Tag: feat

The PDC have confirmed that South and Central America will be represented in the upcoming 2018 William Hill World Darts Championship, with a qualifier to be held in Brazil next month for a spot in the tournament.

A qualifier will take place at the Girasol Plaza Hotel in Palmas on Saturday, September 23, and will be open to players from 30 countries across South and Central America.

Darts in Brazil is on the up after the country made its debut at the World Cup of Darts earlier this summer, with Diogo Portela and Alexandre Sattin defeating Switzerland before losing to hosts Germany in the last 16.

Portela is a UK-based Brazilian and is competing on the PDC circuit, and will head home for the qualifier in good spirits having won the Dartford and Basingstoke Opens over the Bank Holiday weekend.

A number of players from the region have previously competed in the World Championship, including Guyana’s Norman Madhoo who made three appearances in the tournament in 2004, 2010 and 2011.

His compatriot Sudesh Fitzgerald appeared in the 2009 event, while Barbados duo Anthony Forde (2005 and 2008) and Winston Cadogan (2006) have also previously qualified for the sport’s most lucrative tournament.

Entries for the qualifier close on Saturday, September 9 and are priced at $75, with further information available by contacting jdbdardosbrasil@gmail.com

Eligible Countries
South America: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela
Central America: Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominia, El Salvador, Granada, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Panama, Dominican Republic, St Lucia, Trinidad & Tobago

The PDC have announced they will be staging a European Qualifying School for the first time in 2018.

Yesterday saw the organisation’s calendar for 2018 confirmed, with one of the most intriguing announcements the launch of a European Qualifying School.

The new event will run simultaneously with the existing Qualifying School in the UK from January 18-21, and will be held in Hildesheim, Germany next year.

More details are to follow in due course from the PDC, including how the allocation of tour cards will be given out between the two events, as well as if there are any restrictions on which Qualifying School players can enter.

The PDC introduced Qualifying School to its calendar in 2011, with the four-day event offering players the opportunity to win a two-year tour card onto the main circuit.

Since its first staging in 2011, 225 two-year tour cards have been given out through the Qualifying School system, with the most notable of those to have won one including Dave Chisnall, Daryl Gurney, Gerwyn Price, Benito van de Pas and Kyle Anderson.

This year’s Qualifying School back in January saw 28 tour cards handed out, with the four winners from each of the four days’ play joined by the top 12 players on the Qualifying School Order of Merit.

The most tour cards given out in one year at Qualifying School was in 2014 when 43 were available, but that figure has decreased in each of the last three years.

The Premier League is coming to Germany for the first time next year after the PDC announced the venues for the 2018 tournament.

The Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin will host week four of the 2018 Premier League on February 22 next year.

As exclusively revealed by PDC chairman Barry Hearn in our previous title Darts Weekly last October, the Premier League will continue to break new ground in 2018.

“It has to be Germany in 2018, obviously we’ve got to talk to our sponsors and our broadcasters, but you have to go with demand,” Hearn said to us last year.

“As much as we are reliant on our UK customers, to be a truly global brand you have to branch out.

“11 per cent of the World Championship tickets last year were bought in Germany, which leaves me to say Berlin, 2018 Premier League here we come.

“The game is just gaining and gaining momentum which is good news for everybody, especially the kids that are starting to play and are saying: I want to make this my career.”

The 17,000 capacity Mercedes-Benz Arena replaces the Brighton Centre on next year’s line-up of venues for the Premier League.

The arena, which opened in September 2008, has a 20-year naming deal with German car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz which was agreed in 2015.

