The recent Tour Cardholder Qualifiers for upcoming European Tour events delivered thrilling darts action, with some notable outcomes. Michael Smith, the 2023 World Champion, achieved a remarkable double qualification, securing his spot in both the Belgian Darts Open in Wieze and the German Darts Grand Prix in Munich. Lukas Wenig celebrated a significant breakthrough, earning his place at the Belgian Darts Open. However, the qualifiers for the German Darts Grand Prix proved challenging for many, with no additional German players managing to secure a spot for the Munich event.
Belgian Darts Open Qualifiers: Wenig’s Moment in Wieze
The qualifiers for the Belgian Darts Open saw some intense battles, with Germany’s Lukas Wenig emerging as a standout performer. After being a consistent presence on the European Tour last year, Wenig successfully navigated a tough field to secure his spot in Wieze.
- Lukas Wenig’s Path: Wenig first defeated fellow German Maximilian Czerwinski 6-3. He then faced Peter Wright in a nail-biting encounter, where Wright **missed crucial match darts in the deciding leg**, allowing Wenig to seize the victory. In the final match against Rhys Griffin, Wenig kept his composure, breaking away from a 4-4 tie to seal his qualification with checkouts of 69 and 98.
- Max Hopp’s Heartbreak: Another German hopeful, Max Hopp, came agonizingly close. He impressively overcame a struggling Dimitri van den Bergh (6-3) and perennial opponent Maik Kuivenhoven (6-4). Against Sietse Lap, Hopp held a commanding **5-3 lead**, only for Lap to break back with a 21-dart leg after Hopp failed to check 78 points. Lap then closed out the decider with a 68-point finish, leaving Hopp to settle for 4th place on the reserve list.
- Michael Smith’s Dominance: Among the ten seeded players, **Michael Smith was the only one to successfully qualify for Wieze**. The ‘Bullyboy’ overcame Ian White in the deciding match, showcasing his top form.
Other players joining the field for the Belgian Darts Open include:
- Scott Williams
- Ryan Meikle
- Tyler Thorpe (making his European Tour debut)
- Sietse Lap (also a European Tour debutant)
- Cristo Reyes
- Adam Gawlas
- Sebastian Bialecki (both securing their second European Tour appearance)
- Thibault Tricole (completing the line-up as the sole Frenchman)
Notably, Kim Huybrechts likely opted out in favor of the Host Nation Qualifiers, while Beau Greaves had a conflicting Women’s Series weekend.
German Darts Grand Prix Qualifiers: A Challenging Road to Munich
The qualifiers for the traditional German Darts Grand Prix in Munich proved to be a tougher nut to crack for many, especially for the German contingent, as **no additional German players managed to qualify** for the event.
- Kai Gotthardt’s Near Miss: Kai Gotthardt came closest among the Germans, securing three impressive wins against Darius Labanauskas (6-4), Christian Kist (6-5), and Tavis Dudeney (6-1). However, his journey ended in the final round with a 3-6 loss to Sebastian Bialecki, leaving his efforts unrewarded.
- Rusty-Jake Rodriguez’s Disappointment: Austria’s Rusty-Jake Rodriguez faced a similar fate. Despite strong wins against Dimitri van den Bergh (6-2) and Connor Scutt (6-4), he fell short with a 4-6 loss to Thomas Lovely, feeling that more was possible.
- Lukas Wenig’s Strong Run Cut Short: Lukas Wenig, fresh from his Belgian qualification, continued his good form by eliminating top seed Rob Cross with a 6-3 victory. However, his run ended a round later, losing in a deciding leg to Stephen Burton.
- Gabriel Clemens’ Recent Struggles: Germany’s Gabriel Clemens, who had a strong start to the season, has seen his momentum stall, missing his fourth consecutive European Tour qualification after a 2-6 defeat to Richard Veenstra.
In a twist of fate, due to the withdrawals of Luke Littler and Stephen Bunting, Germany’s Ricardo Pietreczko secured his spot for the Munich tournament via his Pro Tour Ranking.
Star Performers: Double Qualifiers & Notable Efforts
The qualification events highlighted several players who demonstrated exceptional form and resilience:
- Michael Smith’s Double Triumph: Despite being on the brink of falling out of the PDC Order of Merit’s top 32, Michael Smith’s **double qualification for both Wieze and Munich** marks a significant step in the right direction, reaffirming his status as a top player.
- Sebastian Bialecki’s Double Success: Poland’s Sebastian Bialecki also had a fantastic day, mirroring Smith’s achievement with **two successful qualifications**. Like Cristo Reyes, Bialecki now boasts an impressive 3/4 qualification record for European Tour events this season.
Other players who will be spending Easter in Munich as qualifiers include:
- Stephen Burton
- Thomas Lovely
- Ritchie Edhouse
- James Hurrell
- Adam Lipscombe
- Kevin Doets
- Brendan Dolan
- Kim Huybrechts
Many other players, including Leon Weber, Marvin Kraft, Max Hopp, Arno Merk, Pascal Rupprecht, Maximilian Czerwinski, Yorick Hofkens, and Dominik Grüllich, put in strong performances but ultimately fell short, continuing to seek their breakthrough moments on the European Tour circuit.
Source: Based on an article from dartn.de.
