I’m a former butcher turned darts champ who lives in a council flat… my life-changing winnings will help me buy a home
ANDREW ‘GOLDFINGER’ Gilding hopes to buy a house with his £110,000 UK Open winnings after showing he has the Midas touch.
The former Suffolk butcher and factory worker stunned three-time world darts champion Michael van Gerwen 11-10 to lift the TV major on Sunday night at Butlin’s Minehead resort.
In an event that saw two 16-year-old make their televised debuts, Gilding was more like Oldfinger as he became, aged 52, the oldest first-time winner of a top PDC ranking title.
This result has catapulted him into 25th position on the Order of Merit and means the rest of the oche fraternity will consider him a threat.
Especially when he takes to the stage of the Grand Slam of Darts later this year in Wolverhampton.
While his nickname is linked to the James Bond franchise, he says he cannot walk out to the famous 1964 Shirley Bassey tune due to legal rights.
Gilding, who currently lives in a council house, said: “I have been trying to save up to buy a place of my own and this will go a huge way towards that.
“I will keep doing what I am doing, keep plugging away.
“If I have a target on my back, then hopefully some of them will fear me a bit more. It will probably even things out.
“I will have to win another major now – I don’t know which one!
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“I lost my Tour Card once as I was getting a bit lazy. Then I took it more seriously and decided to give it a real good go.
“I have no idea why I do well at Minehead. It’s a 300-mile plus drive for me. It shouldn’t be a good place for me at all – I should be tired when I get here.
“No disrespect to my opponents but I had a fairly comfortable draw. I didn’t play any big names until Michael in the final. I was in the zone throughout.”