Watch Raymond Barneveld win the title

Dutch darts master Raymond Barneveld spoke of his "fantastic feeling" after winning the Embassy World title for a third time on Sunday.

The 35-year-old held off a valiant fightback from Welshman Ritchie Davies to prevail 6-3 in the final and add to his victories at the Lakeside in 1998 and 1999.

Barneveld is only the third man, after five-time champion Eric Bristow and treble winner John Lowe, to lift the Embasy crown for a third time.

"When you the win the title for the first time it's very good," he said.

"After 2000 when I lost in the first round I did not believe in myself. I've had to work hard to get on this level again.

"Mentally, the fight came back in my life and I started to believe in myself again.

"2001 was a good year as well because I won the Dutch Open and the Winmau World Masters, but I didn't win the Embassy.

"In my opinion if you don't win it your year is lost. But I've won it again and that's fantastic."

Beaten finalist Davies, who came back from 4-0 down to 4-3, admitted that in the crunch situations, his opponent was the better man.

"I was trying to get into the match but every time I got to a fifth leg, Raymond always came up with the big score," the Welshman said.