Jelle Klaasen has 'Barney' in his sights
Jelle Klaasen freely admits his immediate target is to pinch countryman Raymond van Barneveld's place at the PDC's World Cup of Darts.
The Dutch thrower was the feature attraction of 'An Evening With' exhibition at the Cleveland Arms Sports Bar on Thursday night,
He played 12 legs at the Wolverhampton pub against punters drawn through a raffle, before a question and and answer session with Sky Sports commentator Nigel Pearson.
Klaasen, ranked No 10 on the PDC Order of Merit, then headed to the Barnsley Metrodome for this weekend's Players Championship events.
He needs to make £9,500 on ninth-placed van Barneveld, who hasn't made the trip to Barnsley. The top two ranked Dutch players will be picked for the World Cup from June 2-5.
Michael van Gerwen has nailed down one spot, leaving Klaasen and 'Barney' to slug it out for the other place.
'The Cobra' has that ambition in mind with the long-term aims of winning major PDC honours and, eventually, becoming a world champion again.
The 31-year-old, who recently became a father for the first time, is still the youngest man in the sport ever win a world title.
He was just 21 days and 90 days old when he defeated van Barneveld 7-5 to win the BDO crown at Lakeside in 2006.
He said: "Raymond hasn't come to Barnsley, I don't know why. He may have some other obligations but, for me, it's good.
"I've got the chance to overtake him, over this weekend and in the European Tour events that he hasn't qualified for.
"I want to be in the top eight by the end of the year and, if I play well, it's possible. I'm going to work hard for it.
"I've been playing well for the last two years and I've reached the semi-finals of the UK Open and World Championship. It's important to get as far as you can in the televised tournaments.
"If I'm honest, I don't think I'm good enough yet to win a major, but I'm getting better and more experienced all of the time.
"I don't need to do that right away, as long as it happens in the next five years I will be happy. The quicker you climb, the faster you can fall. I don't want that.
"I don't feel like a baby but, compared to the rest of the darts players, I'm still pretty young. It's 10 years since I won the BDO title, though.
"I think I've got the game to do that again in the PDC. I've got another 20 to 25 years in the sport, so there's no rush."
The Cleve also announced the details of their next event on Thursday July 14, an 'Ashes of Darts' exhibition.
Glen Durrant, an England international and World Masters champion in the BDO, will take on Nottingham-based Aussie Kyle Anderson, from the PDC.
Tickets are on sale now costing just £5 and can be purchased online, at either www.clevelandarms.com or www.sportstalkevents.co.uk.
Alternatively, telephone the Cleveland Arms on 01902 451021 or call in to buy behind the bar. There will some available on the night, along with photo opportunities.
