"The tour card is great but it's not the end of the world if I lose it" - Van Dongen sticking to five-year plan

Jules van Dongen captured his PDC Tour Card early last year. Currently though, the Dutch American is ranked 97 in the world rankings.

So a lot will have to happen if Van Dongen wants to keep his Tour Card at the end of the year. "But even if it doesn't, it's not a disaster," Van Dongen told Tungsten Tales.

"As of right now I'm not really in the running for a World Championship spot," Van Dongen admits. "I treat the first round as a final and for many players in my position, winning a round is already a huge thing in and of itself."

"I think it all has to do with the mental side, you just have to control the nerves and stay relaxed" Van Dongen continued. "I'm still looking at a Five-Year Plan and it's only a year two so the tour card is great but it's not the end of the world if I lose it."

Van Dongen also competes on the CDC Tour in North America. "Although it's not always easy to make the far trips. In Europe it is easier anyway. But those competitions on the CDC Tour do help me gain extra race rhythm and the level is pretty high anyway."