Robert Thornton “I can still mix it with the best.”

Robert Thornton “I can still mix it with the best.”

The two times PDC major winner Thornton has no doubt he can still mix it with the best after the PDC World Cup of Darts last year, as the Scot prepares to head to Q-School. Thornton was back in a Scotland shirt for the first time since 2016 last November, when he paired with John Henderson to take on the worlds best.

After a difficult few years on and off the board, his World Cup experience has given Thornton the belief and hunger that he can make an immediate return to the PDC tour.

“I think I showed in the World Cup with John (Henderson) that I can still live with the best players in the world. It’s up to me to show that at Q-School,” Thornton told the PDC

“It’s not the situation that I wanted to be in obviously. But that’s the way sport goes. You have highs and lows, good times and bad times.

“I’ve been practising hard every day. I’ll be ready.

“I know that Q School is going to be really hard. There are some big names in this year trying to get their Tour Card back like Raymond van Barneveld and Scott Mitchell amongst many.

“That doesn’t bother me. I’ve beaten everyone at some stage or other, and I know I can do it again.

“You need a bit of luck along the way, definitely. But all I can do is work hard, enjoy my game and produce what I’m doing in practice.

“At the PDPA World Championship qualifier I just missed out on the Ally Pally, losing to Jamie Lewis. I felt I was a bit unlucky and missed some chances. Yet he should have beaten eventual World Champion Gerwyn Price in the opening round, so it just goes to show!”

Watching the World Championships

“To be fair, Gerwyn was the best player in the tournament, so it was the right result. He admitted himself he was lucky to beat Jamie in the opening match, but after that he was awesome.

“Gary also admitted that he wasn’t at his best. He probably only made the final out of anger because Wayne Mardle had annoyed him!

“I watched a lot over Christmas obviously, but I want to be back in the Worlds as soon as possible.”