Alan Soutar has revealed he wouldn't be playing on the PDC tour had it not been for the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, as he prepares to face Raymond van Barneveld in round one of the Ladbrokes UK Open on Friday.
Scottish fireman Soutar, 43, will make his UK Open debut on the Main Stage at the Marshall Arena against two-time champion Raymond van Barneveld, who will be making his highly-anticipated big stage return.
A Tour Card winner in his first attempt at Q School in February, experienced amateur Soutar believes the time is right to test himself in the professional ranks.
"Darts is everything to me. I've got a job but I also run a darts academy and am heavily involved with running amateur darts in Scotland," explained Soutar, who will work a night shift on Wednesday before travelling to Milton Keynes.
"But the Covid situation has forced my hand and given me the chance to concentrate on myself and think 'it's time to have a go' [in the PDC].
"I've been backed by my management team to do it and I want to make people proud.
"I'm a passionate Scotsman, I love playing for my country but I've got 50 caps which is a nice number to finish on and have a go at the PDC.
"I've never looked at doing Q School before. Gary Anderson offered to back me a few years ago but I turned him down because of my job."
Despite losing to Van Barneveld on the Dutchman's way to winning Players Championship 3, Soutar made an eye-catching start to life on the ProTour at Super Series 1 in Milton Keynes last week, earning £4,750 across his first four days as a pro.
The Scot defeated Peter Wright with the first of his back-to-back 105+ averages, and also claimed the scalps of Dave Chisnall, Nathan Aspinall and Adrian Lewis.
"I've been playing darts for a long time so I know the standard required," Soutar continued.
"I don't have any targets but I've had a dream start. I just want to see where it takes me.
"I know a lot of players on the ProTour won't want to draw me."
Main Stage matches will be broadcast live on ITV4 for UK viewers, through the PDC's international broadcast partners, including DAZN and RTL7, and on PDCTV for Rest of the World Subscribers.
Action on Stage Two action on Friday and Saturday will be streamed exclusively for all PDCTV Subscribers worldwide.
2021 Ladbrokes UK Open
Friday March 5
Afternoon Session (1100 GMT Start, 1200 GMT on Main Stage)
First, Second & Third Rounds
Main Stage
Berry van Peer v Martin Schindler (R1)
Brett Claydon v Danny Baggish (R1)
Aaron Beeney v Lisa Ashton (R2)
Maik Kuivenhoven v Koltsov/Rusty-Jake Rodriguez (R2)
Alan Soutar v Raymond van Barneveld (R2)
Keane Barry v Nentjes/Burnett (R2)
Max Hopp v William O'Connor (R3)
Damon Heta v Siepmann/D Evans (R3)
Soutar/Van Barneveld v Mickey Mansell (R3)
Stage Two
Gordon Mathers v Kirk Shepherd (R1)
Boris Koltsov v Rusty-Jake Rodriguez (R1)
Zoran Lerchbacher v Jim Williams (R1)
Geert Nentjes v Richie Burnett (R1)
Martin Atkins v Bradley Brooks (R2)
Martijn Kleermaker v Wayne Jones (R2)
Peters/L Williams v Scott Mitchell (R2)
Ciaran Teehan v Claydon/Baggish (R2)
Mark McGeeney v Steve Beaton (R3)
Ross Smith v Callan Rydz (R3)
Beeney/Ashton v Darius Labanauskas (R3)
Murray/Kciuk v Kim Huybrechts (R3)
Stage Three
Rhys Griffin v Sean Fisher (R1)
Matt Jackson v Nathan Rafferty (R1)
Keelan Kay v Kevin McDine (R1)
Rowby-John Rodriguez v Brian Raman (R1)
Nick Kenny v Ryan Meikle (R2)
Jeff Smith v Van Peer/Schindler (R2)
Andy Hamilton v Edhouse/Mol (R2)
Lerchbacher/J Williams v Mathers/Shepherd (R2)
