Milton Keynes briefly transformed into a royal court, crowns dusted off and new titles bestowed, as Q-School delivered one of its most theatrical days of judgement. The King returned to the throne, the Prince of the Palace continued his fairy-tale ascent, and several new names forced the doors of professional darts open with knuckles bloodied but spirits soaring.
A year on from losing his seat at the top table, Mervyn King has reclaimed his place among the elite, restoring a sense of order that many felt had been disturbed by his absence.
With six decades nearly behind him but competitive fire still very much raging, the former European Darts Grand Prix champion has secured himself two more seasons to chase the one prize that has always eluded him. Time may be relentless, but it has never frightened the 59-year old Suffolk arrow-smith.
Alongside ‘The King’, Charlie Manby’s rise continues at breakneck speed. The Palace favourite, fresh from a dream World Championship debut that carried him all the way to the last 16, treated Q-School as another stepping stone rather than an obstacle.
By the time he dismantled King in the semi-finals, both men already knew the outcome beyond the scoreboard. The 6-2 result was ceremonial more than decisive, another flourish in a career that seems to be accelerating by the week.Drama was never far away.
One of the most gripping moments came in a winner-takes-all duel between Samuel Lewis and Lewis Pride, two players too far adrift on the rankings to rely on mathematics and forced instead into sudden-death theatre. It went the full distance, a last-leg shoot-out heavy with consequence, before Samuel Pride finally found the double that turned years of graft into professional salvation.
Beyond the headline acts, the ranking system quietly rewarded resilience. Stephen Burton sat atop the order of merit, his work effectively done before a dart was thrown on the final day, though the uncertainty of Q-School ensured he still turned up prepared for battle.
Tyler Thorpe continued to justify the growing whispers around his name, the 20-year-old adding a Pro Tour future to a CV that already includes Development Tour silverware. Ireland added another representative as Stephen Rosney converted late-season momentum into a golden ticket, while Scotland’s David Sharp completed the line-up after a consistently impressive campaign through the hardest corridors of the event.
Q-School has crowned its winners, but the real examination lies ahead. Winning a tour card is survival. Keeping it is war.
UK Q-SCHOOL (Final Stage – Day Four)
Semi-FinalsCharlie Manby 6-2 Mervyn King
Samuel Price 6-5 Lewis Pride
Tour Card Winners (via Order of Merit): Stephen Burton, Mervyn King, Tyler Thorpe, Stephen Rosney and David Sharp
—–Ends—–
Images: PDC
