AUSSIE STAR ANDERSON & DUTCH YOUNGSTER WIN PDC TOUR CARDS AS ALCINAS & GILDING RETAIN PRO STATUS
Australian star Anderson followed up his brilliant nine-darter in last month^s Ladbrokes World Darts Championship by earning the chance to join the professional circuit full-time as he returned to England in style.
The 26-year-old, based in Mount Morgan in Queensland, won seven matches on Wednesday as he secured a Tour Card, which will enable him to play in all PDC ProTour events this year as he takes the step from being the leading player on the DartPlayers Australia circuit to the world stage.
He defeated Joshua Priestley, Philip Wathen, Mick Bushby, Darren Whittingham and Stuart White to win through to the day^s semi-final matches, where he enjoyed a 5-2 victory over former Lakeside Champion Christian Kist.
Anderson then defeated Keegan Brown - the youngster from the Isle of Wight who had defeated Phil Taylor in a Players Championship in 2013 - with a 5-3 triumph in their decider as he won a Tour Card at the first time of asking from a field of 340 competitiors in Wigan.
"I^m almost lost for words - it^s a very big day for me," admitted Anderson. "To come all the way over to England and to do this in the first day of Qualifying School, you just can^t put a price on it.
"I was preparing myself for possibly four very hard days and when I walked into the venue and saw over 300 people, you realise just how tough it will be.
"I wanted to play well and I did that, and I really got on a roll towards the end. Playing Christian Kist was a big game and I was very much in the zone - someone said I hit seven 180s in as many legs, but I was only thinking about winning - and after that I couldn^t underestimate Keegan.
"It^s not sunk in yet and I^ll be getting straight on the phone to my family back home to let them know that I^ve won a Tour Card.
"I^d said to my partner that we could possibly look to move over to the UK if I won a Tour Card, bringing her and my son with me, so we^ll see if I can get the sponsorship for that now because I^d love to go all the way in the game."
Benito van de Pas, a 20-year-old from Tilburg, won an all-Dutch decider with Joey ten Berge 5-4 as he also secured a Tour Card to turn professional on the PDC circuit - although he had to come from 4-3 down to take victory in a dramatic game.
Den Haag^s Ten Berge, 28, moved to the brink of victory only to be denied a shot at a double in the eighth leg as van de Pas took out 100 with two double tops to send the match all the way, and when his opponent missed three match darts in the decider, double ten gave the Tilburg ace victory.
The youngster, a PDC Challenge Tour winner in 2013 who recently made his third successive Lakeside Championship appearance, also defeated Mark Breakspear, William O^Connor, Andy Pearce, Mark Pritchard and Steve Hine on the day.
"It^s great and I^m so happy right now," said van de Pas. "I played some good games today and beat some top players.
"The final game for me was so hard because I play Superleague darts with Joey and I know him so well. When I got back to four-all I thought I^d blown it when I missed one dart to win, but he missed three doubles and my double ten was brilliant.
"I^ve had some good experience so far but it^s been my dream to play on the ProTour and against all the big names. I^d planned to try and play the Youth Tour and Challenge Tour events but now I can play all the time on the ProTour and I^m targeting the European Tour events and the UK Open first."
Spanish ace Alcinas had dropped out of the world^s top 64 - and the top 100 of the PDC Order of Merit - in the past year to mean that he was forced to head to Qualifying School to retain his PDC ProTour status.
However, the 34-year-old from Mallorca won through with flying colours, defeating Matthew Edgar 5-1 in his opener before whitewashing Belgium^s Rocco Maes and Kevin Bambrick.
He then overcame top young prospect Matthew Dennant 5-3 and defeated former UK Open qualifier David Dodds 5-2 to reach the last eight, where a 5-3 victory against experienced Brian Woods saw him seal his Tour Card.
"I^m really happy to have kept my Tour Card," said Alcinas. "It^s my first time in Qualifying School and there was a lot of pressure, so I^m very relieved to have played so well today.
"It has been hard for me in the last year but I^ve put a lot of hard work in recently and it has all been worth it, and I hope this is the start of a good year for me.
"I^ll stay for the weekend to support the other players from Spain and Gibraltar now, but it^s great that I^ve managed to qualify on the first day!"
Two-time UK Open Qualifier Andrew Gilding, a Tour Card winner in 2012 who has enjoyed two years on the PDC circuit, joined Alcinas in retaining his Tour Card status in Wigan on the opening day.
The 43-year-old from Bungay, Suffolk, saw off Mark Forman, Gibraltar^s Dylan Duo and Stuart Bousfield before seeing off Scottish duo Jim Walker and Mark Barilli to reach the decider.
He saved his most comprehensive win for his final game, where he whitewashed Aberdeen-based newcomer Jamie Bain 5-0 to seal his Tour Card.
"It^s absolutely fantastic," said Gilding. "I started a bit slowly in the first couple of games but I came through and I^m really chuffed.
"It was a different experience this year in Q School than in 2012 because I know a lot more about the other players now, whereas I didn^t back then, and I^ve got a lot more experience.