2018 Premier League
February 1 – Dublin, Ireland
February 8 – Cardiff, Wales
February 15, Newcastle, England
February 22 – Berlin, Germany
March 1 – Exeter, England
March 8 – Leeds, England
March 15 – Nottingham, England
March 22 – Glasgow, Scotland
March 29 – Belfast, Northern Ireland
April 5 – Liverpool, England
April 12 – Sheffield, England
April 19 – Rotterdam, Netherlands
April 26 – Manchester, England
May 3 – Birmingham, England
May 10 – Aberdeen, Scotland
May 17 – London, England (Play-Offs)

Three events, three different winners, and six different finalists. The World Series took in Auckland, Melbourne and Perth this month as the PDC top boys and the best players from Australia and New Zealand competed in three different events Down Under. Here are my ratings for how the eight PDC representatives performed, as well as Kyle Anderson and Corey Cadby…

Gary Anderson – 8

World number two was the top seed this month due to Michael van Gerwen’s absence, but went into the final event having not got past the quarter-finals. A 6-4 defeat to an inspired Kyle Anderson, who went on to lift the title, in the first round in Auckland was followed by a 10-8 reverse to Daryl Gurney in the last eight in Melbourne. But the Scot bounced back in style in Perth last week, with victories over Rob Szabo, Simon Whitlock, James Wade and Raymond van Barneveld sealing his fifth World Series title, and first in Australia. Will be happy to have ended the tour with a winner’s trophy.

Peter Wright – 7

A mixed three weeks for “Snakebite” as his wait for a maiden World Series title goes on. The world number three was below par in a 6-4 defeat to Corey Cadby in the first round in Auckland, but he responded well a week later by making it to the final in the inaugural Melbourne Darts Masters. Missed doubles cost Wright in the final against Phil Taylor, and he would have felt like it was another TV final that got away. Made a solid start in Perth with a 100+ average in the first round, but was then blown away 10-4 by Daryl Gurney in the quarter-finals. With van Gerwen not in the field, Wright will perhaps look back at this month as a big opportunity to missed to add to his TV title collection.

Phil Taylor – 8

The 57-year-old’s final trip Down Under for the World Series will be viewed as a successful one, with victory in Melbourne seeing him capture an eighth World Series title. Lost out to Corey Cadby in the semi-finals in Auckland, before going all the way and beating Peter Wright in a close final in the first staging of a World Series event in Melbourne the following week. Fought back from 4-2 down to beat Kyle Anderson in Perth, but then saw his bid for glory in his final tournament in Australia ended by old rival Raymond van Barneveld in a last-leg decider in the quarter-finals.

Raymond van Barneveld – 7

An up and down few weeks for “Barney” saw him follow up a first round exit in Melbourne with a run to the final in Perth just a week later. The five-time world champion looks to be getting to grips with his new darts, since switching from Unicorn to Target, and getting to a TV final will give him a big boost in confidence heading into the rest of the season. Lost to Phil Taylor in a decider in the Auckland quarter-finals, then was beaten by Corey Cadby in the opening round in Melbourne. Gained revenge on Cadby with a 6-5 win in Perth, before he also needed deciders to get the better of Taylor and Daryl Gurney. Finished up just short in the final against Gary Anderson.

James Wade – 7

Two semi-finals from three tournaments represents a good return for James Wade, who heading into this World Series triple-header was a player who some were questioning should have even been included given his dip in results in recent months. Slipped out of the top eight after going out early in Blackpool, but showed signs that he is more than capable of reclaiming his previous ranking, with wins over Daryl Gurney and Michael Smith in quarter-final clashes in Auckland and Perth respectively. Pushed Gary Anderson close in the semi-finals in Perth and will feel his game is on the way back up heading into the final months of 2017.

Michael Smith – 6

The latest PDC player this year to make their debut on the World Series, Michael Smith was selected for all three events Down Under and made appearances in the quarter-finals on each occasion. A 103 average in his very first game in Auckland, as well as a last-leg decider defeat to Peter Wright in Melbourne would have been the main highlights for “Bully Boy”. Now he has a taste for the World Series he’ll now look to have some deep runs in majors coming up to improve his chances of a recall to the Premier League next year.

