A HAPPY Christmas is in store for Mark Webster after he successfully overcame the first hurdle at the 2010 Ladbrokes.com World Professional Darts Championship.
And now the Denbigh star is being tipped to go the distance in darts’ first £1million event.
He recovered from being a set down to defeat 13th seed Mark Walsh 3-2 in Sunday’s first round encounter, which sets up a round two meeting with 20th seed Peter Manley next Monday evening.
Current Clwyd county darts team manager Steve Gierke said: “I think Mark’s learning to come to terms with the crowd. He’s been quite ill before the tournament.
“Well, he was a bit worried on the morning of the game because he wasn’t well and he didn’t think he was going to make it.”
Webster came through the Walsh test successfully and that result could be the stepping stone for a memorable championship.
“It’s the last-32 now and why not go all the way?” added Gierke.
“He’s obviously got some big games to go and obviously by the very nature of it, it’s going to get harder and harder.
“But I can’t see any reason why he can’t go all the way.
“He loves the stage and it’s possibly in his favour the longer it goes.”
Webster averaged 90.75 in his first round victory, one of only 13 players to top a 90 three-dart average come the close of play on Sunday.
Of those 13, only two - Phil Taylor and Adrian Lewis - achieved averages in excess of 100.