James Wilson v Keegan Brown (R3)
Atkins/Brooks v Waites/S Brown (R3)
Barry/Nentjes/Burnett v Luke Woodhouse (R3)
S Taylor/Michael/Lukeman/Verberk v Adam Hunt (R3)
Stage Four
Jitse Van der Wal v Florian Hempel (R1)
Geert De Vos v Niels Zonneveld (R1)
Martin Lukeman v Maikel Verberk (R1)
Scott Taylor v John Michael (R1)
Michael Rasztovits v Peter Jacques (R2)
Hudson/De Vreede v Jesus Noguera (R2)
Scott Waites v Steve Brown (R2)
Kay/McDine v Rowby-John Rodriguez/Raman (R2)
Ryan Joyce v Cristo Reyes (R3)
Heaver/Pronk/Lovely v Ron Meulenkamp (R3)
Murnan/Dennant/Leung v Kenny/Meikle (R3)
Lerchbacher/J Williams/Mathers/Shepherd v Madars Razma (R3)
Stage Five
Shane McGuirk v Jack Main (R1)
Jason Heaver v Lorenzo Pronk (R1)
Luc Peters v Lewis Williams (R1)
Steffen Siepmann v David Evans (R2)
De Vos/Zonneveld v Derk Telnekes (R2)
Alan Tabern v Gawlas/Vos (R2)
Murnan/Dennant v Kai Fan Leung (R2)
Steve West v Jason Lowe (R3)
Andy Boulton v Jelle Klaasen (R3)
Borland/Davis/Doets v Steve Lennon (R3)
Leitinger/Sedlacek v De Decker/Griffin/Fisher (R3)
Raztovits/Jacques v Teehan/Claydon/Baggish (R3)
Stage Six
Jim McEwan v Sebastian Bialecki (R1)
Chas Barstow v Lukas Wenig (R1)
Joe Murnan v Matthew Dennant (R1)
Jon Worsley v Andrew Gilding (R2)
McGuirk/Main v Robert Collins (R2)
Mike De Decker v Griffin/Fisher (R2)
S Taylor/Michael v Lukeman/Verberk (R2)
John Henderson v Matt Edgar (R3)
Hamilton/Edhouse/Mol v J Jones/D Taylor/Blades (R3)
J Smith/Van Peer/Schindler v Kleermaker/W Jones (R3)
J Brown/Carlin/Jackson/Rafferty v Barstow/Wenig/Thomas (R3)
Stage Seven
Joe Davis v Kevin Doets (R1)
Adam Gawlas v Gino Vos (R1)
Ritchie Edhouse v Damian Mol (R1)
Harald Leitinger v Karel Sedlacek (R2)
J Jones/D Taylor v Gary Blades (R2)
J Brown/Carlin v Jackson/Rafferty (R2)
Barstow/Wenig v Martin Thomas (R2)
Justin Pipe v Luke Humphries (R3)
Kuivenhoven/Koltsov/Rusty-Jake Rodriguez v Brendan Dolan (R3)
Hudson/De Vreede/Noguera v Tabern/Gawlas/Vos (R3)
Kay/McDine/Rowby-John Rodriguez/Raman v Josh Payne (R3)
Stage Eight
Jake Jones v Dom Taylor (R1)
Peter Hudson v Ryan De Vreede (R1)
John Brown v Gavin Carlin (R1)
Ryan Murray v Krzysztof Kciuk (R2)
William Borland v Davis/Doets (R2)
McEwan/Bialecki v Van der Wal/Hempel (R2)
Heaver/Pronk v Eddie Lovely (R2)
Ted Evetts v Darren Webster (R3)
McGuirk/Main/Collins v Ryan Searle (R3)
Peters/L Williams/Mitchell v Worsley/Gilding (R3)
McEwan/Bialecki/Van der Wal/Hempel v De Vos/Zonneveld/Telnekes (R3)
Please note: Schedule of play is subject to change and any amendments will be notified at the PDC website as soon as possible.
Session Times
Friday March 5
Afternoon Session (1100 GMT start – 1200 GMT start on Main Stage)
First, Second & Third Rounds
Main Stage, Stage Two & Stages Three-Eight
Evening Session (1900 GMT start)
Fourth Round
Main Stage, Stage Two & Stages Three-Eight
Saturday March 6
Afternoon Session (1230 GMT start)
Fifth Round
Main Stage, Stage Two & Stages Three-Four
Evening Session (1900 GMT start)
Sixth Round
Main Stage & Stage Two
Sunday March 7
Afternoon Session (1245 GMT start)
Quarter-Finals
Main Stage
Evening Session (1900 GMT start)
Semi-Finals & Final
Main Stage
Format
First, Second & Third Rounds - Best of 11 legs
Fourth, Fifth & Sixth Rounds & Quarter-Finals - Best of 19 legs
Semi-Finals & Final - Best of 21 legs
Prize Fund
Winner - £100,000
Runner-Up - £40,000
Semi-Finalists - £20,000
Quarter-Finalists - £12,500
Sixth Round Losers - £7,500
Fifth Round Losers - £4,000
Fourth Round Losers - £2,000
Third Round Losers - £1,000
Total - £450,000