PDC World Darts Championship: Jamie Lewis and Nick Kenny heading for Alexandra Palace

Jamie Lewis and Nick Kenny were in the car together on the way home from the World Darts Championship PDPA qualifier last Monday, having both secured their seat at the Alexandra Palace table. There was only one answer when the topic of music came up.

"We had a bit of a celebration on the way back, some Christmas songs on for a little bit and a bit of Bob Marley going as well," Lewis tells The Darts Show podcast.

"I'm on top of the world at the minute to be fair, I'm so chuffed to qualify, and I can't wait to go to Ally Pally.

"I was in quite a bad place a few months ago and I've been to see a few people now who have helped me get through it and I'm on the way to getting back to normal now.

"I was so happy and it's just a massive bonus getting through to the Worlds."

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To hear the Welshman in good spirits will cheer all darts fans as it has been a tortuous couple of years since his highest high.

Against all odds Lewis battled his way to the 2018 semi-final knocking out Peter Wright and Jonny Clayton amongst others. Defeat to Phil Taylor followed - The Power's last ever victory as a professional - and from there Lewis's ascent through the darts ranks halted.

A slide down the rankings and very little in the way of even victories - let alone tournament successes - have followed. So much so that Lewis heads to Ally Pally knowing he may not have a Tour Card next year.

Rock bottom may well have come a month or so ago when he averaged just short of 60 in a European Tour qualifier, but with the help of the PDC he feels he has turned a corner.

"I'm not going to go into it fully, but I've really been struggling with anxiety problems. I have to say, a big credit to the PDC who put me in touch with the right people to speak to and Sporting Chance who I've spoken to."

"Now, I'm speaking to the right people and I'm understanding it a bit more, it's getting me back on the right track to feeling better in myself. It's obviously working so far, which is good."

The next step will be the first-round match against Luke Woodhouse when the tournament gets underway and the prize is a second-round date with the flag bearer for Welsh darts, Gerwyn Price.

Price and Lewis will be joined by two other Welshman in the field, Price's World Cup-winning partner Clayton and Nick Kenny who will be making his debut at the event having joined Lewis in coming through the qualifier in Coventry.

The PDPA qualifier is the last chance to win a place in the 96-player field. All players with a Tour Card who haven't already qualified head to the last-chance saloon and while Lewis knew what to expect, it was all very new for Kenny.

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The 27-year-old will be one of 13 new faces in north London, and he can't wait to put the icing on a first season in the PDC that was secured on the final day of Q-School in January.

"It has made an OK year pretty special, to be honest. I've done alright this year... but it wasn't special.

"I went to play golf the other day and they said it's not how you start, it's how you finish. I thought that's also the same with darts - let's see how I do.

"The year is summed up with a good finish, I can't wait for Christmas. Ally Pally is special."

Kenny has suffered three first-round exits at the BDO World Championships and he will face Dirk Telnekes in the first round as he makes his PDC bow. Excitement is palpable as he gets ready to particpate in the sport's biggest showpiece.

"I'm in my first year of the PDC and a lot of the boys had a lot of extra pressure to save their tour cards, some of them aren't safe yet.

"On the Tour this year once I've won a few games, I've sort of had a good little run but once I start playing quite well I can be quite consistent and I've beaten a lot of good players this year.

"As long as I perform as I can on the stage at Ally Pally I'm going to be happy, and just give myself a chance in a match or to take a few sets, I'm quite confident that my best game is as good as anyone's."

<p>"Welsh darts is booming to be fair, especially from the start of the year with Wayne Warren and he played Jim Williams in the final - another Welshman.</p> <p>"There are so many good players and there's a hot-bed of darts in Wales which people don't really understand."</p>

Both Lewis and Kenny reference Price as inspiration and Kenny has taken every opportunity to soak up the Iceman's secret after two more majors were added to the Price CV this year

"Welsh darts is booming to be fair, especially from the start of the year with Wayne Warren [BDO world champion]. I stayed the week to watch him at the O2 and he played Jim Williams in the final - another Welshman.

"I beat Jim at Q School then. There are so many good players and there's a hot-bed of darts in Wales which people don't really understand."

"Gerwyn Price this year has been brilliant, he has been a great help, practising with him. I know that Barrie Bates and Jonathan Worsley as well have been struggling a little bit.

"But I'm so chuffed for Jamie, I've known him for a long time and he has been struggling. He is such a laugh, good to be around and I'm so happy for him."

Whether they'll be on route to north London together remains to be seen but both men head to the tournament with a realistic mindset, for Lewis, understandably given the last two years, he doesn't want to burden himself.

"I'm not really thinking about my tour card. My main priority was to play well. If I qualified for the Worlds, happy days. I wasn't really worried about my tour card, I think that I still have to win a few games still to keep it but I'm just going to do like I did, take it a game at a time.

"I know if I turn up and play like I know I can, then I can give myself a good chance."

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Kenny, with all the exuberance of a fan making the annual pilgrimage to Alexandra Palace, is champing at the bit.

"Everyone watches the Christmas darts, it's not Christmas without the darts. If I start winning games, it's going to make my Christmas a little different to what it normally is and that's a good thing!

"The stage looks massive. I have never even been there, so if I can I'd like to go in before and have a look what it's all about before I get the chance to play. I'm just happy to be there.

"The answer is, 'yes', I can compete with these top players, improve my ranking and be someone who people are looking forward to playing within the top 32.

"The end of the year has been saved really… I seem to do things last-minute! If you followed Q-School I was down in the dumps on Saturday night and then I went a bit berserk on the dartboard on the Sunday to get through.

"I'm a last-minute man and hopefully I can put it all together at the end of the year and do the business."

You won't miss a dart this Christmas thanks to the dedicated Sky Sports Darts channel which returns from December 15 until January 4 for every session from the World Darts Championship, including the final on Sunday January 3