Cullen looks back on 2020: "Considering the circumstances, probably my best year"

Joe Cullen had a very successful end to 2020 with 'The Rockstar' winning the International Darts Open as well as another ProTour title and should have defeated Michael van Gerwen at the World Championship, a tournament which he admits himself hasn't been the kindest to him in the past.

“Considering the circumstances, it was a good year, probably my best year,” said Cullen to the Yorkshire Post.

“I did well in the TV events, reached a couple of quarter-finals and finally ended my hoodoo at the Worlds, even though I didn’t get as far as I wanted to.

“With the way the game (against van Gerwen) went and my performance, I definitely think my stock has risen a little bit in terms of the Worlds.

“Whether it be the ProTour, European Tour or a TV event, the best habit to get into is winning and I managed to get back in the winner’s circle.

“That’s a lot more than some of the other lads managed, so I am happy with that.”

He is currently sixteenth in the PDC Order of Merit with a top ten place beckoning but it isn't his first thought heading into the Masters.

“I don’t really look at the rankings in that sense, because if you do well on the TV the rankings take care of themselves,” he said.

“If you do well in all TV events, you rocket up the rankings.

“The Worlds is where the money’s at and getting to the last-16 is probably what you get as runner-up in a lesser TV event. I have finally got some Worlds money on my rankings, which is nice.”