Newcomer Foulkes aims to continue breakthrough run

Edward Foulkes (Lawrence Lustig, PDC)

Edward Foulkes was an unknown coming into the William Hill World Darts Championship, but has his sights set on a spot in the third round of the sport's biggest event going into Tuesday's tie with Brendan Dolan.

Foulkes, a 30-year-old based in Nagoya, Japan, won October's PDJ Qualifier to earn a spot in his first World Championship, seeing off former Ally Pally competitors Mikuru Suzuki and Seigo Asada in the event.

Primarily a soft-tip player, Foulkes showed few nerves on his big-stage debut to defeat Mike De Decker in straight sets, averaging 91 and losing just three legs to the Belgian.

Also a talented musician playing the Japanese "Shamisen" guitar, Foulkes will take on Dolan on Tuesday afternoon bidding to continue a remarkable breakthrough tournament.

"My dream has come true," admitted Foulkes. "I work in a darts bar and play soft-tip professionally. I quit for four years and started playing [again] last year.

"I was working hard and trying to join the soft-tip tour, but there's no tour any more because of the virus.

"There was the PDJ Japanese qualifier, and I tried it and won, and I'm here right now. I never dreamed about it but here I am.

"I was just thinking that I had to play my best, and if I do my best I can win. I'm so happy. This is my first time [in the UK] but I'm enjoying it."

Whilst this may be Foulkes' first visit to the UK, his first round win has fired an ambition to compete full-time one day on the PDC circuit as well as on the PDC Asian Tour in the future.

"I want to [play on the PDC Asian Tour] next year," he said. "Right now soft-tip is bigger, but maybe in two or three years steel-tip will be the biggest in Asia."

Foulkes' musical career has seen him perform alongside his mother Keiko, a famous singer in Japan, although it is his Welsh-born father's roots which have unearthed a remarkable family history.

Father Paul left Llandudno in 1981 to join the US Marine Corps, and later met Keiko in 1984 whilst stationed in Okinawa.

Foulkes' grandfather Hugh was a professional golfer based at Llandudno GC, whilst great-grandfather Hugh played football for West Bromwich Albion and Darlington as a left-back and also represented Wales once in 1931.

"I hope my family are very proud," he added. "I have had a very good year and I will be ready for the next round."

William Hill World Darts Championship
Tuesday December 22
Afternoon Session (1200 GMT)

4x Second Round
Brendan Dolan v Edward Foulkes
Joe Cullen v Wayne Jones
Simon Whitlock v Darius Labanauskas
Adrian Lewis v Danny Baggish

Evening Session (1800 GMT)
4x Second Round
Danny Noppert v Cameron Carolissen
Devon Petersen v Steve Lennon
Rob Cross v Dirk van Duijvenbode
Dimitri Van den Bergh v Paul Lim