Image source, Getty Images

Jonny Clayton says "time is running out" on his darts career given the quality of younger players involved in the sport at present.

World number seven Clayton booked his place in the fourth round of the World Darts Championship after surviving a late comeback from Daryl Gurney at Alexandra Palace.

But the 50-year-old, from Pontyberem, admits he is far from his best at present, despite securing wins against Mickey Mansell and Gurney so far at this year's Alexandra Palace tournament.

"I don't think I've got much left in darts, whereas these youngsters, they've got a long time left," said the Welshman.

"So I'm trying to do as good as I can now because my time is running out."

Image source, PA Media

Darts is one of the few sports that can measure perfection; snooker has the 147 maximum break, golf has the hole-in-one, darts has the nine-dart finish.

The fewest number of darts required to finish a standard leg of 501 points is nine.

There are several ways to complete a nine-dart finish, the most common being two visits of 180 followed by a 141 checkout.

The most recent nine-darter at the PDC World Championship was earlier on Friday by Australia's Damon Heta against Luke Woodhouse. He went on to lose, though.

It was the second of this year's tournament after Christian Kist's (pictured above) on 17 December.

There is a method of completing a nine-darter with three identical visits of 167 - treble 20, treble 19, bull - although that is usually saved for the exhibition circuit rather than in tournament play!

Image source, PA Media

Right, that eventful afternoon session I mentioned...

Ninth seed Damon Heta hit a nine-darter but was knocked out by Englishman Luke Woodhouse in the third round of the PDC World Championship.

The Australian celebrated wildly after hitting double 12 to complete the perfect leg - with Woodhouse raising his opponent's arm as a lively crowd roared their approval - on his way to winning the second set.

However, it is Woodhouse who advances to the last 16 as he fought back from 3-1 down to winning the final three sets without dropping a leg.

Woodhouse will face Stephen Bunting in the next round after the eighth seed saw off Latvia's Madars Razma in the last game of the afternoon session.

Bunting, the reigning Masters champion and former BDO world champion, put in an accomplished display to secure a 4-1 win.

Meanwhile, Jonny Clayton held off a valiant fightback from Daryl Gurney to take the deciding set and move into the fourth round with a 4-3 win.

Read more here.

Image source, Getty Images

After the Christmas break, the PDC World Championship is back!

We had quite the afternoon session - more on that shortly - and what an evening we've got ahead of us!

Three big matches involving three world champions...

First up is 2021 champion Gerwyn Price. The Welshman is facing former Masters winner Joe Cullen.

That's followed by two-time champion Peter Wright taking on Dutchman Jermaine Wattimena.

Then to finish things off? It's reigning world champion Luke Humphries facing Nick Kenny of Wales.

It should be quite the night!