THE Rileys Amateur Qualifiers for the Coral UK Open helped to change the life of Rob Cross - and ambitious players wishing to emulate the new World Champion can still enter this year's knockouts!
Cross qualified from the Rileys Norwich club to be one of 32 amateurs competing alongside the sport's biggest names in the 2016 UK Open Finals at the Butlins Minehead Resort.
He won through to the fourth round and took on the reigning champion Michael van Gerwen - and was encouraged enough to subsequently join the PDC circuit.
The Hastings thrower's incredible rise since was crowned when he became World Champion on Monday night at Alexandra Palace.
Darts players inspired by Cross' remarkable success take try their hand in the 2018 Rileys Amateur Qualifiers, which begin on January 20 and run through to February 18.
The knockouts will be held in Rileys Sports Bars across the country, with Chester, Chorlton, Coventry, Greenock, Liverpool, London Victoria, Norwich, Nottingham, South Benfleet, Twickenham and Wolverhampton all staging two events.
Entry costs £7 per player per event, with the entry fee including a free drink. Entry can be made via www.rileys.co.uk/tournaments, or in person at the Rileys Sports Bars, with entries for each event closing at 5pm on the day before that specific knockout.
Players are permitted to enter more than one tournament. Players must be aged 16 or above to enter, and entry is not open to players who compete in the 2018 PDC Qualifying Schools. Full tourmament rules can be seen at www.rileys.co.uk/tournaments.
2018 Coral UK Open
Rileys Amateur Qualifiers
Saturday January 20
Greenock Q1
Sunday January 21
London Victoria Q1 (Two players qualify)
Saturday January 27
Chorlton Q1
Norwich Q1
Nottingham Q1
Twickenham Q1
Wolverhampton Q1 (Two players qualify)
Sunday January 28
Leicester
Liverpool Q1
South Benfleet Q1
Saturday February 3
Chester Q1
Harlow
Sheffield
Worcester
Sunday February 4
Chester Q2
Coventry Q1
Greenock Q2
Solihull
Saturday February 10
Chorlton Q2
Sunday February 11
Twickenham Q2 (moved from Feb 10)
Saturday February 17
Aberdeen
Coventry Q2
Liverpool Q2
Norwich Q2
Nottingham Q2
Sunday February 18
London Victoria Q2 (Two players qualify)
South Benfleet Q2
Wolverhampton Q2 (Two players qualify)