Rob Cross has provisionally moved into the top 40 on the PDC Order of Merit after winning on his World Matchplay debut last night.
Last year’s Challenge Tour Order of Merit winner has enjoyed a remarkable rise through the ranks after joining the main tour this year, winning two Players Championship events and qualifying for Blackpool in his first season.
In the final game of this year’s first round of the World Matchplay, Cross saw off 13th seed Ian White 10-7, to set up a clash with two-time world champion Adrian Lewis in the second round tomorrow night.
Yesterday’s win has moved Cross up to 40th in the provisional Order of Merit on £80,750, and it would take a run to the final this week to push him into the top 32.
Elsewhere, Simon Whitlock moved to within one more win in Blackpool this week of getting back into the top 16.
Whitlock, the 16th seed in this year’s World Matchplay but 17th on the current Order of Merit, knocked out fellow Australian Kyle Anderson 10-5 in the first round last night.
With Robert Thornton, provisionally in 16th, losing out to Cristo Reyes in his first game on Sunday, it means that Whitlock will provisionally move back into the top 16 if he beats world number one Michael van Gerwen when the two meet in the second round tomorrow night.
Provisional PDC Order of Merit (Players in green are still in the World Matchplay) (as of 24/07/2017)
| Pos | Player | Prize Money |
| 1 | Michael van Gerwen | £1,654,250 |
| 2 | Gary Anderson | £760,000 |
| 3 | Peter Wright | £671,250 |
| 4 | Adrian Lewis | £389,000 |
| 5 | Dave Chisnall | £356,500 |
| 6 | Mensur Suljovic | £339,500 |
| 7 | Raymond van Barneveld | £324,500 |
| 8 | Michael Smith | £312,750 |
| 9 | James Wade | £312,500 |
| 10 | Jelle Klaasen | £312,250 |
| 11 | Phil Taylor | £305,250 |
| 12 | Kim Huybrechts | £279,250 |
| 13 | Ian White | £272,000 |
| 14 | Benito van de Pas | £265,750 |
| 15 | Daryl Gurney | £260,500 |
| 16 | Robert Thornton | £255,750 |
| 17 | Simon Whitlock | £250,000 |
| 18 | Alan Norris | £244,750 |
| 19 | Gerwyn Price | £226,500 |
| 20 | Mervyn King | £189,000 |
| 21 | Joe Cullen | £187,750 |
| 22 | Stephen Bunting | £175,250 |
| 23 | Mark Webster | £164,000 |
| 24 | Steve Beaton | £157,250 |
| 25 | Terry Jenkins | £156,250 |
| 26 | Cristo Reyes | £144,500 |
| 27 | Darren Webster | £143,500 |
| 28 | Vincent van der Voort | £135,500 |
| 29 | Justin Pipe | £134,500 |
| 30 | Kyle Anderson | £130,250 |
| 31 | Brendan Dolan | £125,500 |
| 32 | John Henderson | £108,750 |
| 33 | James Wilson | £106,250 |
| 34 | Jamie Caven | £100,750 |
| 35 | Steve West | £99,750 |
| 36 | Christian Kist | £99,250 |
| 37 | Jamie Lewis | £93,000 |
| 38 | Chris Dobey | £92,750 |
| = | Robbie Green | £92,750 |
| 40 | Rob Cross | £80,750 |
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