THE dates for the PDC Unicorn Youth Tour events to be held in 2012 have been confirmed.
The expansion of the Youth Tour will see seven weekends held, each offering three tournaments worth £3,000 each in prize money.
Five weekends will take place in the UK, with a further two weekends to be held in Germany and Holland, to give 21 events for the young players to compete in ahead of the World Youth Championship at the end of the year - meaning that over £90,000 prize money will be on offer during 2012
Each weekend will see two events held on a Saturday, with the first beginning at 12pm, and a third tournament played on Sunday (12pm start). All games will be the best of seven legs.
The PDC Unicorn Youth Tour weekends will be as follows:
April 21 & 22 - Moorways Centre, Derby
May 19 & 20 - Rivermead Centre, Reading
June 2 & 3 - Venue TBC, Germany or Holland
July 14 & 15 - Barnsley Metrodome
August 4 & 5 - Moorways Centre, Derby
September 29 & 30 - Robin Park Tennis Centre, Wigan
Dates TBC for one further weekend in Germany or Holland
Entry to each tournament will cost £30, and entry will be available online in due course. Please note that entries will only be accepted online in 2012.
The prize money breakdown for each tournament is:
Winner £500
Runner-Up £300
Semi-Finalists £200
Quarter-Finalists £100
Last 16 £75
Last 32 £50
PDC Unicorn Youth Tour events will be open to any player aged 14 or above, with an upper age limit of being 21 on January 1 2012. Players aged 21 at this time are eligible to compete in all 2012 events.
The PDC Unicorn World Youth Championship will follow the 21 Youth Tour events and be held later in 2012, with details to be announced later this year but a confirmed prize fund of £30,000 on offer.
Holland's Michael van Gerwen topped the PDC Unicorn Youth Tour in 2011, while second-placed Paul Barham and World Youth Championship finalist James Hubbard will turn professional this year after winning Tour Cards by virtue of their success in the youth events.