How The European Tour Has Changed Darts

European Tour

Christopher Kempf takes a look at how the European Tour has changed professional darts for the better.

2018 Unibet European Championship Draw

Machineseeker European Championship

MICHAEL VAN GERWEN begins his defence of the Unibet European Championship title against Paul Nicholson - field & draw confirmed.

2018 European Darts Trophy Day Two

European Tour

JELLE KLAASEN defeated world number two Peter Wright to progress to the Last 16 of the European Darts Trophy.

2018 European Darts Trophy Day One

European Tour

STEVE BEATON survived a match dart to defeat Kim Huybrechts 6-5 in the first round of the European Darts Trophy.

Klaasen Targets Strong End To 'Difficult' Year

Machineseeker European Championship

JELLE KLAASEN is targeting a strong end to a tough 2018.

Schindler Heads ET13 Host Nation Qualifiers

European Tour

MARTIN SCHINDLER headlined the six Host Nation Qualifiers for the European Darts Trophy on Thursday night.

2018 European Darts Trophy Draw/Schedule

European Tour

FORMER European Tour event winners Kim Huybrechts & Steve Beaton will clash in Friday's first round at the European Darts Trophy.

Unibet European Championship Qualification Latest

Machineseeker European Championship

THE RACE to qualify for the Unibet European Championship culminates with the European Darts Trophy.

ET13 UK Qualifiers Confirmed

European Tour

STEVE BEATON, Stephen Bunting and Mervyn King were among the players to secure their place in the European Darts Trophy.

TEN players, led by former European Tour event winners Steve Beaton and Mervyn King and UK Open champion Nathan Aspinall, secured places in both the Austrian Darts Open and European Darts Grand Prix on Friday.

The UK Qualifier saw 18 places in each event on offer for players in Barnsley, with veteran stars Beaton and King progressing unscathed to secure places in both May tournaments.

UK Open champion Aspinall will also be in action in both Graz and Sindelfingen after he qualified, with former Lakeside Champion Stephen Bunting also enjoying a double success.

Former World Youth Champion Keegan Brown, hot on the heels of his recent semi-final run at the German Darts Championship, was another double qualifier, alongside Chris Dobey, Ross Smith, Jamie Hughes and Ryan Searle.

Dutchman Jeffrey de Zwaan also enjoyed a qualification double as he won through the European Tour Card Holder Qualifier for both tournaments in a strong night of form.

De Zwaan's fellow Premier League Contenders Steve Lennon and John Henderson were amongst the UK Qualifiers for the Austrian Darts Open, alongside another former Lakeside Champion, Mark Webster.

Andrew Gilding, Devon Petersen, Conan Whitehead, Jamie Bain, Mark Barilli and Mark Wilson were the other qualifiers for the Austrian Darts Open.

The UK Qualifiers for the European Darts Grand Prix were led by Lakeside Champion Glen Durrant, who edged out Arron Monk 6-5 to secure his place in Sindelfingen.

World Championship quarter-finalist Brendan Dolan, 2018 UK Open semi-finalist Robert Owen, former World Youth Championship runner-up Josh Payne and former BDO number one Mark McGeeney also qualified, alongside Dave Prins, Gavin Carlin, Matthew Edgar and James Richardson.

Five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld headlined the six players to qualify for the Austrian Darts Open through the European Tour Card Holder Qualifier.

Fellow Dutchmen De Zwaan and Dirk van Duijvenbode, Belgium's Kim Huybrechts, Lithuania's Darius Labanauskas and Polish World Cup representative Tytus Kanik also secured spots in Graz.

Van Barneveld was denied by World Youth Champion Dimitri Van den Bergh as the Belgian secured his place in the European Darts Grand Prix in Friday's second qualifier.

Poland's Krzysztof Ratajski denied Labanauskas a qualification double, while Latvia's Madars Razma survived missed match darts from Martin Schindler as he qualified for the Sindelfingen event.

Former UK Open finalist Vincent van der Voort and PDC Unicorn Development Tour event winner Niels Zonneveld also progressed to play in the European Darts Grand Prix.

The PDC ProTour weekend continues on Saturday with the first of two Players Championship events being held at the Barnsley Metrodome.

