Challenge Tour Order of Merit: Wayne Jones and Mark Dudbridge lead the race for tour cards heading into final day

Former major finalists Wayne Jones and Mark Dudbridge hold the two spots for tour cards onto the main PDC circuit heading into the final day of this year’s Unicorn Challenge Tour tomorrow.

The last two events of the season take place at the Robin Park Tennis Centre, in Wigan, on Sunday, with a total of £20,000 in prize money up for grabs on the day.

And with a £2,000 top prize available in each tournament, it means there are 20 players who could mathematically finish in the top two on the tour’s final Order of Merit following the completion of the last event (Note: Nathan Aspinall is in the field for the final day of the HappyBet German Darts Grand Prix tomorrow).

Wolverhampton’s Jones, a runner-up in the 2010 European Championship, lost his tour card at the end of last season and was unsuccessful in winning it back at Qualifying School in January.

But the 52-year-old is in pole position to win a tour card for 2018 and 2019 as he sits at the top of the Challenge Tour Order of Merit going into the final day, and with a £2,950 gap over third place.

Bristol’s Dudbridge, who reached the final of the PDC World Championship in 2005, fell off the main tour at the end of the 2015-16 season, but is in a handy position to regain his tour card tomorrow.

The former World Master has a £1,100 lead over third place, but the three players in hot pursuit of him, Aaron Dyer, Peter Jacques and Luke Humphries, have all won on the Challenge Tour this year.

Unicorn Challenge Tour Order of Merit (Top 20 and ties only) after 18 of 20 events