Not everyone can be a Luke. While Messrs Littler, Humphries and Woodhouse thrive within the top bracket of professional darts spare a thought for those at the other end of the rankings ladder.
As the long PDC season nears its end, that dreaded trapdoor is creaking open - and a fair few players are standing right on top of it - including some storied names - praying the hinges hold a little longer.
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If you’re not inside the top 64 after two years on tour, that door doesn’t just swing open - it launches you straight into Q-School or, if you’re wise, all of the increasingly attractive alternatives now on offer. Because in 2025, losing your PDC Tour Card isn’t quite the career-ending tragedy it once was. Thanks to thriving setups like the ADC, MODUS, and even the WDF falling off the PDC ladder can actually lead to a softer landing - and for some, a much smoother ride.
Still, for most, the PDC remains the dream - and for a few, the nightmare. We’re officially at the business end of the season: three tournaments left to save their skin… assuming they’ve even qualified for them.
Technically, every current Tour Card holder - whether they’re booked for the Grand Slam, Minehead, or Ally Pally - still has a mathematical shot at keeping their status or even cracking the top four with a £1m cheque dangling in North London. The last real chance comes on 24 November, when those who haven’t yet qualified for the Worlds fight it out for five golden tickets to Alexandra Palace.
So let’s take a look at who’s sweating bullets right now - those outside the top 64, already missing from Wolves and Minehead, and now clinging to hope in the World Championship Qualifier Last Chance Saloon.
The Danger Zone
- 67. Florian Hempel
- 68. Stephen Burton
- 74. Dylan Slevin
- 78. Andy Baetens
- 79. Jim Williams
- 86. Jose De Sousa
- 87. Rhys Griffin
- 88. Berry van Peer
- 90. Adam Hunt
- 91. Patrick Geeraets
- 92. Robert Grundy
- 93. Nathan Rafferty
- 94. Jitse van der Wal
- 95. Radek Szaganski
- 96. Jelle Klaasen
- 99. Martin Dragt
- 101. Danny Lauby
- 102. Haupai Puha
- 104. William Borland
- 105. Benjamin Reus
- 107. Brett Claydon
- 108. George Killington
- 114. Michele Turetta
- 121. Joshua Richardson
Should any of these players take the Q-School route in January, they’ll at least skip the opening circus - where Pete and Brian from the Dog & Duck will once again rock up convinced that a 45 average and a lucky checkout will get them a card.
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But here’s the truth - it’s not all doom and gloom. In fact, the darting world outside the PDC has never looked healthier.
Take Florian Hempel, the highest-ranked name currently outside the cut. He’s earned just shy of £79,000 in two years - not bad going, but not exactly Bentley money either. However, he is at the rich end of that scale of players looking in danger of dropping off. Compare that to what’s now available across the growing amateur and semi-pro circuits, and suddenly, the “trapdoor” looks more like a side entrance to opportunity.
The ADC is on fire - their upcoming Global Championship will hand someone a £60k cheque. The MODUS and Vault series continue to thrive (though no Tour Card holders allowed there either), and for those who fancy a trip down memory lane the WDF has bounced back strongly. Offers another competitive and profitable playground.
So yes, the trapdoor might be swinging open, but it’s no longer the dark pit it used to be. For many, it’s leading straight onto a greener oche.
And that’s the beauty of darts in 2025 - you don’t need a PDC badge to earn a living, throw world-class arrows, or live the darting dream. You just need talent, grit, and maybe a good satnav… because there are more roads than ever to tungsten glory.
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