The second day of the final stage of the PDC’s Q-School saw experience count in both venues with Spaniard Reyes returning after a long absence and Dutchman Sparidaans correcting a final hurdle fall. In the UK event it was the Irish who were smiling.
The dust of yesterday’s devastation had barely settled before Jeffrey Sparidaans tore the script to shreds and rewrote his own redemption arc in emphatic, heart-thumping fashion. In Kalkar, where dreams either crystallise or combust, the Dutchman hauled himself from the wreckage of a cruel last-leg collapse against Arno Merk and came back swinging, fists clenched, eyes blazing, delivering a knockout blow that echoed long after the final dart kissed the wire.
What a difference a single sunrise can make. Twenty-four hours earlier, Sparidaans was marooned in misery, haunted by missed match darts and the hollow silence that follows opportunity squandered. Fast forward one rotation of the Earth and the narrative flipped entirely. Against Italy’s Michele Turetta, with everything on the line and nerves stretched to snapping point, Jefke stared down another winner-takes-all decider and this time did not blink. Jubilation replaced anguish. The canvas was left behind. The climb back to the summit was complete.
Enjoying a long-awaited return to the big time will be Cristo Reyes, a familiar face rediscovering unfinished business. Five long years have passed since the Spaniard last held a PDC Tour Card, yet the fire never truly went out. A fleeting Ally Pally cameo last month – earned via a Mediterranean qualifier and ended by eventual runner-up Gian van Veen – served only to stoke the embers. In Kalkar, Reyes looked every inch a man on a mission. After dismissing Germany’s Matthias Ehlers, the Tenerife-based thrower sealed his comeback with a performance dripping in intent and belief.
Across the Channel, the UK battlefields yielded their own heroes. Carl Sneyd, known to many as The Bomber, became the first Englishman to punch his golden ticket at this year’s Q-School. His 6–4 triumph over Steve Lennon was forged in grit and precision, earning Sneyd two years among the elite. A former rugby man turned tungsten warrior, the Oldham thrower adds another chapter to the growing crossover between oval ball and oche – not least with a family tie to World Champ, Luke Littler’s beloved Warrington Wolves where is brother Marc earns his living.
Completing the Milton Keynes joyous duo is Niall Culleton, who emerged from a tense Irish subplot where heartbreak and elation stood inches apart. While Steve Lennon fell agonisingly short, Culleton kept his composure when it mattered most, edging past England’s Danny Goddard in a decisive final leg. For the 38-year-old from Kilkenny, it marks a fresh beginning on the Pro Tour – and a chance not merely to arrive, but to stay.
EUROPEAN Q-SCHOOL (Final Stage – Day Two)
Semi-Finals
Jeffrey Sparidaans 6-5 Michele Turetta
Cristo Reyes 6-3 Matthias Ehlers
UK Q-SCHOOL (Final Stage – Day Two)
Semi-Finals
Carl Sneyd 6-4 Steve Lennon
Niall Culleton 6-5 Danny Goddard
—-ENDS—-
Images: PDC
