DUDBRIDGE, HUYBRECHTS & JUSTICIA PROGRESS TO FINAL STAGE
Mark Dudbridge, Ronny Huybrechts and Jose Justicia took a step towards winning back their PDC Tour Cards by sealing places in Final Stage of the PDC Qualifying Schools on Friday.
2005 World Championship finalist Dudbridge lost his Tour Card at the end of 2019, but headlined the four players from the UK Qualifying School in Milton Keynes to secure automatic progression to Final Stage.
The 48-year-old from Bristol whitewashed Rhys Davies in their decider, having previously overcome fellow former World Master John O'Shea 6-2 in the last 16.
Jason Askew's bid to win a Tour Card for the first time saw the 27-year-old from Redhill win six matches on the day to seal his place in Final Stage, as he bids to emulate father Dave - a two-time World Championship semi-finalist - in becoming a PDC professional.
Ireland's Martin Heneghan, 29, continued his bid to win a Tour Card in his maiden Qualifying School as he progressed at the Marshall Arena. A former Development Tour player and World Youth Championship qualifier, Heneghan defeated both Andy Jenkins and Kyle Richardson by 6-1 scorelines in his final two games to secure his Final Stage spot.
Loughton's Paul Holloway, a 53-year-old competing in his fourth Qualifying School, defeated experienced Darren Johnson 6-4 in their decider as he moved through to Sunday's action.
In the European Qualifying School in Niedernhausen, Belgium's Huybrechts and Spain's Justicia also won through to Final Stage as they bid to win back professional status.
Former World Cup of Darts finalist Huybrechts dropped just four legs in five matches to secure his progression. Dutchman Gino Vos was the only player to win any legs against the former European Championship semi-finalist, losing out 6-4 in the last 16 before Huybrechts whitewashed Marcel Gerdon to progress.
Spain's Justicia took a step towards winning back his PDC Tour Card - having previously competed on the PDC ProTour in 2018/19 - by defeating Italy's Daniele Petri 6-3 in their decider.
Fellow Belgian Davyd Venken, 43, also qualified for Final Stage, defeating Matt Campbell 6-1 in their decider, while Germany's Florian Hempel, a 30-year-old from Cologne, defeated Christian Kist 6-4 in their decider.
Stage 1B concludes on Saturday in Milton Keynes and Niedernhausen, with the full 128-player fields for the UK and European Qualifying School Final Stages to be confirmed following the third day of action.
Four-time UK Open qualifier Lee Evans and former UK Open semi-finalist Robert Owen are amongst the players at UK Qualifying School set to claim spots in the 36 places reserved in Final Stage from the Stage 1B Order of Merit.
Emerging Canadian ace Campbell, Italian World Cup representative Petri, German youngster Gerdon and former Lakeside Champion Kist all secured progression to Final Stage by picking up valuable ranking points on Day Two. Former World Championship qualifier Patrick Bulen will also progress, while former Croatian World Cup representative Robert Marijanovic is well-placed in the European Qualifying School Stage 1B Order of Merit, from which at least 43 players will progress.
2005 World Championship finalist Dudbridge lost his Tour Card at the end of 2019, but headlined the four players from the UK Qualifying School in Milton Keynes to secure automatic progression to Final Stage.
The 48-year-old from Bristol whitewashed Rhys Davies in their decider, having previously overcome fellow former World Master John O'Shea 6-2 in the last 16.
Jason Askew's bid to win a Tour Card for the first time saw the 27-year-old from Redhill win six matches on the day to seal his place in Final Stage, as he bids to emulate father Dave - a two-time World Championship semi-finalist - in becoming a PDC professional.
Ireland's Martin Heneghan, 29, continued his bid to win a Tour Card in his maiden Qualifying School as he progressed at the Marshall Arena. A former Development Tour player and World Youth Championship qualifier, Heneghan defeated both Andy Jenkins and Kyle Richardson by 6-1 scorelines in his final two games to secure his Final Stage spot.
Loughton's Paul Holloway, a 53-year-old competing in his fourth Qualifying School, defeated experienced Darren Johnson 6-4 in their decider as he moved through to Sunday's action.
In the European Qualifying School in Niedernhausen, Belgium's Huybrechts and Spain's Justicia also won through to Final Stage as they bid to win back professional status.
Former World Cup of Darts finalist Huybrechts dropped just four legs in five matches to secure his progression. Dutchman Gino Vos was the only player to win any legs against the former European Championship semi-finalist, losing out 6-4 in the last 16 before Huybrechts whitewashed Marcel Gerdon to progress.
Spain's Justicia took a step towards winning back his PDC Tour Card - having previously competed on the PDC ProTour in 2018/19 - by defeating Italy's Daniele Petri 6-3 in their decider.
Fellow Belgian Davyd Venken, 43, also qualified for Final Stage, defeating Matt Campbell 6-1 in their decider, while Germany's Florian Hempel, a 30-year-old from Cologne, defeated Christian Kist 6-4 in their decider.
Stage 1B concludes on Saturday in Milton Keynes and Niedernhausen, with the full 128-player fields for the UK and European Qualifying School Final Stages to be confirmed following the third day of action.
Four-time UK Open qualifier Lee Evans and former UK Open semi-finalist Robert Owen are amongst the players at UK Qualifying School set to claim spots in the 36 places reserved in Final Stage from the Stage 1B Order of Merit.
Emerging Canadian ace Campbell, Italian World Cup representative Petri, German youngster Gerdon and former Lakeside Champion Kist all secured progression to Final Stage by picking up valuable ranking points on Day Two. Former World Championship qualifier Patrick Bulen will also progress, while former Croatian World Cup representative Robert Marijanovic is well-placed in the European Qualifying School Stage 1B Order of Merit, from which at least 43 players will progress.