and World Grand Prix.
While the 44-year-old has dropped down to 32nd in the world during the past 18 months, he is hoping that he can make a return up the world rankings by continuing his impressive start to the year.
"I've got a lot of work to do even with the win in Derby," he said. "I'm hoping this will be enough to qualify for the World Matchplay but I'll be keeping my nose to the grindstone.
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"The standard's so high now but I've got nothing to lose," John Part. |
"I've got money coming off my Order of Merit total and I'll be lucky to be in the top 32 at the end of the year.
"The standard's so high now but I've got nothing to lose. I've been there and done it, but am not up there at the moment, so nobody's expecting me to win and I can enjoy it and play well."
Part had won last year's North American Darts Championship, but other than his 2008 World Championship win his last ranking victory had come in 2007 - and he admitted he was relieved to taste victory again.
"Patience is a big part of the game, waiting for the day you get that little bit of luck and it comes together," he added.
"I was really steady and feel comfortable where I am. I've got a new sponsor on board and it's all good."
Part was defeated by Denmark's Per Laursen in the first round of the World Championship in December, when a bad ear infection saw him struggle in the event and be laid low over Christmas back in Canada.
He returned to health during January and competed in the Players Championships in Halle at the end of the month before enjoying his success in Derby.
"I had some illness during the World Championship and it was pretty disappointing because I was ready to do some damage," said Part.
"I felt pretty good in Germany and I missed a nine-darter in the first game on Saturday in Derby and I feel good about myself, but it's very tough.
"If you're unseeded, like I have been recently in Players Championships, you have to get through two seeds to win your board and reach the last 16, and to do that you have to play very steady darts.
"On top of that, some players I've not heard much about are playing really well and they are some of the hardest to beat, which is making the tour very difficult at the moment for anyone to get a run.
"I needed the run on Sunday just as much as some of the other guys who are up at the top of the game, and it's a relief."