TWO European Tour events remain before the cut-off for qualification for October's Unibet World Grand Prix in Dublin, with three players in line to make their debuts in the double-start event.
The World Grand Prix, to be held from October 1-7 at the Citywest Hotel, will see 32 players competing in the unique double-start format, where all legs have to both begin and end with a double.
The world's top 16 players are joined by 16 qualifiers from the ProTour Order of Merit in competing in the tournament.
Following last weekend's Players Championship double-header in Barnsley, just two £135,000 European Tour events now remain before the cut-off for qualification on September 11.
The current top 16 from the PDC Order of Merit is headed by reigning champion Michael van Gerwen, while 11-time World Grand Prix winner Phil Taylor's move up to fourth with his World Matchplay win recently would see him amongst the eight seeded players.
Robert Thornton, the 2015 World Grand Prix champion, is currently holding the 16th and final Order of Merit qualifying position, ahead of Alan Norris and Simon WHitlock.
Norris and Whitlock, though, would be amongst the 16 ProTour Order of Merit qualifiers, alongside former Dublin finalist Mervyn King.
Rob Cross and Christian Kist are in line to make their World Grand Prix debuts alongside Richard North, who won through to Sunday's Players Championship final in Barnsley to edge ahead of Jonny Clayton in the current standings.
North's position is strengthened by his qualification for the European Tour events in Maastricht and Mannheim in early September, with Clayton, Chris Dobey, Mark Webster, Robbie Green and Kevin Painter missing out on spots in those tournaments.
Ronny Huybrechts, Vincent van der Voort and Dimitri Van den Bergh, who are all within £5,000 of North, could still qualify for both events to keep alive their hopes of snatching qualification.
Steve West and John Henderson are also competing in the Dutch Darts Masters next weekend as they bid to secure their spots in the World Grand Prix.
The remaining events before the cut-off for qualification are:
Dutch Darts Masters (ET10) - September 1-3, MECC, Maastricht
HappyBet German Darts Grand Prix (ET11) - September 8-10, Maimarkhalle, Mannheim
For tickets, visit www.pdc-europe.tv
Tickets for the Unibet World Grand Prix are available online through www.ticketmaster.ie as well as from the Citywest Hotel on 00353 (0)1 401 0505 or via darts17@citywesthotel.com.
Unibet World Grand Prix
Current Provisional Qualifiers - at August 7 2017, with ET10 and ET11 prize money to be added
