Day two of PDC Q-School 2026 saw four darts players achieve their dream, securing a coveted spot on the professional circuit. This includes two familiar faces making triumphant returns – Kevin Sparidaans and Cristo Reyes – alongside two exciting newcomers, Graham Sneyd and Ciaran Culleton, who are set to embark on their maiden professional journeys. This quartet navigated intense competition, showcasing resilience and skill to earn their golden tickets.
The drama of PDC Q-School, the intense qualification event for professional darts, continued relentlessly across Milton Keynes and Kalkar as another four golden tickets were awarded. These cards grant players a spot on the prestigious Pro Tour, allowing them to compete against the world’s best for the 2026/2027 season. Two seasoned players reclaimed their professional status, while two others now stand on the brink of a brand-new adventure in darts’ demanding landscape.
The Day’s Drama Unfolds
Relief, redemption, and sheer disbelief were served in equal measure as the latest quartet survived the gruelling gauntlet. Let’s meet the players who conquered Day Two.
Kevin Sparidaans: From Heartbreak to Hero
Twenty-four hours can feel like a lifetime at Q-School. Just yesterday, Dutchman Kevin Sparidaans was left staring into the void after letting multiple crucial darts slip through his fingers, his dream seemingly evaporating. Today, however, fate intervened. Against Italy’s Michele Turetta, Kevin **flipped the script entirely**, holding his nerve in another last-leg decider and finally exhaling. It was a moment of justice, perhaps delayed, but certainly not denied.
Known as ‘Jefke’ on the oche, Sparidaans is no stranger to professional life. He endured the **rigours of the Pro Tour grind across 2023 and 2024**, consistently competing even if the results rarely went his way. Seven runs to the last-16 highlighted his competence, yet often without the ultimate payoff. However, 2025 brought vindication with a victory at the WDF Dutch Open, a powerful reminder that his potential still burns bright. Now reinstated, Sparidaans will be hoping this second stint on the Pro Tour brings more joy and success than mere survival.
Cristo Reyes: The Spartan’s Grand Return
The return of Spain’s Cristo Reyes reads like a long-awaited encore. **Five years away from the Pro Tour is an eternity in modern darts**, yet Reyes arrives not as a relic, but as a renewed and formidable contender. At 38 years old, with **seven World Championship appearances** under his belt and a reputation forged under the bright lights of Alexandra Palace, the Tenerife thrower knows exactly what this professional life demands.
His first chapter in the PDC was quietly impressive, featuring quarter-final and semi-final runs. More recently, he reminded everyone of his pedigree by pushing eventual World Championship runner-up Gian van Veen in a display that screamed ‘unfinished business.’ Now, ‘The Spartan’ marches confidently back into battle, ready to make his mark once more.
Graham Sneyd: The Bomber Takes Flight
From Oldham to the oche, Graham Sneyd finally steps into the professional spotlight. A powerful figure on the amateur scene and a former rugby player before tungsten took over, ‘The Bomber’ arrives armed with a commanding physical presence and raw intent. At 38, this is **no late gamble, but a calculated strike**. A Challenge Tour title last season strongly hinted that he was ready for the next level. Now, with two full years guaranteed on the Pro Tour, Sneyd has the perfect runway to see just how far his explosive scoring can carry him.
Ciaran Culleton: Kilkenny’s New Professional
Kilkenny’s latest export completes this impressive quartet. Ciaran Culleton has **paid his dues in the quieter corners of the game**, consistently impressing and occasionally breaking through, and has now finally earned the chance to test himself against the elite. His Challenge Tour outings last year showed clear flashes of promise, and the Pro Tour will demand more from him – and undoubtedly help him deliver it.
Surrounded by familiar Irish company on the tour, including established names like Rock, Gurney, O’Connor, Dolan, Mansell, and Barry, Culleton steps forward knowing that amongst such talent, **improvement is no longer optional; it’s mandatory** for success at this level.
Four Paths Converge: What Comes Next?
Four tour cards. Four compelling stories. Four very different paths – all now converging on the same unforgiving but exhilarating road of professional darts. The journey has just begun for these players, and the darts world eagerly awaits their impact on the 2026/2027 Pro Tour season.
Source: Based on an article from Darts World Magazine.
