Steve Farmer sets sights on darts' top 10

Shropshire's Steve Farmer has set his sights on becoming one of the world's top 10 darts players after making his big tournament breakthrough.

The 45-year-old from Telford earned the biggest pay-day of his career - £15,000 - by reaching the last four of the Players Championship finals at Doncaster Dome at the weekend.

That completed a memorable first full season on the PDC circuit for Farmer who, as well as finishing in the top 32 on the order of merit to book his place in Doncaster, also won a Players Championship event in Holland last September.

And the Shropshire thrower now believes he has the ability to continue his surge up the rankings.

"I was 49 in the world before last weekend and I think I have gone up to 39 by reaching the semi-finals," said Farmer, who has family in Church Stretton.

"The first target is to get into the top 32 but the big aim is to get into the top 10.

"I think I have got the talent to do that. The first couple of times I was in PDC events on the stage I was very nervous.

"But they say the more experience you get the easier it becomes and that's how I feel.

"The way I'm approaching tournaments on the stage now is just like I do when I am on the floor - I just get up there and play my game."

Farmer claimed some major scalps in Doncaster, opening up with a 6-1 triumph over No 6 seed Mark Walsh.

A last 16 encounter with Colin Osborne brought an 8-6 victory before Farmer edged out former world No 1 Colin Lloyd 9-5 in the quarter-finals, a victory he labelled "the best of my career."

Gary Anderson eventually ended the Farmer charge 10-7 in a tight semi-final before the Scot lost in the final to Phil Taylor.

"It was a fantastic weekend for me," added a delighted Farmer.

"The only disappointment was that I would have qualified for the Grand Slam of Darts by getting to the final and I was very close.

"The Gary Anderson game was probably one too far for me and I'm going to work on my fitness - doing a bit on the treadmill and mountain bike and regularly walking up the Wrekin."

Farmer - who is next in action at Derby in just under a fortnight's time - shows no intention of resting on his laurels after the weekend.

"I was back on the practice board yesterday doing five or six hours," he added.

"It's what you have to do when you're up against these type of players."

By JAMES GARRISON