Adam Smith-Neale & Robbie Knops secured the final two automatic Tour Cards at their respective Q Schools on Sunday, with the remaining 19 Tour Cards going to players via two separate Order of Merit’s, with Keegan Brown and Karel Sedlacek amongst the names to do so, as the week’s action concluded in Milton Keynes and Kalkar, Germany.
UK Q School
Former World Masters winner, Adam Smith-Neale, dramatically picked up a two-year PDC Tour Card automatically, after coming through on the final day of UK Q School, having picked up 0 points from the opening three days of the Final Stage. The Englishmen reached the final by recording victories over Michael Huntley, Dom Taylor, Jake Jones, Mark Challenger, Lewis Pride and Prakash Jiwa, to set up a clash with Nick Kenny.
The final began with four straight holds of throw between the pair, before Smith-Neale broke Kenny’s throw for the first time in Leg 5 to move 3-2 ahead. ‘Big Dog’ then won back-to-back legs in a total of 32 darts to move 5-2 up and within one leg of victory. Kenny fought back by winning the following two legs, before Smith-Neale sealed the victory in Leg 10 for a 6-4 victory and to win a Tour Card for the first time in his career.
Kenny’s run to the final saw him record victories over Robert Rickwood, Jim Moston, Paul Mitchell, Cam Crabtree, Andy Boulton and Callum Goffin, before suffering a defeat to Smith-Neale. Despite defeat, the Welshman has regained his Tour Card via the Order of Merit having picked up 7 points across the four days of play and will return to the tour, having lost his professional status previously at the end of 2021.
Elsewhere, Former World Youth Champion Keegan Brown headlined the nine players to secure Tour Cards via the UK Order of Merit, and he was joined by Former Tour Card Holder Stephen Burton, Philippines star Christian Perez, as well as a collection of players to win Tour Cards for the first time in their careers in Dylan Slevin, Lee Evans, Adam Warner, Graham Hall and Callum Goffin.
European Q School
Belgium’s Robbie Knops picked up the fourth and final automatic Tour Card at European Q School, having come through on the final day of the Final Stage, as he reached the final by recording a succession of victories over Vinay Ramnath, Jimmy Van Schie, Jeroen Mioch, Jacob Taylor, Vincent Van der Meer and Jacques Labre, to set up a clash with Richard Veenstra.
Nothing separated the pair throughout the final, with nine straight holds of throw, ending with Knops breaking Veenstra’s throw in Leg 10, which saw him seal the victory in 18 darts and a 6-4 victory to win a PDC Tour Card for the first time in his career.
Veenstra’s run to the final saw him record impressive victories over Moreno Blom, Ricardo Perez, Max Hopp, Jeremy Van der Winkel and Niels Zonneveld, before being denied by Knops. Despite defeat, the Dutchman has secured a two-year Tour Card for the first time in his career via the Order of Merit, after picking up an impressive 11 points from the four days of play.
Elsewhere, Czech Republic Star Karel Sedlacek headlined the ten players to secure Tour Cards via the European Order of Merit, and he was joined by fellow Former Tour Card Holders in Maik Kuivenhoven, Niels Zonneveld and Ronny Huybrechts, as well as first time Tour Card winners in Pascal Ruprecht, Jacques Labre, Daniel Klose, Gian Van Veen and Owen Roelofs, with Labre creating history in becoming the first Frenchman to win a PDC Tour Card.
UK Q School Final Stage
Day Four- Sunday 15th January
Quarter Finals
Prakash Jiwa 6-5 Dylan Slevin
Adam Smith-Neale 6-4 Lewis Pride
Callum Goffin 6-5 James Howard Hughes
Nick Kenny 6-2 Andy Boulton
Semi Finals
Adam Smith-Neale 6-4 Prakash Jiwa
Nick Kenny 6-3 Callum Goffin
Final
Adam Smith-Neale 6-4 Nick Kenny
European Q School Final Stage
Day Four
Quarter Finals
Robbie Knops 6-4 Vincent Van der Meer
Jacques Labre 6-5 Kevin Van Wauwe
Niels Zonneveld 6-3 Berry Van Peer
Richard Veenstra 6-1 Jeremy Van der Winkel
Semi Finals
Robbie Knops 6-4 Jacques Labre
Richard Veenstra 6-4 Niels Zonneveld
Final
Robbie Knops 6-4 Richard Veenstra
UK Q School Tour Card Winners
Day 1- Arron Monk
Day 2- Graham Usher
Day 3- Josh Payne
Day 4- Adam Smith-Neale
Order of Merit:
Dylan Slevin
Lee Evans
Stephen Burton
Nick Kenny
Keegan Brown
Adam Warner
Graham Hall
Callum Goffin
Christian Perez
European Q School Tour Card Winners
Day 1- Jeffrey Sparidaans
Day 2- Corey Cadby
Day 3- Jeffrey De Zwaan
Day 4- Robbie Knops
Order of Merit:
Maik Kuivenhoven
Richard Veenstra
Niels Zonneveld
Pascal Rupprecht
Ronny Huybrechts
Karel Sedlacek
Jacques Labre
Daniel Klose
Gian Van Veen
Owen Roelofs
—–Ends—–
Images: Chris Sargeant
