David Davies’ win at the Red Dragon Champion of Champions — one of the UK’s premier amateur darts events — was already a defining moment in the 40-year-old Welshman’s career. But what followed turned a great weekend into an unforgettable chapter: a surprise call from the PDC, offering him a spot in a Players Championship event the very next day.
“It was surreal,” Davies told The Weekly Dartscast. “I’d been home an hour, maybe an hour and a half, and then a number I didn’t recognise popped up. I don’t usually answer unknown numbers, but I picked up — and it was the PDC. They were asking if I could play on the Pro Tour tomorrow. My heart just sank. I thought, ‘What’s happening? Everything is coming at once.’”
Trying to stay calm, Davies gave what he called a “cool and collected” response: ‘I’ve just got to sort a couple of things out, I’ll call you back in 15 minutes.’ But in reality, he was stunned. “I just sat there, saying nothing, thinking: ‘It’s happening. All the good things I’m doing are finally paying off. All the hours, all the years I’ve put in. You do want to be mixing it with the big boys.’”
“I never thought my name and Gezzy Price would be in the same sentence”
As luck would have it, the Monday was a bank holiday, which meant Davies didn’t need to worry about work. He called back and accepted the offer.
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“I asked, ‘Is it all week?’ and the guy said, ‘No, just for tomorrow. We’re waiting for a call off Gezzy Price about the Tuesday.’ I never thought my name and Gezzy Price would be in the same sentence — but I’ll take it. That’s something I won’t forget.”
Early Monday morning, Davies and his stepson Bradley made the four-and-a-half-hour drive from Cardiff to the Players Championship venue. For Davies, the experience instantly felt different from anything he’d known.
“I’ve been to Pro Tours before as a supporter, but walking in as a player… it was something else. It really hit when I realised: any one of these guys could be my opponent in the next couple of hours. That’s when it felt real.”
Warm Welcomes and New Recognition
Once inside, Davies found familiar faces and surprising support. Adam Paxton, a fellow Challenge Tour player, saved him a seat. The room, filled with PDC regulars, began to feel a little less intimidating.
“I’ve met Jonny Clayton before and he came over saying, ‘Brilliant result on the weekend.’ Then Alan Soutar, Ritchie Edhouse, even Ricky Evans came up to congratulate me. Players like that now know who I am — maybe through the Champion of Champions or the Challenge Tour — and for them to come over and say well done… that’s just brilliant.”
A Tough Debut, but a Taste of the Big Time
In the end, Davies’ Pro Tour debut ended in a 6–3 first-round loss to Wessel Nijman, but the result did little to dim the experience.
“It was amazing, even though I lost straight away. No one can take that away from me. It’s only made me hungrier for more.”
A Whirlwind Week — And a Glimpse of What’s Possible
From winning one of the biggest amateur events in Britain to rubbing shoulders with elite PDC professionals within 24 hours, Davies’ whirlwind journey is a reminder of what dedication, patience, and a bit of serendipity can do.
For a player still making his mark on the Challenge Tour, the dream of joining the professional ranks full-time suddenly feels more tangible.
“It’s happening,” he said. “All the good things I’m doing are finally paying off.” And with performances like these, it might just be the start of something much bigger.