"The last couple of years has been huge for me and I^m a better player because of that. I^ve played in the UK Open and on the European Tour and I love the stage - and I want to experience more of it!"
Dutch star Kist was joined in losing in the day^s penultimate rounds of games by left-hander Mark Hylton, Coventry^s Steve Hine, recent World Championship qualifier Ian Moss, York^s Terry Temple, Scotland^s Mark Barilli, County Durham^s David Dodds and newcomer Jason Lovett.
There was disappointment, though, for former world number one Peter Manley, 1996 World Matchplay champion Peter Evison and 2005 UK Open finalist Barrie Bates, who all lost their first games on the day.
The four players who lost in the day^s final all picked up nine ranking points which will count towards the Q School Order of Merit from which further Tour Cards will be allocated following the completion of the four days in Wigan.
The 2014 PDC Qualifying School continues on Thursday with Day Two, as the field of over 300 players return to the Robin Park Tennis Centre to play off for four further automatic Tour Cards.
2014 PDC Qualifying School
Day One - January 15 2014
Preliminary Round (Last 512)
Gaz Cousins 5-3 Lee Martin
Adrian Daniels 5-2 Robert Fuller
Jamie Robinson 5-4 Luke Woodhouse
Nathan Derry 5-1 Dave Place
Dan Read 5-0 Michael Uxa
Mark Hylton 5-1 Michael Beal
Jack Tweddell 5-3 Tony Stone
Jake Patchett 5-0 Liam Fox
Michael Bushby 5-4 Gerwyn Price
Stuart Holden 5-2 Jamie Atkins
James Bevan 5-1 John Trembeth
Alan Tabern 5-0 Raymond Balbach
Nathan Richards 5-3 Tom Morley
Scott Hudson 5-3 Gary Eastwood
Andy Relf 5-3 Darren Williams
Martin Homer 5-2 Dan Dean
Andy Pearce 5-2 Wayne Dunn
Dave Ladley 5-1 John Ferrell
Manuel Croskery 5-2 Richie Howson
Nick Fullwell 5-3 Lewis McGurn
Mark Frost 5-2 Andrew Halls
Colin Rice 5-3 Anthony Wort
Carlos Rodriguez 5-2 Mike Gorst
Doug Thompson 5-4 Wayne Thomas
Keith Rooney 5-2 Simon Pratt
John Scott 5-1 Colin Feeley
Ricky Sudale 5-2 Carl Sparrow
Andrew Johnson 5-2 Stuart Stubbs
Jason Lovett 5-1 Par Riihonen
Jamie Landon 5-4 Michael Waterworth
Nick Paenen 5-4 Maurice Whelan
Paul Carter 5-1 Lee Hunter
Jason Wilson 5-0 Paul Osmotherly
Stuart Bousfield 5-1 Lee Frost
Jeff Batham 5-3 Richard van Zijtveld
Jonathan Worsley 5-1 Andy Hutchings
Jim Walker 5-1 Alan Derrett
Andy Pearson 5-0 Glyn Thomas
Ian Lever 5-2 Jason Murphy
Dave Honey 5-3 Reece Robinson
Darrell Claydon 5-2 Jay Walford
Garry Spedding 5-0 Richard Ludlow
Steve Maish 5-2 Adam Smith-Neale
Tony Tasker 5-1 Lance Hackett
Matt Clark 5-1 Lee Cusworth
Matt Padgett 5-3 Marcel Hirzel
Christian Kist 5-4 Mike Norton
Robbie Parker 5-4 Keith Stephen
Mick Bushby 5-2 Karsten Kornath
Kyle Anderson 5-2 Joshua Priestley
Philip Wathen 5-0 Peter Walford
Mike Nott 5-1 Roy Lowe
Stuart White 5-0 Nicholas Bloor
Mark Stephenson 5-4 Dave Harper
Alex Roy 5-2 Sean Ryan
Luke Kennedy 5-1 Damian Edmonds
John Newland 5-2 Lee Hayes
John Crossley 5-0 Brandon Walsh
Max Hopp 5-4 Peter Evison
Tony Richardson 5-1 Arron Wike
Danny Pinhorne 5-3 John Brammeld
Darron Brown 5-2 Peter Roebuck
Paul Redfern 5-3 Oliver Stell
John Goldie 5-4 Rees Hall
Ben Davies 5-4 Ben Gaitor
Bernd Roith 5-4 Stephen Gallimore
Mareno Michels 5-0 Ian Dargan
Jamie Guilfoyle 5-2 Geoff Whitworth
Terry Temple 5-0 Tony Baker
