THE penultimate qualifier for the Tendring Masters (Rab Scott Trophy) took place last Sunday (July 7th, 2024) at Clacton Sports Bar.
The event was marked by the presence of some significant figures in the world of darts, including former BDO Chairman and darts referee Barry Gilbey, who hosted the day’s events.
Additionally, PDC and Modus darts referee Charlie Corstorphine lent his expertise by officiating the semi-finals and final.
A special guest, Clacton’s former Ladies England International Viv Dundon, was also in attendance to present the trophies. Viv was a former teammate and close friend of Rab Scott, whom this tournament honours.
The day culminated in a thrilling final where Braintree’s Essex County player, Stuart Wicks, emerged victorious, securing his qualification for the Tendring Masters finals night.
Wicks faced off against the highly experienced Paul Walker, a former Essex County player, who has a storied history, including competing as a Greene King Pub qualifier in the televised 1994 Lada UK Masters, the first tournament organized by the PDC (formerly known as the WDC).
Walker’s journey to the final was far from easy. He navigated a tough bracket, showcasing his skill and experience with notable victories. He defeated promising Suffolk youth player Alfie Cook, then went on to best former England International and past PDC player Jamie Robinson. In the quarter-finals, Walker faced Essex County player Danny McIntyre before securing his place in the final with a 3-1 win over Tony Holland.
Stuart Wicks also had a challenging route to the final. Among his impressive wins were victories against Essex County Player Manager Tony Osborne, who had reached the final of Qualifier 2. Wicks then defeated talented Suffolk Youth player Lewis Cook and narrowly edged past Felixstowe’s Connor Oates in the semi-finals.
The final match began with an edge-of-your-seat first leg, where both Wicks and Walker had opportunities to take the lead. Ultimately, it was Wicks who seized the moment, taking the lead and never looking back. He secured a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Walker, adding another prestigious win to his record and ensuring his spot in the Tendring Masters finals.
It was another fantastic day of competitive darts, with the penultimate qualifier delivering high-quality matches full of memorable moments.
As the dust settles on this event, all attention now shifts to the final qualifying event, scheduled for August 10th at Brightlingsea Community Centre. This last qualifier promises to be an exciting conclusion to the qualifying rounds, setting the stage for the highly anticipated Tendring Masters finals night.
Full Results:
Last 128: Andrew Currivan 3-0 C J Everitt, Ollie Gregory 3-0 Karen Breen, Connor Oates 3-1 Alfie Johnson, Paul Foley 3-2 Leah Robinson, Chris Brown 3-2 Ollie Smith, Kevin Harvey 3-2 Adrian Genery, Cian Jones 3-0 William Cursons, Jamie O’Donnell 3-0 Jackson Kamara, Tony Osborne 3-2 William Cowley, Derek Nevill 3-0 Paul Fuller, James Kent 3-1 Alan Currivan, Dillon Morris 3-1 Jake Palmer, Matt Good 3-0 David Cook, Liam Willis 3-0 Graham Jenkins, Andy Creighton 3-0 Bradley Davies, Paul Walker 3-1 Alfie Cook, Josh Eldridge 3-1 Jaden Smith, Jimmy Salter 3-1 Owen Howard, Nathan Ward-Wilkinson 3-2 Paul Robinson, Simon King 3-0 Charlie Jarrett, Jamie Robinson 3-1 Alan Hornsey.
Last 64: Mark Barnes 3-1 Richard Jones, Arthur Allston 3-0 Matt Stewart, Anthony Hawkins 3-2 Ben Attridge, Martin Horn 3-2 Paul Hawkins, Joe Bushell 3-0 Kayleigh Brown, Andrew Currivan 3-1 Dave Collins, Connor Oates 3-0 Ollie Gregory, Paul Foley 3-0 Chris Brown, Dave Hale 3-2 Wendy Collins, Paul Williams 3-2 Darren O’Neill, Dell Ward-Wilkinson 3-0 Emma Meins, Lewis Cook 3-0 Marcus Allston, Ashely Dews 3-0 Saoirse Morris, Stuart Wicks 3-0 Kevin Harvey, Jamie O’Donnell 3-2 Cian Jones, Tony Osborne 3-0 Derek Nevill, Scott Lawrie 3-0 Rob Cain, Keith Farthing 3-1 Joshua Gregory, Tony Holland 3-0 Oakley O’Donnell, Leon Griffiths 3-2 Daniel Craig, Shaun Fox 3-1 Max Haley, James Kent 3-0 Dave Gregory, Matt Good 3-0 Dillon Morris, Liam Willis 3-2 Andy Creighton, Tony Saunders 3-0 James Smith, Connor Needs 3-1 Alison Ranson, Danny McIntyre 3-0 Lee Kamara, Rob Edgar 3-2 James Hart, Alan Collins 3-0 Hollie Ward-Wilkinson, Paul Walker 3-0 Josh Eldridge, Jimmy Salter 3-1 Nathan Ward-Wilkinson, Jamie Robinson 3-0 Simon King.
Last 32: Mark Barnes 3-1 Arthur Allston, Anthony Hawkins 3-1 Martin Horn, Andrew Currivan 3-1 Joe Bushell, Connor Oates 3-2 Paul Foley, Paul Williams 3-2 Dave Hale, Lewis Cook 3-0 Dell Ward-Wilkinson, Stuart Wicks 3-0 Ashley Dews, Tony Osborne 3-1 Jamie O’Donnell, Scott Lawrie 3-1 Keith Farthing, Tony Holland 3-2 Leon Griffiths, Shaun Fox 3-0 James Kent, Liam Willis 3-2 Matt Good, Tony Saunders 3-0 Connor Needs, Danny McIntyre 3-1 Rob Edgar, Paul Walker 3-0 Alan Collins, Jamie Robinson 3-1 Jimmy Salter.
Last 16:
Anthony Hawkins 3-1 Mark Barnes, Connor Oates 3-0 Andrew Currivan, Lewis Cook 3-1 Paul Williams, Stuart Wicks 3-1 Tony Osborne, Tony Holland 3-0 Scott Lawrie, Liam Willis 3-2 Shaun Fox, Danny McIntyre 3-0 Tony Saunders, Paul Walker 3-0 Jamie Robinson.
Quarter Finals:
Connor Oates 3-0 Anthony Hawkins, Stuart Wicks 3-2 Lewis Cook, Tony Holland 3-0 Liam Willis, Paul Walker 3-2 Danny McIntyre.
Semi-Finals:
Stuart Wicks 3-2 Connor Oates, Paul Walker 3-1 Tony Holland.
Final:
Stuart Wicks 3-0 Paul Walker
—–ENDS—–
Words: Alan Currivan
Images: Lloyd Smith (L&L Photography)