The Winmau Challenge Tour and Development Tour Order of Merit Qualifiers for next month’s UK Open have been confirmed.
The top eight eligible players from the 2023 Challenge Tour and Development Tour Orders of Merit will feature in the unique multi-board tournament, which takes place at Butlin’s Minehead Resort from March 1-3.
The £600,000 event will see the sport’s biggest names compete alongside the leading stars from the Winmau Challenge and Development Tours, as well as 16 Rileys Amateur Qualifiers.
The 160-player field will see Tour Card Holders enter across the first four rounds, based on PDC Order of Merit position following next week’s Players Championship double-header in Leicester.
The opening three rounds will take place in a bumper afternoon session on Friday March 1, before the world’s top 32 enter the fray at the fourth round stage in the evening session.
Scotland’s former World Cup winner John Henderson will make his big stage return in Minehead, having narrowly missed out on a PDC Tour Card via the Winmau Challenge Tour Order of Merit in 2023.
The popular Scot will be joined in the 160-player field by his fellow countryman Andy Boulton and former Lakeside Champions Christian Kist and Scott Mitchell.
Darryl Pilgrim and Conan Whitehead will also make their UK Open returns in 2024, with Dutch duo Wesley Plaisier and Ron Meulenkamp making up the eight Challenge Tour representatives.
Sebastian Bialecki – who landed a nine-darter at the 2021 UK Open – will headline the eight Development Tour Qualifiers, with Austrian youngster Rusty-Jake Rodriguez poised to make his fourth consecutive UK Open appearance.
Former World Youth Champion Bradley Brooks will compete in his seventh UK Open in 2024, as two-time Development Tour event winner Jarred Cole makes his Minehead return.
Elsewhere, 2021 JDC World Champion Bradly Roes will make his first appearance in a senior PDC televised event, where he will be joined by debutants Cam Crabtree, Christopher Toonders and Dominik Gruellich.
The first round will see the Tour Card Holders ranked from 97-128 joined by the 16 Rileys Amateur Qualifiers, and the 16 Challenge Tour and Development Tour players.
Tour Card Holders ranked from 65-96 will enter in round two, with the players ranked from 33-64 joining the tournament in round three.
The sport’s biggest names then begin their title bids in round four, including world number one Luke Humphries, three-time winner Michael van Gerwen and reigning champion Andrew Gilding.
2023 Winmau Challenge Tour Qualifiers
John Henderson
Andy Boulton
Christian Kist
Wesley Plaisier
Darryl Pilgrim
Scott Mitchell
Conan Whitehead
Ron Meulenkamp
2023 Winmau Development Tour Qualifiers
Sebastian Bialecki
Rusty-Jake Rodriguez
Bradley Brooks
Cam Crabtree
Jarred Cole
Bradly Roes
Christopher Toonders
Dominik Gruellich
—–ENDS—–
Images: PDC
Grab the current print Issue 584 here or a 50th Anniversary Darts World bundle 581 here
The Darts World 50 limited edition dart set is available to order (Here) in your choice of pack
