Stephen Bunting has revealed that he is delighted to have achieved his first ambition of qualifying for the World Matchplay just six months after joining the PDC.

Bunting left the BDO at the start of the year after winning Lakeside, and after already moving inside the top 50 in the PDC Order of Merit, the Liverpudlian is eager to make an impact at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool.

The 29-year-old is quoted by Sky Sports News as saying: "I think the move has gone really well. The main priority when we switched over was to qualify for the Matchplay event and I have got in that.

"I've also just received a call to say I'm going to Sydney as well, so things couldn't be better at the moment. I think that they've awarded me a wildcard for that because I've done really well.

"People expected me to do well – but maybe not as well as I've done. It's all good and hopefully I can have a good run in the Matchplay and show people what I can do."

Bunting has been drawn to play 2014 PDC World Championship runner-up Peter Wright in the first round on Monday evening.