PDC Q-School 2026: Youth and experience triumph on final day

Darts World

PDC Q-School 2026: Youth and experience triumph on final day image

PDC

The final day of this year's Q-School saw the latest youth  prodigy burst through into the professional as well as the return of some storied names of a previous generations. Charlie Manby, Samuel Price, Jeffrey De Zwaan and Sietse Lap secured the final four automatic Tour Cards at their respective Qualifying Schools on Sunday, whilst the remaining 13 Tour Cards went out to players via two separate Order of Merit’s, with veteran Mervyn King and the reigning WDF World Champion Jimmy Van Schie amongst the names to do so, as the week’s action concluded in Milton Keynes and Kalkar, Germany. 

 

UK Q School  

Manby, who rose to prominence with his run to the Last 16 of the PDC World Darts Championship last month, secured a two-year Tour Card for the first time in his career, as the 20-year-old recorded victories on the day against Martin Grearson, Matthew Dennant, Daniel Ayres, Steve Beaton, Luke Smith and Mervyn King in his decider.  

Samuel Price was the eighth and final automatic Tour Card winner in the UK, as the Englishman recorded victories against Jamie Kelling, George Killington, Derek Coulsen, Arron Monk, Stephen Burton and Lewis Pride in his decider to secure a place on the PDC circuit for the first time. 

Elsewhere, the five Tour Card winners via the UK Order of Merit were headlined by seven-time major finalist Mervyn King, who previously held a Tour Card between 2011-2024, with the veteran finishing 2nd overall on 10 points just behind Stephen Burton, who immediately secured a return to the professional circuit by ending on 14 points. The remaining spots went to England’s Tyler Thorpe, Ireland’s Stephen Rosney and Scotland’s David Sharp, all of which won Tour Cards for the first time in their careers.  

THE PDC Q-SCHOOLHow to win a Pro Tour golden ticket

European Q School  

Former World Matchplay Semi Finalist Jeffrey De Zwaan secured a return to the PDC circuit by coming through automatically on Day Four in Europe, as the Dutchman recorded victories against Mitja Gustorf, Daniel Klose, Alexander Merkx, Andreas Harrysson, Pascal Rupprecht and Mika Donnevert in his decider with ‘The Black Cobra’ regaining his Tour Card having previously lost it at the end of 2024.  

De Zwaan’s compatriot Sietse Lap secured a two-year Tour Card for the first time in his career, as he recorded victories against Joachim Duerbeck, Alexander-Veigar Thorvaldsson, Teemu Harju, Damian Vetjens, Jurjen Van der Velde and Boris Krcmar in his decider, denying the Croatian in a two-way fight for the last remaining Tour Card.  

Elsewhere, the eight Tour Card winners via the European Order of Merit were headlined by the 2025 WDF World Champion Jimmy Van Schie, who was confirmed as a Tour Card winner following the conclusion of Day Three of the Final Stage. Joining him were a trio of compatriots in Chris Landman, Jurjen Van der Velde and Alexander Merkx, the latter of which secured a place on the PDC circuit for the first time. Also regaining a Tour Card were Former UK Open Semi Finalist Adam Gawlas and Germany’s Pascal Rupprecht, with Marvin Kraft and Benjamin Pratnemer completing the list and both picking up Tour Cards as well for the first time.  

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2026 UK Qualifying School 

Final Stage Day Four- Sunday 11th January  

Last 16  

Tyler Thorpe 6-2 Lee Cocks 

Mervyn King 6-5 Derek Maclean  

Luke Smith 6-3 Lloyd Walker 

Charlie Manby 6-4 Steve Beaton 

Lewis Pride 6-4 Darren Beveridge 

Andrew Cass 6-5 Callum Wilson 

Samuel Price 6-2 Arron Monk  

Stephen Burton 6-3 Stephen Rosney  

 

Quarter Finals 

Mervyn King 6-2 Tyler Thorpe 

Charlie Manby 6-4 Luke Smith  

Lewis Pride 6-4 Andrew Cass 

Samuel Price 6-3 Stephen Burton 

 

Semi Finals 

Charlie Manby 6-2 Mervyn King 

Samuel Price 6-5 Lewis Pride 

 

2026 European Qualifying School 

Final Stage Day Four 

Last 16 

Sietse Lap 6-5 Damian Vetjens 

Jurjen Van der Velde 6-2 Chris Landman  

Boris Krcmar 6-2 Pal Szekely 

Gilbert Van der Meijden 6-0 Danny Jansen 

Mika Donnevert 6-3 Martijn Dragt 

Jose De Sousa 6-3 Marvin Kraft 

Pascal Rupprecht 6-0 Adam Sevada 

Jeffrey De Zwaan 6-5 Andreas Harrysson 

 

Quarter Finals 

Sietse Lap 6-4 Jurjen Van der Velde 

Boris Krcmar 6-4 Gilbert Van der Meijden  

Mika Donnevert 6-1 Jose De Sousa 

Jeffrey De Zwaan 6-5 Pascal Rupprecht 

 

Semi Finals 

Sietse Lap 6-5 Boris Krcmar 

Jeffrey De Zwaan 6-2 Mika Donnevert 

 

UK Qualifying School  

Tour Card Winners 

Rhys Griffin, Adam Leek, Carl Sneyd, Niall Culleton, Tom Sykes, Shane McGuirk, Charlie Manby, Samuel Price, Stephen Burton, Mervyn King, Tyler Thorpe, Stephen Rosney, David Sharp.  

 

European Qualifying School  

Tour Card Winners  

Filip Bereza, Arno Merk, Jeffrey Sparidaans, Cristo Reyes, Matthias Ehlers, Yorick Hefkens, Jeffrey De Zwaan, Sietse Lap, Jimmy Van Schie, Chris Landman, Marvin Kraft, Benjamin Pratnemer, Adam Gawlas, Jurjen Van der Velde, Alexander Merkx, Pascal Rupprecht.  

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Staff Writer