"I feel like I'm in the Willy Wonka factory": Golden Ticket Gates makes 6000 mile trip worthwhile with Taylor meeting secured

Leonard Gates produced a superb run including a 109 average to see off Ronnie Baxter and book a date with the 16-time World Matchplay champion, Phil Taylor in Blackpool where he is synonymous.

Gates will take his spot in the World Seniors Champion of Champions and said the darts just flowed during his run to victory.

"I feel like I'm in the Willy Wonka factory, I won the golden ticket. It's a great feeling," said Gates to Online Darts.

"The semi-finals the darts were flowing great, every time I let it go I knew where it was going and it was just sensational. The feeling was great and I said let me take that feeling to the final and see if I can get through."

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Leonard Gates seals Golden Ticket for World Seniors Champion of Champions, set to face Phil Taylor in Quarter-Finals

6000 miles

It was true dedication from 'Soulger' as he travelled over 6000 miles just to play in the one shot qualifier and attempt to seal his spot.

"The thought process was just continuous. I'm coming over here, you lose you're done. So my thing is just take one game at a time, one opponent at a time."

But while he may go into the match with many touting him for success, he is wary of 'The Power'.

"I'm very excited but I look at that as the work just doesn't stop. Phil Taylor definitely knows what he's doing, he's 16-time World Champion. Everybody wants to say that he's lost a step but I don't think so he's having a great time and if he's feeling good, it's going to be a tough game. I've always envisioned this, I said I've always wanted to play Phil on a soft-tip or steel-tip stage and I've got that opportunity."