WES NEWTON is aiming to end his best year on the professional circuit with a major title - and has targeted next week's partypoker.com World Grand Prix to claim big honours.
The 36-year-old from Fleetwood marked his rise into the world's top eight at the start of 2013 with inclusion in Premier League Darts, and he has also competed in the two World Series of Darts events staged by the PDC in Dubai and Sydney.
A two-time finalist in TV tournaments, at the 2011 UK Open and 2012 European Championship, Newton has yet to win a major title, with his biggest victory coming in April when he took a £20,000 European Tour title in Germany.
However, his win in the third group of Championship League Darts has boosted the world number eight's confidence going into the double-start World Grand Prix, where he enjoyed a run to the semi-finals 12 months ago.
"I've had an unbelievable year," said Newton. "I've won a European Tour event, played in the Premier League, been to Sydney and Dubai and I've got a second son on the way in a couple of months.
"Winning a major would be the next step for me now. I've reached a couple of finals before so I've got the experience but I want to go one step further and try to win one now.
"I've been there and worn the t-shirt now, and it's time for me to kick on and use that experience. I want to win every tournament that I go into, and it's there to be won.
"I had three days playing in Championship League last week and you can't get much better preparation than that, playing the best eight or ten players in the world, and I think it's helped my game.
"I feel really good about my game at the moment."
Newton kicks off the World Grand Prix on Monday night against UK Open semi-finalist Peter Wright, who is on the verge of the world's top 16 following a strong year.
"Peter's playing some awesome darts at the minute and I think he's a really underestimated player," added Newton.
"It's going to be really tough because he's had a great year and I've just got to get my head down and get on with it, but if I can win it will really set me up for the week."
Tickets for the partypoker.com World Grand Prix are still available by visiting pdc.seetickets.com or by calling 0844 871 8807 (UK) or 0044 114 223 9817 (non-UK).