Crabtree Clinches Top Spot After Development Tour Finale

Jamai Van den Herik and Leon Weber were victorious on Sunday, after winning Development Tour Events 23 & 24 respectively, with Cam Crabtree clinching top spot and a place at next month’s Grand Slam of Darts, as the PDC’s Youth Tour season came to a close at the Robin Park Leisure Centre, Wigan.

Van den Herik, who was victorious at Event 17 in September, went all the way once again in Event 23 as he reached the final firstly by recording victories against Tom Garfield, Luis Kirschenlohr, Patrik Williams, Mitchell Leaming, Jeffrey Keen, Mark Tabak, Nunjo Dewaele and Rohan Brouwers, to set up a clash with England’s Cayden Smith.

The final began with Van den Herik racing into a 3-0 lead, with winning legs coming in 17,18 and 20 darts respectively, before Smith ended the drought in Leg Four with a 20-dart leg of his own. The Englishman then fought back by winning back-to-back legs to square the tie up at 3apiece and make it a best of three contest.

The pair then held throw for the following two legs to force a ninth and deciding leg in which Van den Herik would throw first. The advantage of throwing first proved to be decisive as the Dutchman sealed the victory with a 20 dart hold of throw to pick up a second Development Tour title of the year as well as collecting the £2,500 top prize.

In Event 24, Leon Weber was victorious, with the German ace reaching the final firstly by recording victories against Jack Alexander, Coby Jones-Swanson, Thomas Banks, Stef Kosters, Jarno Bottenberg, Keanu Van Velzen and Beau Greaves, to set up a clash with Czechia’s Adam Gawlas.

The final saw a contest completely one sided as Weber rattled off five successive legs in 16,14,14,15 and 14 darts respectively to seal a 5-0 whitewash victory over the former UK Open Semi Finalist to pick up a maiden Development Tour title of his career as well as the £2,500 top prize.

Elsewhere, the day saw Tour Card Holder Cam Crabtree secure top spot on the Development Tour Order of Merit and a place at next month’s Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton, having picked up five titles in 2025.

Saturday saw Beau Greaves secure a two-year Tour Card for the first time in her career after finishing runner-up on the Development Tour Order of Merit and she will be joined by Owen Bates in 2026/27, who ended his campaign in third position.

With Crabtree set to qualify for the PDC World Darts Championship via the Pro Tour rankings, the three spots available from the Development Tour are set to go to Greaves, Owen Bates and Charlie Manby. However, with Bates also provisionally in a Pro Tour qualifying place, Jamai Van den Herik, who finished fifth on the Development Tour Order of Merit, could still secure a place at the sport’s flag ship event in December.