Former darts world no.1 Mervyn King has certified for the PDC World Darts Championship for the primary time in three years.
King will make his return to Alexandra Palace in December having benefited from a little-known rule.
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King, who misplaced his PDC Tour Card final 12 months earlier than being declared bankrupt in March, is the most recent participant to ebook their place in London.
He has certified for the occasion by ending fourth on this 12 months’s Problem Tour Order of Advantage.
There are three locations up for grabs by way of the secondary tour at Ally Pally every year.
Though initially reserved for the highest three gamers within the Order of Advantage, runner-up Darius Labanauskas had already certified.
The Lithuanian earned his spot on the PDC World Darts Championship by way of the PDC Professional Tour.
In consequence, the third and last spot dropped all the way down to King in fourth place following Sunday’s last occasion.
‘The King’ clinched that berth with a run to the semi-finals as he leapfrogged Dutchman Jamai van den Herik.
He now joins Stefan Bellmont and Ted Evetts in qualifying by way of the Problem Tour.
It is going to be the primary time for the reason that 2023 PDC World Darts Championship that King has made an look.
On that event, he was knocked out within the third spherical by Rob Cross.
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In the meantime, the previous BDO World Championship finalist was a quarter-finalist at Ally Pally as lately as 2022.
His finest efficiency got here on the BDO stage, although, which noticed him lose to Andy Fordham within the 2004 last.
King additionally twice ended the 12 months because the BDO’s world no.1 earlier in his profession.
Nonetheless, the 59-year-old now finds himself 122nd within the PDC world rankings.
His return to the PDC World Darts Championship comes simply months after he was declared bankrupt.
King had owed greater than £500,000 to HMRC for not paying his taxes.
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It stemmed from him believing the cash he had made throughout his darts profession have been earnings as a substitute of winnings.
The monetary woes left King fearing he might lose his house and his beloved canine after going bankrupt.
He’s now set for a lift within the capital, although, having assured £15,000 in prize cash simply by qualifying for the occasion.
A primary spherical win would see that determine rise to £25,000, with King already successful just below £8,000 on the Problem Tour this 12 months.