The second Development Tour weekend in Milton Keynes saw thrilling darts action, with England’s James Beeton securing his maiden title in the first event. However, the spotlight truly shone on Germany in the second tournament, where Leon Weber emerged victorious in a captivating all-German final against compatriot Dominik Grüllich. This impressive performance propelled both German talents significantly up the rankings, highlighting a strong showing for the nation’s rising stars.
Development Tour: Rising Stars Clash in Milton Keynes
Tournament 1: Beeton Breaks Through for First Title
The first tournament of the weekend witnessed a hard-fought victory for England’s James Beeton, who celebrated his first Development Tour title—a belated 23rd birthday gift. His journey to the £3,000 prize money was anything but easy, showcasing both skill and a touch of luck.
- Beeton started strong, delivering a whitewash against Cody Crabtree with his first three-figure average of the day. A “whitewash” in darts means winning every leg without the opponent winning any.
- In the Last 16, he faced two-time champion Jack Drayton, again hitting over a 100 average. Despite facing a match dart (a dart that, if hit, would win the match for his opponent) against him, Beeton turned the game around with two 13-dart legs to win 4-3.
- He continued his clutch play against Jamai van den Herik, coolly checking out 90 points (finishing the leg by hitting the required numbers) in the deciding leg after surviving yet another match dart.
- In the semi-final, Beeton denied Archie Self a second final appearance, finishing with a spectacular 170 checkout for the win – the highest possible checkout with three darts.
- The final saw him overcome the in-form Nathan Potter, battling back from a 1-4 deficit and surviving four match darts to claim a dramatic 5-4 victory.
German Standouts in Tournament 1:
While Beeton took the crown, Germany’s Dominik Grüllich delivered a strong performance, reaching the quarter-finals.
- Grüllich saved his best for the Last 16, where he defeated Beau Greaves 4-3. In the deciding leg, he threw two 180s (three darts hitting the treble 20, the highest score in darts) and secured the break with a 12-dart finish – a very quick way to complete a leg.
- Earlier, he had also decisively beaten former Tour Card holder Dylan Slevin 4-2, breaking Slevin’s throw with a 12-darter (winning a leg when the opponent started it).
- His run ended against Nathan Potter, where he faced two 11-dart finishes against the throw in a 1-5 loss.
- Kilian Hohnstedt also impressed, sweeping Adam Gawlas 4-0 with a 90+ average before reaching his second Last 16 of the series.
- Kimi Seemann and Liam Maendl-Lawrance secured minimum prize money, while Leon Weber exited early.
Tournament 2: Weber Triumphs in All-German Final
The second tournament of the day brought even greater success for the German contingent, culminating in an exhilarating all-German final between Leon Weber and Dominik Grüllich.
- Leon Weber found his rhythm, consistently hitting averages well over 90.
- Dominik Grüllich started with his first 100+ average of the weekend, setting the stage for a strong run.
- The two German Tour Card holders ultimately met in the final, where Leon Weber secured his second Development Tour title, matching Grüllich’s previous successes.
- After falling 1-2 behind, Weber fought back with 12- and 13-dart legs. He capitalized on his opponent’s missed doubles and sealed the victory with a clinical 80 checkout in two darts – finishing on a double segment with his second dart.
Weber’s Impressive Path to Victory:
Weber’s performance was remarkable throughout the tournament.
- He overcame Mason Whitlock and Connor Hopkins with 4-2 wins, despite both opponents hitting 90+ averages.
- He continued to dominate, conceding no more than two legs in subsequent matches, culminating in a 5-0 whitewash against Angelo Balsamo in the semi-final.
Grüllich’s Strong Runner-Up Performance:
Dominik Grüllich also had a clear path to the final, showing exceptional form.
- In the Last 16, he eliminated Tournament 1 winner James Beeton.
- He then won the first all-German clash against Lenny Schlüter 5-1 in the quarter-finals.
- Tyler Thorpe was unable to stop Grüllich’s march to the final, falling 5-2.
Other German Highlights in Tournament 2:
Lenny Schlüter reached the first quarter-final of his career, surviving a match dart in the Last 512 before consistently performing well, including victories over World Cup and UK Open participants Craig Galliano and Kyle Gilding. Kilian Hohnstedt, Liam Maendl-Lawrance, and Florian Preis also earned prize money, with Preis achieving two three-figure averages before his exit. Yorick Hofkens, unfortunately, underperformed in both events.
Development Tour Rankings Update
These strong performances have significantly impacted the Development Tour rankings:
- Leon Weber jumped to 7th place thanks to his title win.
- Dominik Grüllich’s two strong tournaments propelled him to 5th place.
- Jurjen van der Velde and Jack Drayton continue to lead the rankings with over £7,000.
- James Beeton now sits in 3rd place with £5,950.
- Fellow Tour Card holders Charlie Manby and Sebastian Bialecki remain in the Top 8.
The Development Tour continues tomorrow with two more tournaments in Milton Keynes, promising more exciting darts action.
Source: Based on an article from dartn.de.
