In a groundbreaking moment for professional darts, Beau Greaves has etched her name into the history books, becoming the first female player ever to qualify for a PDC Euro Tour event. Not content with a single achievement, the ‘Beau & Arrow’ sensation secured a remarkable double qualification in Leicester, earning her spots in both the Hungarian Darts Trophy and the Czech Darts Open. This historic feat was mirrored by other strong performances, with Cristo Reyes, Keane Barry, and Connor Scutt also securing double qualifications. However, some major names like Peter Wright and Raymond van Barneveld surprisingly missed out on these upcoming continental tournaments.
Beau Greaves: A Historic Double Qualification
The Mattioli Arena in Leicester was the scene of an unprecedented achievement in darts, as Beau Greaves shattered barriers by becoming the first female player to qualify for a PDC Euro Tour event. What truly elevated her success was not just qualifying, but doing it twice in one day!
Despite it taking ‘Beau & Arrow’ eleven attempts to reach a continental event, her perseverance paid off spectacularly. She secured her place in two prestigious tournaments:
- Hungarian Darts Trophy (ET11): Greaves navigated a challenging four-round path. She started with a strong 6-4 win against Andy Boulton, averaging over 100. Further victories against Charlie Manby and Arno Merk led her to the final round, where she delivered a stunning performance, clocking a 103.03 average in a 6-4 success against Tom Bissell to clinch her spot in Budapest.
- Czech Darts Open (ET12): Following her initial triumph, Greaves continued her dominant form. She overcame Wesley Plaisier and Cor Dekker, before securing her second qualification in a tense, final-leg victory against Lukas Wenig, completing a memorable double celebration.
Other Stars Shine: Double Qualifiers
Greaves wasn’t the only player to impress with a double qualification. Several other darting talents also secured their spots in both upcoming Euro Tour events.
Cristo Reyes: The Qualification King
Cristo Reyes once again proved his exceptional consistency, sensationally adding his eighth and ninth Euro Tour appearances of the season to his impressive tally. The Spaniard demonstrated top form throughout both qualifiers:
- ET11 Qualification: Reyes advanced with wins against Leon Weber and Carl Sneyd. He saved his best for last, achieving a 100.11 average in a commanding 6-1 victory over Mickey Mansell to secure his place.
- ET12 Qualification: ‘The Spartan’ was in formidable form, breezing past Ryan Meikle and Tyler Thorpe, dropping only one leg in total. He then delivered a sublime 107.36 average to whitewash Owen Bates. His final match for Prague was a nail-biter, confirming his spot with a 102.43 average in a tight 6-5 win against Bradley Brooks.
Keane Barry & Connor Scutt Secure Their Spots
- Keane Barry: The Irishman showed great resilience, coming from 5-3 down to defeat Ryan Meikle and qualify for Budapest. He then secured his second spot with a crucial 6-4 win against Alexander Merkx, giving him a much-needed boost for the ET12 main draw.
- Connor Scutt: ‘The Sniper’ also achieved a double qualification, first eliminating Madars Razma in the final round of ET11 qualifying. He then showcased incredible form, averaging over 108 to deny Ricky Evans in the final hurdle for ET12.
New Faces and Surprising Exits
Euro Tour Debutants
The upcoming Euro Tour events will also feature some fresh talent making their debuts:
- Adam Leek
- Samuel Price
- Tom Sykes (who built on his recent semi-final success in Slovakia)
Big Names Miss Out
Despite the excitement of new qualifiers, some high-profile players surprisingly failed to secure a spot in either event:
- Peter Wright
- Raymond van Barneveld
- Mike De Decker
- Dave Chisnall (who was ousted early by Ricky Evans in ET12 qualifying)
Upcoming Euro Tour Events
Don’t miss the action at these exciting tournaments:
- The Hungarian Darts Trophy (ET11) will take place at the MVM Dome in Budapest from August 28-30.
- The Czech Darts Open (ET12) will be held at the PVA Expo in Prague from September 4-6.
Source: Based on an article from Darts World Magazine.
