Andrew Gilding has claimed that he will buy his neighbour’s house with the £1m in prize money he would earn if he wins the PDC World Darts Championship. It comes after « Goldfinger » earned himself a place in the second round, beating Cameron Crabtree 3-1 in Saturday’s first round of action.
Gilding averaged an impressive 97.9 in the match, overcoming his opponent, who had been tipped for big things on his Worlds debut at Alexandra Palace. Having shocked the world with his UK Open triumph in 2023, where he beat Michael van Gerwen in the final, the 55-year-old has his eyes set on another big prize.
When asked which of the TV titles he would like to win as his second, the experienced star simply said: « This one. Anyone would do, but this one would mean a million quid.”
Gilding was then asked what he would do with such a huge prize pot, to which he said: « I’d like to, well they don’t know about it, but I’d like to buy next door’s bungalow and expand the garden. » He was then asked if he had told his neighbours about that plan, responding: « No, of course not. I haven’t got the money to tell them that.”
Over the past two year, Gilding has reached up to number 34 in the PDC World Rankings, earning £280,000 from prize money. A win at Ally Pally could see him shoot up those rankings once again, but there are some tough tests still awaiting in the tournament, with that £1m still a long way away.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0dWwq8R08Q
Goldfinger will take on the winner of Chris Dobey and Xiaochen Zong in the second round. Dobey is the clear favourite to make it through to the second round, as the world number eight looks to make his own impression on the Ally Pally stage.
Gilding’s performance in last year’s tournament matched his best, as he reached the last 32 for the third time in his career. He reached that round in 2016 and 2017 as well, and while he will certainly hope of going a step or two further, the 55-year-old is taking the competition as it comes.
« I’ll take it one game at a time, » he told reporters after beating Crabtree. “I always do.” As for the next match, which could well be against Dobey, Goldfinger brought out some fighting words.
“I think I owe Chris one, » he claimed when looking ahead to the second round of the competition. « I think he’s beaten me quite recently. He’s obviously a hot favourite, so I’d like to beat him.” He then added: « He was the hot favourite for his first-round game. I don’t think I’ve beaten him recently, so I definitely owe him one.”
Gilding won’t be back in action at least until next week, with round one continuing through until December 19 in the expanded format. Day four continues with Stephen Bunting and Joe Cullen among the big seeds set to play, hopeful of avoiding an upset early on.
Luke Littler and Luke Humphries have both sealed their place in round two by avoiding potential upsets, while Paul Lim pulled off a surprise win over Jeffrey de Graaf to reach the next phase of the competition – while also becoming the oldest-ever winner of a match at the Worlds, aged 71.
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