Robert Thornton faces a nervous wait today to see if he will get a reprieve and a place in next month’s Unibet World Grand Prix – just two years after lifting the major in Dublin.
The 2015 champion sits in 17th place on the PDC Order of Merit following the conclusion of the HappyBet German Darts Grand Prix in Mannheim yesterday.
The European Tour event was the last tournament before the cut off for the World Grand Prix, which takes place on October 1-7, with the field made up of the top 16 players on the Order of Merit as well as the next top 16 players on the Pro Tour Order of Merit.
Thornton’s hopes of qualifying now rest on 11-time World Grand Prix champion Phil Taylor who, if rumours which spread over the weekend are correct, will be skipping the tournament in Ireland in his final year on the professional circuit.
The 32-player field is expected to be finalised by the PDC today, when we will find out if indeed Taylor is missing the World Grand Prix and if Thornton has earned a reprieve into the tournament.
Provisional 2017 World Grand Prix line-up
Top 16 on the PDC Order of Merit
1. Michael van Gerwen
2. Gary Anderson
3. Peter Wright
4. Phil Taylor
5. Adrian Lewis
6. Dave Chisnall
7. Mensur Suljovic
8. Michael Smith
9. Raymond van Barneveld
10. Jelle Klaasen
11. James Wade
12. Daryl Gurney
13. Kim Huybrechts
14. Ian White
15. Benito van de Pas
16. Simon Whitlock
Next Top 16 on the Pro Tour Order of Merit
1. Rob Cross
2. Alan Norris
3. Joe Cullen
4. Mervyn King
5. Gerwyn Price
6. Steve Beaton
7. Kyle Anderson
8. Cristo Reyes
9. Darren Webster
10. Stephen Bunting
11. Christian Kist
12. John Henderson
13. Justin Pipe
14. Steve West
15. Richard North
16. Ronny Huybrechts
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