Dutch Darts Duo Shines: Lap and Doets Secure European Tour Berths!
Dutch darts talents Sietse Lap and Kevin Doets have made their mark, successfully qualifying for prestigious European Tour events. Lap will make his debut at the Belgian Darts Open in Wieze, while Doets secured a spot at the German Darts Grand Prix in Munich. Their impressive performances in Wigan saw them overcome tough competition, marking significant milestones in their careers and setting the stage for exciting appearances on the European darts circuit alongside other notable qualifiers like former World Champion Michael Smith and rising star Sebastian Bialecki.
Dutch Talent Takes Center Stage at European Tour Qualifiers
The highly anticipated European Tour Qualifiers in Wigan recently concluded, with players battling fiercely for a chance to compete on the continent’s biggest darts stages. Among the many hopefuls, two Dutchmen, Sietse Lap and Kevin Doets, emerged victorious, securing their places in upcoming events.
Sietse Lap’s Historic Debut at the Belgian Darts Open
For **Sietse Lap**, who only gained his Tour Card in January, this qualification marks a significant career milestone. A Tour Card grants players the right to compete in all Players Championship events and the European Tour qualifiers. He successfully navigated the challenging qualifying tournament for the Belgian Darts Open, securing his very first appearance on the European Tour. In a thrilling final round match, Lap defeated Germany’s **Max Hopp** in a decisive leg, showcasing his composure under pressure.
While Lap celebrated, fellow Dutchman Chris Landman narrowly missed out, losing to the in-form Spanish player **Cristo Reyes**, who had also successfully qualified for earlier Euro Tours.
Other Notable Qualifiers for the Belgian Darts Open:
- Tyler Thorpe (England): Set to make his European Tour debut after defeating David Sharp.
- Ryan Meikle (England): “The Barber” delivered a spectacular **9-darter** (hitting a perfect game of nine darts to finish a leg) against Jeffrey de Zwaan en route to qualification, later beating Adam Paxton.
- Sebastian Bialecki (Poland): Impressively qualified, overcoming strong opponents like former World Champion **Rob Cross** and Mickey Mansell. This was a redemption for Bialecki, who narrowly missed out on qualifying for Poland’s first-ever Euro Tour event just last week.
- Michael Smith (England): The former World Champion also secured his spot, defeating Ian White.
- Other qualifiers include Thibault Tricole, Lukas Wenig, Adam Gawlas, Scott Williams, and Cristo Reyes.
The **Belgian Darts Open** is scheduled to take place from **March 20th to 22nd** in **Wieze**. The last two editions of this prestigious event were won by rising superstar **Luke Littler**.
Kevin Doets Powers Through to the German Darts Grand Prix
Meanwhile, in the qualifiers for the German Darts Grand Prix, **Kevin Doets**, known as “Hawkeye,” was the sole Dutchman to secure a spot. Doets showcased exceptional form, defeating **Karel Sedlacek** in the final round with an impressive average of 98.73. Sedlacek himself had previously knocked out the strong Cristo Reyes.
Other Key Qualifiers for the German Darts Grand Prix:
- Kim Huybrechts (Belgium): Successfully qualified, beating Jimmy van Schie and Jim Long.
- Michael Smith (England): Demonstrating his top form, “Bully Boy” secured qualification for **both** the Belgian Darts Open and the German Darts Grand Prix, defeating Tom Sykes in this qualifier.
- Sebastian Bialecki (Poland): Another player to achieve a double qualification, ensuring his presence at both European Tour events by beating Kai Gotthardt.
- Adam Lipscombe (England): Will make his European Tour debut after overcoming Darryl Pilgrim.
- Other qualifiers include Stephen Burton, Thomas Lovely, Ritchie Edhouse, James Hurrell, and Brendan Dolan.
The **German Darts Grand Prix** will be held from **April 4th to 6th** in **Munich**. The defending champion for this event is Dutch darts legend **Michael van Gerwen**, who triumphed over Gian van Veen in last year’s final.
These qualifications highlight the competitive nature of professional darts and the emergence of new talent alongside established stars. Both Lap and Doets will now look forward to testing their skills against the world’s best on the European Tour circuit.
Source: Based on an article from Darts Actueel.
