WES NEWTON'S run to the final of the Canadian Players Championship on Sunday has boosted his hopes of winning a Skybet World Grand Prix qualification spot.
The Fleetwood ace reached his first PDC Pro Tour final for over two years in London, Ontario, losing to Dennis Priestley in the decider.
But the £2,500 prize money he won has moved him into the provisional 12 qualifiers from the Players Championship Order of Merit.
He has now won £7,600 in Players Championships this year, £600 ahead of Jelle Klaasen and £6,500 ahead of Co Stompe.
Andy Jenkins trails Newton by £1,600, with Tony Eccles £1,800 adrift going into the final three Players Championships before the cut-off for the World Grand Prix - in Atlanta this Saturday and then a double-header in Austria on September 5 & 6.
Paul Nicholson's victory in the Australian Open Players Championship has lifted him to ninth of the current provisional qualifiers.
The field for the tournament will consist of the top 16 from the main PDC Order of Merit at September 7, plus the 12 leading non-qualified players from the Players Championship Order of Merit plus the four leading players from Ireland/Northern Ireland from the Players Championship Order of Merit.
John MaGowan, Brendan Dolan, Mick McGowan and Ray Farrell currently occupy those four positions, with Jacko Barry just £100 behind Farrell.
The Skybet World Grand Prix takes place from October 5-11 at the Citywest Hotel, Dublin.
Tickets are still on sale - call 00353 1 401 0505 or contact darts09@citywesthotel.com for more details. Click here for full prices
Skybet World Grand Prix
Current Qualifiers (August 18)
PDC Top 16
Phil Taylor, James Wade, Raymond van Barneveld, John Part, Terry Jenkins, Mervyn King, Ronnie Baxter, Adrian Lewis, Colin Lloyd, Alan Tabern, Dennis Priestley, Colin Osborne, Mark Walsh, Wayne Mardle, Kevin Painter, Andy Hamilton.
Current Players Championship Qualifiers
| Gary Anderson | £19,500 |
| Robert Thornton | £19,100 |
| Andy Smith | £12,300 |
| Wayne Jones | £11,200 |
| Mark Dudbridge | £11,000 |
| Michael van Gerwen | £10,900 |
| Steve Beaton | £10,200 |
| Vincent van der Voort | £9,900 |
| Paul Nicholson | £8,950 |
| Denis Ovens | £7,800 |
| Jamie Caven | £7,600 |
| Wes Newton | £7,600 |
| - | |
| Jelle Klaasen | £7,100 |
| Co Stompe | £6,500 |
| Andy Jenkins | £6,000 |
| Tony Eccles | £5,800 |
| Steve Hine | £5,500 |
| Peter Wright | £5,400 |
Current Irish/Northern Irish Qualifiers
| John MaGowan | £1,700 |
| Brendan Dolan | £1,400 |
| Mick McGowan | £1,300 |
| Ray Farrell | £800 |
| - | |
| Jacko Barry | £700 |