Justin Hood and Kai Gotthardt secured two-year PDC Tour Cards for the first time in their careers on Friday, after coming through their respective Q School fields on Day Two of the Final Stage, with the action continuing in Milton Keynes and Kalkar, Germany.
Day One of the Final Stage of 2025 PDC Qualifying School saw England’s Tom Bissell and Sweden’s Viktor Tingstrom pick up the first two Tour Cards on offer in the UK and Europe respectively, as players continue to battle it out for automatic Tour Cards or ones via their respective Order of Merit’s.
UK Q School
Former Challenge Tour Event winner, Hood, secured a two-year Tour Card for the first time in his career, as he reached the final firstly by recording victories against Kevin Lane, Graham Usher, Alan Norris, Christian Perez, Daniel Perry and Andy Boulton, to set up a clash with Bradley Brooks.
The final began with Brooks racing into a 2-0 lead, with winning legs coming in 16 and 21 darts respectively, before there was a run of three consecutive holds of throw between the pair, ending with Hood breaking Brooks’ throw in Leg Six in 16 darts to square the tie up at 3apiece.
‘Happy Feet’ then won back-to-back legs in 20 and 15 darts respectively to move 5-3 ahead and within one of victory. Brooks did create a fightback by winning back-to-back legs of his own to force a deciding leg, in which Hood would have the advantage of throwing first.
Despite Brooks pinning a maximum in the decider, Hood held his nerve and sealed the victory in 14 darts to secure a place on the PDC Pro Tour for the first time.
Brooks’ run to a second final in as many days saw the Englishman record victories on the day against Brandon Lewis Richardson, Martin Grearson, Lee Williams, Aden Kirk, Adam Warner and John Henderson, before being denied by Hood.
However, the Former World Youth Champion
sits firmly top of the UK Order of Merit on 10 points and has all but secured a return to the PDC Tour should he not win outright on Days Three and Four.
European Q School
Germany’s Kai Gotthardt, who competed at the most recent PDC World Championship, secured a two-year Tour Card for the first time in his career, as he reached the final firstly by recording victories against Jeroen Mioch, Boris Krcmar, Jamai Van den Herik, Michel Unterbuchner, Davy Proosten and Stefaan Henderyck, to set up a clash with Steven Noster.
The final began with Noster racing into a 3-0 lead, with winning legs coming in a total of 39
darts, before Gotthardt ended the run by winning back-to-back legs in 18 and 11 darts
respectively to move within one of his fellow compatriot. Noster then extended his lead in the following leg with a 14 darter, before Gotthardt rattled off three successive legs in a total of 46 darts to move 5-4 ahead and within one of victory.
Noster then pinned a 19 dart hold of throw
to force a deciding leg, in which Gotthardt would have the advantage of throwing first.
Winning the bull prior to the match commencing proved to be vital, as Gotthardt sealed the victory in 14 darts to become the latest German starlet to join the PDC senior tour.
Noster’s run to the final saw the German record victories on the day against Laurens Admiraal, Gerko Tibbe, Andreas Harrysson, Angelo Balsamo, Cor Dekker and Dominik Gruellich, before being denied by Gotthardt, as he sits joint 2nd on 5 points in the European Order of Merit and
continues his bid to win a Tour Card for the first time in his career.
2025 PDC Qualifying School continues on Saturday, in the UK and in Europe, with Day Three of the Final Stage with one automatic Tour Card up for grabs at each Q School, with play commencing at 13:00 CET in Europe and 12:00 GMT in the UK. All live scores and results can be viewed at tv.dartconnect.com
UK Qualifying School Final Stage
Day Two – Friday 10th January
Quarter Finals
Andy Boulton 6-4 Cam Crabtree
Justin Hood 6-5 Daniel Perry
Bradley Brooks 6-1 Adam Warner
John Henderson 6-4 Jamie Atkins
Semi Finals
Justin Hood 6-5 Andy Boulton
Bradley Brooks 6-2 John Henderson
Final
Justin Hood 6-5 Bradley Brooks
European Qualifying School Final Stage
Day Two
Quarter Finals
Stefaan Henderyck 6-3 Max Hopp
Kai Gotthardt 6-1 Davy Proosten
Steven Noster 6-4 Cor Dekker
Dominik Gruellich 6-5 Maik Kuivenhoven
Semi Finals
Kai Gotthardt 6-4 Stefaan Henderyck
Steven Noster 6-4 Dominik Gruellich
Final
Kai Gotthardt 6-5 Steven Noster
—–Ends—–
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