Grand Slam Spots For Fordham & Butler

ANDY FORDHAM and Larry Butler will make their SINGHA Beer Grand Slam of Darts debuts in November after winning through the BDO UK Qualifier in Hull on Tuesday.

The pair won through from a field of almost 200 players at Hull City Hall to claim two of the four BDO qualifying places on offer, with a further two spots to be decided at the European Qualifier later this month.

Fordham was the 2004 Lakeside Champion and is also a former World Masters champion who also had a two-year stint on the PDC circuit, but celebrated his return to form by securing his place at the Wolves Civic for the Sky Sports-televised event from November 7-15.

Fordham defeated Ivy Weishlow, Craig Robertson and Neil McDougall in the early rounds before knocking out Canada's Jeff Smith - a Lakeside Championship semi-finalist in January - in the last 32.

He then overcame Wales' Tim Jones to reach the last eight and edged out Northern Irish pair Darren Clifford and Neil Duff with 5-4 victories to seal his Wolverhampton spot.

American ace Butler, meanwhile, overcame former Grand Slam of Darts champion Scott Waites 5-3 in their decider as he won a place in the 32-player tournament.

He began the day with wins over Barry Copeland, Steven Warnock, Paul Green and Sean Fisher before then knocking out top seed Glen Durrant 5-4 in the last 16.

He also went all the way to a deciding leg against Wayne Warren before his victory over Waites saw him progress to Wolverhampton.

American ace Butler famously won the World Matchplay back in 1994 and is more recently a World Cup of Darts representative for the USA alongside Darin Young.

The duo join BDO stars Scott Mitchell - the reigning Lakeside Champion - Martin Adams, Martin Phillips and Geert De Vos in the SINGHA Beer Grand Slam of Darts, with the final two BDO qualifying places to be finalised.

The SINGHA Beer Grand Slam of Darts will be played from November 7-15 at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall, with tickets on sale from the Wolves Civic Box Office in person, by calling 0870 320 7000 or online via www.wolvescivic.co.uk.

SINGHA Beer Grand Slam of Darts
BDO UK Qualifier
Tuesday October 6, Hull City Hall
Last 32

Glen Durrant 5-0 Tony Broughton
Larry Butler 5-3 Sean Fisher
Rob Modra 5-2 Sam Head
Wayne Warren 5-1 Sandy Morrison
Joe Chaney 5-2 David Concannon
Jim Williams 5-1 Richard Bailey
Shaun Carroll 5-2 Liam Mitchell
Scott Waites 5-0 Gordon Morrison
Andy Chalmers 5-1 Paul Burke
Garry Thompson 5-0 Glyn Carus
Neil Duff 5-2 Paul Dawkins
Nick Kenny 5-3 Rory Orvis
Tim Jones 5-0 Josh McCarthy
Andy Fordham 5-2 Jeff Smith
Darren Clifford 5-4 Robert Nelson
Jamie Hughes 5-2 Owen Caffrey

Last 16
Larry Butler 5-4 Glen Durrant
Wayne Warren 5-1 Rob Modra
Joe Chaney 5-3 Jim Williams
Scott Waites 5-2 Shaun Carroll
Garry Thompson 5-2 Andy Chalmers
Neil Duff 5-2 Nick Kenny
Andy Fordham 5-2 Tim Jones
Darren Clifford 5-3 Jamie Hughes

Last Eight
Larry Butler 5-4 Wayne Warren
Scott Waites 5-1 Joe Chaney
Neil Duff 5-1 Garry Thompson
Andy Fordham 5-4 Darren Clifford

Last Four
Larry Butler 5-3 Scott Waites
Andy Fordham 5-4 Neil Duff