Beau Greaves stormed to her third Winmau Development Tour title of 2025 on Friday, as 16-year-old Ryan Branley celebrated a landmark victory in Leicester.
Friday’s Development Tour double-header saw Events 6-7 take place at the Mattioli Arena, and it was Greaves who emerged through a 289-player field in the day's opener to extend her lead at the top of the Order of Merit.
The 21-year-old – having claimed a brace of titles across February’s opening weekend – made it three titles in the space of six events with a 5-3 success against Henry Coates in the Event Six decider.
Greaves kicked off proceedings with 11 and 12-dart holds, and while Coates hit back to level at three apiece, she responded with legs of 14 and 11 darts to triumph with a 100.68 average.
The two-time Women’s World Matchplay champion had raced through to the final for the loss of just four legs, following up 4-1 victories over Lewis Gurney and Joey Spitse with a trio of whitewash wins.
Greaves rattled off 12 consecutive legs in accounting for Keenan Carr, Wessel Tempelaars and David Schlichting, averaging over a ton in her fourth-round demolition of Tempelaars.
The Doncaster phenom then dispatched another Dutchman in the shape of Damian Vetjens, running out a 5-1 winner in their quarter-final clash, before overcoming Charlie Manby by the same scoreline in the semi-finals.
Manby – along with Owen Bates – posted a brace of ton-plus averages in an impressive campaign, although Tyler Thorpe delivered the performance of the event, averaging 113.43 in his last 128 encounter.
Greaves, meanwhile, continued her rampant run in the early stages of Event Seven, although her ten-match winning streak was halted by Tour Card Holder Cam Crabtree in the last 64.
However, teenage talent Branley - a product of the JDC system - stole the headlines in Event Seven, defeating Germany’s Dominik Gruellich in a last-leg shoot-out to secure his maiden Development Tour crown.
The Blyth-born youngster survived over half a dozen match darts in a dramatic climax, as he joined the likes of World Champion Luke Littler in winning a PDC title prior to turning 17.
Branley’s passage to glory began in routine style, as he whitewashed Jamie Rooksby and Zak Hughes, while also denying Germany’s Enrico Frank 4-2.
The 16-year-old then edged out Mason Whitlock – son of Australian icon Simon – and Patrik Williams in deciding-leg tussles, before seeing off Sweden’s Viktor Tingstrom and Jenson Walker in the quarter-finals and semi-finals respectively.
Gruellich – who earned his PDC Tour Card in January – demolished former UK Open semi-finalist Adam Gawlas in their last four showdown, but he was left to rue a host of missed opportunities in the final.
The 2025 Winmau Development Tour season continues with Events 8-9 on Saturday, before the weekend's action concludes on Sunday with Event Ten.
The top two players from the 2025 Development Tour Order of Merit will each win a PDC Tour Card for 2026-27 and a place in the 2025/26 Paddy Power World Darts Championship.
Greaves now boasts a £4,150 lead over her closest challenger Owen Bates on the Development Tour Order of Merit, with Manby, Bradly Roes and Sebastian Bialecki making up the current top five.
The event draws and results are listed in the Match Centre.
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2025 Winmau Development Tour
Friday March 28, Mattioli Arena, Leicester
Event Six
Quarter-Finals
Cam Crabtree 5-1 Bram van Dijk
Henry Coates 5-2 Bradly Roes
Beau Greaves 5-1 Damian Vetjens
Charlie Manby 5-3 Jurjen van der Velde
Semi-Finals
Henry Coates 5-4 Cam Crabtree
Beau Greaves 5-1 Charlie Manby
Final
Beau Greaves 5-3 Henry Coates
Event Seven
Quarter-Finals
Jenson Walker 5-4 Kyle Manton
Ryan Branley 5-1 Viktor Tingstrom
Adam Gawlas 5-2 Dylan Quinn
Dominik Gruellich 5-4 James Buckby
Semi-Finals
Ryan Branley 5-3 Jenson Walker
Dominik Gruellich 5-0 Adam Gawlas
Final
Ryan Branley 5-4 Dominik Gruellich