Team Unicorn ace Chris Dobey will make his debut at the World Matchplay next month in Blackpool.
He secured his prized place at the Winter Gardens with a brilliant run to a first Euro Tour final.
Dobey may have lost the final of the Danish Darts Open to Dave Chisnall in Copenhagen, but his stock continued to rise over the weekend.
“Of course it is disappointing not to win my first big PDC title, but that will come I know. So many players have eyes on Blackpool and the Matchplay, so to achieve that goal means a lot to me,” he said.
Dobey led the final 2-0 but Chisnall was at his best and he went on to claim an 8-3 victory. Dobey’s run though sees him up to a career high 30th in the world.
The young Geordie came from 0-3 down to beat Gerwyn Price 7-4 in the semi-finals. Price has earlier averaged 110 in his 6-1 win over Unicorn’s Joe Cullen in the quarter-finals. It was a 20th Euro Tour quarter-final for Cullen.
Dobey’s was a 6-2 winner over Kirk Shepherd in the last 16 before edging out Portugal’s Jose de Sousa in the quarters 6-5.
The Unicorn duo of James Wade and Ian White were beaten in the last 16 by Jonny Clayton and Jermaine Wattimena respectively.
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Meanwhile James Wade can look forward to playing in the World Series this year. He has been selected to play in the Oceanic Triple-Header in August when the roadshow heads to Brisbane, Melbourne and Hamilton in New Zealand. Wade of course, is the current World Series Champion.
Fellow Unicorn star Kyle Anderson has already been confirmed for all three tournaments.
By STUART PYKE
