England’s Rob Grundy joined Former Lakeside World Champion Klaasen and claimed the automatic Tour Cards on Day Two of the final phase as the 2024 Qualifying Schools continued on Friday.
Former World Championship semi-finalist Klaasen was victorious at European Q School in Kalkar, while Grundy won a Tour Card for the first time at UK Q School in Milton Keynes.
Grundy, a Challenge Tour event winner in 2023, will compete full-time on the PDC circuit for the first time after coming through the field in Milton Keynes.
The Englishman claimed victories over James Wilson and Fallon Sherrock on his way to the latter stages, before averaging 102.48 in a semi-final whitewash of Danny Lauby.
He continued his fine form in the final, averaging 105.25 in a stunning 6-2 win over Dom Taylor to secure a Tour Card for the first time.
Klaasen, the 2006 Lakeside champion, competed on the PDC circuit for 14 seasons before losing his Tour Card at the end of 2021.
The Dutchman completed his comeback to the professional circuit on Day Two of European Q School, defeating Benjamin Drue Reus 6-5 in a thrilling final.
Klaasen came through a last-leg decider against Jules van Dongen in the semi-finals, before repeating the trick against Reus, hitting an 11-darter to win the final decider.
With two days to play in Final Stage, Reus and Van Dongen lead the way on the European Q School Order of Merit, while William Borland and Matthew Dennant lead the way in the UK.
Saturday will offer a further chance for players to win Tour Cards, with play commencing at 1300 CET in Kalkar and 1200 GMT in Milton Keynes.
In addition to the daily Tour Card winners, a further 23 Tour Cards will be awarded on a pro-rata basis to players from the respective UK/European Qualifying School Final Stage Orders of Merit following Day Four – 13 in Europe, and 10 in the UK.
The top 32 Orders of Merit for both UK and European Qualifying Schools are listed below.
2024 PDC Qualifying Schools
European Final Stage Day Two
Last 16
Patrick Geeraets 6-5 Damian Mol
Patrick Tringler 6-5 Stefan Bellmont
Tim Wolters 6-5 Miroslaw Grudziecki
Benjamin Drue Reus 6-2 Jani Keskinarkaus
Jules van Dongen 6-4 Krzysztof Kciuk
Haupai Puha 6-5 Matthias Ehlers
Gilbert van der Meijden 6-3 Marcel Gerdon
Jelle Klaasen 6-3 Michele Turetta
Quarter-Finals
Patrick Geeraets 6-3 Patrick Tringler
Benjamin Drue Reus 6-1 Tim Wolters
Jules van Dongen 6-4 Haupai Puha
Jelle Klaasen 6-4 Gilbert van der Meijden
Semi-Finals
Benjamin Drue Reus 6-3 Patrick Geeraets
Jelle Klaasen 6-5 Jules van Dongen
Final
Jelle Klaasen 6-5 Benjamin Drue Reus
UK Final Stage Day Two
Last 16
James Hurrell 6-1 Bradley Brooks
Robert Grundy 6-4 Scott Taylor
Danny Lauby 6-5 James Huthwaite
Adam Paxton 6-4 William Borland
Leighton Bennett 6-4 Dan Read
Matthew Dennant 6-1 John O’Shea
Dom Taylor 6-1 Darren Beveridge
Connor Scutt 6-2 Darren Webster
Quarter-Finals
Robert Grundy 6-5 James Hurrell
Danny Lauby 6-2 Adam Paxton
Matthew Dennant 6-1 Leighton Bennett
Dom Taylor 6-2 Connor Scutt
Semi-Finals
Robert Grundy 6-0 Danny Lauby
Dom Taylor 6-1 Matthew Dennant
Final
Robert Grundy 6-2 Dom Taylor
—–ENDS—–
Images: PDC Europe