Live coverage from both Saturday and Sunday's Players Championship events will be available for PDCTV-HD Subscribers worldwide.

Match stats & results can be seen via DartConnect.

Austrian Darts Open
UK Qualifier stats & results
European Tour Card Holder stats & results

European Darts Grand Prix
UK Qualifier stats & results
European Tour Card Holder stats & results

Austrian Darts Open (ET5)
UK Qualifier
Final Matches

Mervyn King 6-3 Matt Clark
Andrew Gilding 6-0 Scott Taylor
Steve Beaton 6-3 Justin Pipe
Devon Petersen 6-5 Steve West
Stephen Bunting 6-4 Nathan Rafferty
Conan Whitehead 6-1 James Wilson
Steve Lennon 6-1 Bradley Brooks
Jamie Bain 6-3 Kyle Anderson
John Henderson 6-5 Reece Robinson
Mark Webster 6-3 Josh Payne
Keegan Brown 6-1 Adam Hunt
Nathan Aspinall 6-4 Luke Woodhouse
Chris Dobey 6-5 Matthew Dennant
Ross Smith 6-2 Richard North
Mark Barilli 6-4 Dave Prins
Jamie Hughes 6-1 Wayne Jones
Ryan Searle 6-4 James Richardson
Mark Wilson 6-3 Brendan Dolan

UK Qualifiers: Mervyn King, Andrew Gilding, Steve Beaton, Devon Petersen, Stephen Bunting, Conan Whitehead, Steve Lennon, Jamie Bain, John Henderson, Mark Webster, Keegan Brown, Nathan Aspinall, Chris Dobey, Ross Smith, Mark Barilli, Jamie Hughes, Ryan Searle, Mark Wilson

European Tour Card Holder Qualifier
Final Matches

Darius Labanauskas 6-4 Christian Bunse
Raymond van Barneveld 6-2 Madars Razma
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-2 Krzysztof Ratajski
Tytus Kanik 6-1 Jan Dekker
Jeffrey de Zwaan 6-4 Ron Meulenkamp
Kim Huybrechts 6-5 Mike van Duivenbode

European Qualifiers: Darius Labanauskas, Raymond van Barneveld, Dirk van Duijvenbode, Tytus Kanik, Jeffrey de Zwaan, Kim Huybrechts

European Darts Grand Prix (ET6)
UK Qualifier
Final Matches

Mervyn King 6-0 Adam Hunt
Jamie Hughes 6-2 Alan Norris
Steve Beaton 6-5 David Pallett
Matthew Edgar 6-2 Steve West
Stephen Bunting 6-5 Kevin Burness
Mark McGeeney 6-1 Mark Webster
Robert Owen 6-2 Barrie Bates
Dave Prins 6-3 Devon Petersen
Gavin Carlin 6-5 John Henderson
Josh Payne 6-5 Andy Boulton
Keegan Brown 6-5 William O'Connor
Nathan Aspinall 6-5 Mark Wilson
Chris Dobey 6-2 Nathan Rafferty
Ross Smith 6-4 Ryan Meikle
James Richardson 6-2 Robert Thornton
Glen Durrant 6-5 Arron Monk
Ryan Searle 6-5 Daniel Ayres
Brendan Dolan 6-3 Richard North

UK Qualifiers: Mervyn King, Jamie Hughes, Steve Beaton, Matthew Edgar, Stephen Bunting, Mark McGeeney, Robert Owen, Dave Prins, Gavin Carlin, Josh Payne, Keegan Brown, Nathan Aspinall, Chris Dobey, Ross Smith, James Richardson, Glen Durrant, Ryan Searle, Brendan Dolan

European Tour Card Holder Qualifier
Final Matches

Niels Zonneveld 6-4 Vincent Kamphuis
Jeffrey de Zwaan 6-5 Mario Robbe
Krzysztof Ratajski 6-4 Darius Labanauskas
Dimitri Van den Bergh 6-4 Raymond van Barneveld
Vincent van der Voort 6-2 John Michael
Madars Razma 6-5 Martin Schindler

European Qualifiers: Niels Zonneveld, Jeffrey de Zwaan, Krzysztof Ratajski, Dimitri Van den Bergh, Vincent van der Voort, Madars Razma