Van der Velde not yet dreaming of World Championship debut: "In the past, someone has lost a spot on fifty pounds"

Jurjen van der Velde is doing well on both the Development Tour and Challenge Tour this year. The 19-year-old Dutchman still has a chance to win a Tour Card and qualify for the PDC Championship.

Van der Velde, former JDC World Champion is fifth on the Development Tour after fifteen of the twenty-four tournaments. The top two receive a Tour Card and can also participate in the PDC World Championship. On the Challenge Tour ranking he is currently eleventh.

"I am so close now. A Tour Card and qualification for the World Championship are within reach. That would be a huge step. Five years ago Jacques Nieuwlaat (darts commentator) asked me in how many years I wanted to be on the PDC stage. At that time I said I would like that in five or ten years. Now we are five years further and it all went fast", Van der Velde says to Sportnieuws.nl.

Still, Van der Velde realises that it is not over yet. "The players above me all have a Tour Card and can also qualify for the World Championships in another way, so I still have a virtual World Championship spot and Tour Card. In the end it could all go wrong, so I will just enjoy playing the next tournaments. In the past, someone has lost a World Championship spot on fifty pounds. Well, that is like a missed double. I don't want to think about that now, we're just going to rake in the pounds for the ranking."