Last weekend’s final Rileys Amateur Qualifiers saw Thomas Lovely, Brandon Western, Kevin Burness and Tom Lonsdale confirm their spots in next month’s Ladbrokes UK Open.
The Ladbrokes UK Open will see a star-studded 160-player field competing for the £110,000 top prize in the first televised ranking event of 2024 at Butlin’s Minehead Resort.
16 Amateur Qualifiers will join the sport’s biggest names for the three-day festival of darts from March 1-3, with the final four qualifiers booking their spots last weekend.
Former Challenge Tour semi-finalist Lovely – who has also competed on the European Tour and Players Championship circuit – will make his UK Open debut next month after winning Saturday’s Rileys Chorlton Qualifier.
The 27-year-old defeated Kevin Burness 5-3 in Saturday’s showpiece, although the Northern Irishman made amends by sealing his qualification 24 hours later.
Two-time World Championship qualifier Burness recorded a 5-2 victory against Shane Heywood in Sunday’s Rileys Liverpool event, to confirm his fifth UK Open appearance in the space of six years.
Elsewhere, Challenge Tour duo Western and Lonsdale will make their PDC televised debuts next month, after winning through Qualifiers in Norwich and Coventry respectively.
The first round of the 2024 UK Open will see PDC Tour Card Holders ranked from 97-128 joined by the 16 Rileys Amateur Qualifiers, and the 16 Challenge Tour and Development Tour Qualifiers.
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.
2024 Rileys Amateur Qualifiers
Saturday January 20
Rileys Chester – David Sumner
Sunday January 21
Rileys Coventry – Johnny Haines
Saturday January 27
Rileys Norwich – Ashley Coleman
Rileys Solihull – Jenson Walker
Sunday January 28
Rileys Victoria (London) – Harry Lane
Rileys Liverpool – Harry Gregory
Saturday February 3
Rileys Harlow – Connor Scutt
Rileys Chorlton – Michael Taylor
Sunday February 4
Rileys Aberdeen – Jason Hogg
Saturday February 10
Rileys South Benfleet – Joe Croft
Rileys Liverpool – Jack Male
Sunday February 11
Rileys Victoria (London) – Leonard Gates
Saturday February 17
Rileys Chorlton – Thomas Lovely
Rileys Norwich – Brandon Western
Sunday February 18
Rileys Liverpool – Kevin Burness
Rileys Coventry – Tom Lonsdale
—–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
