Leonard Gates, Jim Long and Stowe Buntz will make their second World Darts Championship appearances in December, after sealing their returns via the Championship Darts Corporation circuit.
The final three events of the CDC ProTour season took place in Indianapolis from September 21-22, as North America’s leading stars battled it out for World Championship qualification.
The enigmatic Gates will make his second appearance in the sport’s flagship event after finishing top of the 2024 CDC Order of Merit, having claimed a hat-trick of titles earlier in the season.
Canadian veteran Long will also make his Alexandra Palace return after a six-year hiatus, reaching back-to-back finals in Indianapolis to finish as the highest-ranked Canadian representative on the CDC Order of Merit.
Buntz – a World Championship debutant 12 months ago - will make his immediate return to the capital after finishing in third position on the final standings, courtesy of his run to Sunday’s Event 14 final.
The former Grand Slam quarter-finalist was beaten in Sunday’s showpiece by a superb Adam Sevada, who finished the season in fourth, just ahead of David Cameron in fifth.
Sevada was the weekend’s star performer, kicking off the weekend’s action with a deciding-leg victory against Long in Event 12.
The American swept aside Jacob Brooks, Nick Linberg, Jacob Taylor and David Cameron for the loss of just two legs in progressing to the semi-finals, where he ran out a 7-4 winner against Jeff Springer.
Sevada then produced a string of superb performances to triumph in Event 14, overcoming Kiley Edmunds, Brian Fenlon, Cameron and Jason Watt, before averaging 100.92 in a 7-3 success against Buntz.
Jake Womack was the weekend’s other winner, condemning Long to another deciding-leg defeat to secure the second CDC title of his career.
Womack also averaged 101 in his quarter-final win against Taylor, and after demolishing former UK Open runner-up Gary Mawson 7-1 in the semi-finals, he overturned a 6-5 deficit to defeat Long in Event 13.
Following the conclusion of the 2024 Championship Darts Circuit Main Tour, the 16-player field for next month’s Continental Cup has now been confirmed.
The top 16 players in North America will battle it out for the coveted title on October 18-19, with the winner set to earn a spot in November’s Grand Slam of Darts and the 2025 US Darts Masters.
Gates, Long and Buntz will be among the headline attractions in the 16-player field, which also includes three-time World Champion John Part, who clinched the final qualification spot over the weekend.
Larry Butler – the winner of the inaugural World Matchplay in 1994 – will also feature in Philadelphia, alongside two-time North American Champion Jeff Smith and 2022 Continental Cup winner Alex Spellman.
Tickets for the 2024 Continental Cup start at $10 and are available at ticketsource.us/Champdarts.
2024 Championship Darts Corporation Tour
Friday September 20, Brownsburg, Indiana
Event 12
Semi-Finals
Jim Long 7-0 Chris Caldwell
Adam Sevada 7-4 Jeff Springer
Final
Adam Sevada 7-6 Jim Long
Saturday September 21
Event 13
Semi-Finals
Jim Long 7-5 Doug Boehm
Jake Womack 7-1 Gary Mawson
Final
Jake Womack 7-6 Jim Long
Sunday September 22
Event 14
Semi-Finals
Stowe Buntz 7-3 Alex Spellman
Adam Sevada 7-5 Jason Watt
Final
Adam Sevada 7-3 Stowe Buntz
World Darts Championship Representatives:
Leonard Gates (USA)
Jim Long (Canada)
Stowe Buntz (USA)
Continental Cup Qualifiers
1. Leonard Gates
2. Jim Long
3. Stowe Buntz
4. Adam Sevada
5. David Cameron
6. Alex Spellman
7. Jacob Taylor
8. Jake Womack
9. Gary Mawson
10. Doug Boehm
11. Jeff Springer
12. Steve Warnock
13. Joey Lynaugh
14. Larry Butler
15. Jeff Smith
16. John Part