Daryl Gurney – 7.5

The Northern Irishman’s breakthrough year continues as he enjoyed runs to two semi-finals this month. After losing to James Wade in the quarter-finals in Auckland, “Superchin” put in impressive displays to knock out Gary Anderson at the same stage in Melbourne, and then Peter Wright in the last eight in Perth. Gurney had been well-beaten by Wright in the semi-finals in Melbourne, but showed good resolve to return the favour a week later in Perth. A final, two semi-finals and a quarter-final from his four World Series events so far, Gurney is surely odds-on for a spot in the 2018 Premier League.

Simon Whitlock – 6.5

A mixed month for the Australian number one saw him go as far as the semi-finals in Melbourne in-between runs to the quarter-finals in Auckland and Perth. Threw away a good early lead in a 10-9 defeat to eventual champion Kyle Anderson in Auckland, but responded superbly with a stunning 107 average to thrash his World Cup team-mate 6-1 in the first round in Melbourne. Knocked off James Wade in a decider in the quarter-finals before running out of steam against Phil Taylor in the semi-finals. Struggled through the first round in Perth before losing comfortably in the end to Gary Anderson in the next round to bring his World Series to a close.

Kyle Anderson – 9

Finished with back-to-back first round exits, but after landing his maiden TV title in Auckland, Kyle Anderson was on a free ride for the rest of the tour. The Perth-born world number 28 clinched his first PDC title with victory on the Pro Tour last month and followed that up with an incredible triumph in the Auckland Darts Masters, beating Gary Anderson, Simon Whitlock, James Wade and Corey Cadby to become the newest winner in front of the TV cameras. Now he’s taken that next step and won a TV title, expect him to make even bigger strides during the rest of the year.

Corey Cadby – 8

There were plenty of question marks regarding how Corey Cadby was going to perform in the World Series this month, given that we had not seen him play on TV since the World Championship last December. All those questions were answered in emphatic style as the reigning world youth champion roared through to his first senior TV final, enjoying wins over Peter Wright, Michael Smith and Phil Taylor before losing to Kyle Anderson in a decider in the final. The big-name scalps continued for Cadby as he knocked out Raymond van Barneveld in the the first round in Melbourne, but that would prove to be his last win of the tour as he lost to Taylor in the next round, and then “Barney” got his revenge in Perth.

James Wade believes he could be the best player in the world if he was the most dedicated in the sport.

The five-time ranking major winner booked his place in the semi-finals of the TABtouch Perth Darts Masters after beating Michael Smith 10-5 earlier today.

“The Machine” averaged 101.05 and hit five 180s as he saw off the former world youth champion and made it through to the final day of action in Perth.

Wade dropped out of the top eight in the rankings for the first time in 10 years following his first round exit in the World Matchplay last month, but the 34-year-old says if he was the most dedicated player then he could be the best in the world.

“It’s always hard playing a friend and Michael is certainly a friend,” he said.

“I have my critics and I know I bite sometimes when I shouldn’t, but it’s nice to answer them every now and again.

“I know how good I am and I know what I do wrong at times. There’s only a handful of players who have won what I’ve won but there are players more dedicated than others these days.

“If I was the most dedicated player, would I be the best in the world? Possibly.”

Gary Anderson hopes his 10-5 win against Simon Whitlock in the quarter-finals will stand him in good stead for the final day of the TABtouch Perth Darts Masters tomorrow.

The world number two, who is the top seed in Perth this weekend, won six legs on the spin to defeat the Australian number one and set up a clash with James Wade in the semi-finals on Sunday.

The world number two has won World Series events in Dubai, Tokyo and Auckland, but has yet to go all the way in Australia, with his best performance a run to the last four in Perth two years ago.

“That 110 checkout on double 15 (to make it 5-5) was huge, it’s not a double you want to leave but with the way Simon was playing I needed to hit it,” the Scot said.

“Simon has been playing well recently so that worked as a good kick in the backside for me and hopefully sets me up nicely for tomorrow.”