THE RACE to qualify for the BetVictor World Matchplay is heating up after last weekend’s Players Championship action in Wigan.
The summer’s biggest tournament will see a 32-player field competing from July 21-29 at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool, with a £500,000 prize fund on offer in the prestigious event.
The top 16 players from the PDC Order of Merit will qualify by right for the World Matchplay, and will be joined by 16 qualifiers from the one-year ProTour Order of Merit.
Last weekend saw two Players Championship events held at the Robin Park Tennis Centre in Wigan, as Jeffrey De Zwaan made a huge leap towards making his Blackpool debut.
The Dutchman moves into a provisional place for the World Matchplay after winning Players Championship Ten on Sunday, clinching the £10,000 prize with a win over Jonny Clayton in the final.
Clayton is also among five potential Blackpool debutants from the ProTour Order of Merit as he picked up £8,250 over the weekend.
Jermaine Wattimena kept himself in the hunt to play on the famous Winter Gardens stage, collecting £1,500 across the two days to put himself above Jelle Klaasen who now holds the last ProTour qualifying spot.
Former World Matchplay finalist Adrian Lewis continued his solid 2018 ProTour form in Wigan, winning £3,750 to put himself in a strong position to feature in Blackpool in July.
Germany’s Max Hopp and Romsey’s Richard North are also provisionally in line to make their World Matchplay debuts as they currently sit amongst the 16 ProTour Qualifiers.
The 16 ProTour Qualifiers will be joined by the top 16 players on the PDC Order of Merit, both as of July 2, 2018.
Players will compete in five European Tour events and six Players Championship events before that date, starting with the European Darts Grand Prix in Sindelfingen, Germany this Friday, May 4.
Tickets, hospitality packages and Thomas Cook Sport Breaks at the 2018 BetVictor World Matchplay are available now. Click here for more information.
Provisional PDC Order of Merit for BetVictor World Matchplay Cut-Off (after Players Championship Ten):
Provisional ProTour Order of Merit for BetVictor World Matchplay Cut-Off (after Players Championship Ten):
