Watch Michael van Gerwen against Devon Petersen as the second round of the World Grand Prix gets underway on Thursday - coverage from 7pm on Sky Sports Arena
"Anybody can do it - it just takes time, dedication and [with a smile] obviously Wayne Mardle."
Two years ago, Devon Petersen decided enough was enough. He no longer wanted to just be a player famous for his walk-on and a dance that got the Alexandra Palace crowd on its feet.
He embraces his status as a trailblazer for African darts, but he decided he wanted to do it as a title winner, not just a party starter, so he set about finding a way.
Fast forward to October 2020 and he is now the first African winner on the PDC Tour after claiming his first PDC title with victory at the German Darts Championship last month.
Petersen is also up to a career-high 42 in the world, fired in his first competitive professional nine-dart finish, and will continue his World Grand Prix debut on Thursday night with a second-round meeting against world No 1 Michael van Gerwen - a man he beat not long ago. ทีเด็ด 1×2
A 6-0 win over MVG at the Summer Series is evidence of Petersen's progression. He is also in the field for the traditional flurry of big TV tournaments at the end of the year - the Grand Slam of Darts, the European Championship and the Players Championship Finals.
Journey is an overused word in sport, in life, but it is fitting for Petersen who has been on one from the moment he started playing darts in Mitchells Plain in Cape Town to the moment he lifted his first trophy as a professional in Hildesheim a couple of weeks ago.
"It has been hard work all the way and it has just all come together but the big thing was lockdown, it gave me four months to work on my throw and that is time I wouldn't have had if I had been playing on the Tour.
"Generally you practise for three days, then you are travelling on Thursday, maybe playing Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday you are able to get back on the practice board.
"That's a cycle but lockdown gave me the time to break down every area of myself and focus on it specifically and polish it to a point where I'm shining now."