The final Tour Card Holder Qualifier of the 2026 European Tour season delivered ten tickets to Maastricht on Thursday, with Scott Williams and former world champion Michael Smith leading the charge back onto the European circuit.
Scott Williams continued his recent good form by seeing off top seed Mike de Decker 6-3, while Nick Kenny delivered the highest average of the deciding matches – a sparkling 100.06 – in a 6-2 dismissal of Brendan Dolan. Callan Rydz was almost as clinical, posting 99.89 as he swept aside Mario Vandenbogaerde by the same scoreline.
Playing in Den Bosch, Smith produced a composed 6-4 victory over David Sharp in the last round, averaging 95.13 in a high-quality contest. The win adds the season-closing Dutch Darts Championship (16-18 October) to his already confirmed appearance at the Swiss Darts Trophy in Basel.
Mickey Mansell produced the day’s most explosive performance, averaging 105.24 in a 6-2 win over Tyler Thorpe. Max Hopp accounted for Daryl Gurney 6-2, and Owen Bates comfortably defeated Darius Labanauskas by the same score.There were tighter affairs further down the card. Stephen Burton edged Thibault Tricole 6-5, while James Hurrell survived a deciding leg against Keane Barry.
Completing the ten was Ricardo Pietreczko, who saw off Mensur Suljović 6-3.The Dutch Darts Championship returns to the MECC in Maastricht for the first time since 2018 and will close out the 15-event European Tour season.
The ten successful players join the seeded Order of Merit contingent and Pro Tour qualifiers, with four Host Nation places still to be decided next month.
Tour Card Holder Qualifiers – Dutch Darts Championship 2026
Michael Smith (ENG)
Scott Williams (ENG)
Nick Kenny (WAL)
Callan Rydz (ENG)
Stephen Burton (ENG)
James Hurrell (ENG)
Mickey Mansell (IRL)
Max Hopp (GER)
Owen Bates (ENG)
Ricardo Pietreczko (GER)
Images:PDC