Eric van Meel 5-3 Sam Hamilton
Brian Woods 5-2 Michael Harrison
Sam Hill 5-3 Brian Lewis
Nathan Aspinall 5-3 Mark Jones (W Mids)
Shaun Littler 5-2 Dyson Parody
Joe Lacey 5-3 Phil Henshaw
Trevor Williams 5-1 Lawrence Dixon
Tomas Seyler 5-2 Curtis Hammond
Ian McFarlane 5-3 Paul Smith
Eduardo Sales Lopez 5-3 Damien Sherwood
David Dodds 5-2 Steven Pearson
David Copley 5-3 Robert Owen
Vincent Tipple 5-2 Joe Bata
Jay Foreman 5-2 Frankie Ansell
Matthew Dennant 5-0 Danny Summers
First Round (Last 256)
Colin Fowler 5-2 Damien Fyffe
Kurt Parry 5-1 Jordan Johnston
Gaz Cousins 5-1 Tony Newell
Jamie Robinson 5-0 Adrian Daniels
Alan Tabern Jnr 5-4 Joe Heywood
Nigel Birch 5-2 Lee Whitworth
Ross Twell 5-3 Nathan Derry
Mark Hylton 5-0 Dan Read
Pete Dyos 5-0 Darren Burksfield
Bradley Williams 5-0 Craig Mansell
Steven Lippett 5-2 Jack Tweddell
Jake Patchett 5-2 Michael Bushby
Dick van Dijk 5-0 Scott Johnson
Joey ten Berge 5-4 Steve Cupitt
Ron Meulenkamp 5-2 Stuart Holden
Alan Tabern 5-1 James Bevan
Dimitri van den Bergh 5-0 Andy Bless
Rowby-John Rodriguez 5-4 Tim Martin
Mark Pritchard 5-4 Nathan Richards
Scott Hudson 5-4 Andy Relf
William O^Connor 5-0 Karl Brooks
Benito van de Pas 5-1 Mark Breakspear
Greg Dickinson 5-4 Paul Anthony
Andy Pearce 5-4 Martin Homer
Steve Hine 5-1 Jim Elsey
Scott Coleman 5-2 Ad Verhoeks
Kevin McCulley 5-2 Kentaro Suzuki
Dave Ladley 5-1 Manuel Croskery
Stephen Hardy 5-0 Mike Harris
Mick Todd 5-4 Martin Carvill
Jason Hogg 5-3 Steve Grubb
Nick Fullwell 5-3 Mark Frost
Jamie Bain 5-3 Jamie Gemmell
Barry Tyler 5-3 Krit Middleton
Colin Rice 5-2 Neville Roberts
Doug Thompson 5-3 Carlos Rodriguez
Mark Wilson 5-0 John Walton
Frank Kirkwood 5-0 Atif Hussain
Danny De Haas 5-4 Keith Rooney
Ricky Sudale 5-2 John Scott
Andy Parsons 5-1 Steve Haggerty
Ryan Palmer 5-2 Michael Symes
Andrew Johnson 5-2 Paul Rowley
Jason Lovett 5-4 Jamie Landon
Michael Burgoine 5-2 Aden Kirk
James Connor 5-3 Jeremy Morgan
Nick Paenen 5-3 Mark Flawn
Paul Carter 5-3 Jason Wilson
Andrew Gilding 5-4 Mark Forman
Dylan Duo 5-2 Andrew Howarth
Stuart Bousfield 5-0 Shane Edwards
Jeff Batham 5-1 Jonathan Worsley
Ben Songhurst 5-3 Alan Reilly
Joe Murnan 5-2 Lee Palfreyman
Philip Milburn 5-3 Leo Hendriks
Jim Walker 5-3 Andy Pearson
Glenn Spearing 5-4 Trevor Burkhill
Matthew Dicken 5-2 Stuart Anderson
Mark Barilli 5-4 Steve West
Dave Honey 5-4 Ian Lever
Joshua Tunnicliffe 5-3 Richie Winpenny
Kevin Thomas 5-0 Tony Cole
Barry Lynn 5-0 Wilfried Hoberg
Garry Spedding 5-1 Darrell Claydon
Vernon Sheppard 5-1 Keith Simpson
Nigel Heydon 5-0 Jack Hill
Steve Maish 5-0 Laurie Selby
Matt Clark 5-3 Tony Tasker
Harry Lane 5-0 Paul Palmer
Michael Barnard 5-2 Gavin Howard
Matt Padgett 5-4 Jaron Esteve
Christian Kist 5-4 Robbie Parker
Adrian Gray 5-4 Trevor Frost
Darren Whittingham 5-2 Lee Moffat
Mick Bushby 5-1 Peter Lock
Kyle Anderson 5-1 Philip Wathen
Michael Rasztovits 5-1 Alex Low
Gavin Baker 5-1 Martin Perring
Mike Nott 5-1 Stuart Gilmour
Stuart White 5-2 Mark Stephenson
David Murphy 5-0 Neil Gould
Ryan Harrington 5-1 Wayne Pepper
Alex Roy 5-1 Rob Commerford
John Newland 5-2 Luke Kennedy
Adam Thomas 5-2 Peter Manley
Keegan Brown 5-0 Darren Mawer
Darren Weaver 5-0 Kristen Bircher
Max Hopp 5-2 John Crossley
Ian Moss 5-4 Michael Blake
Shaun Narain 5-0 Paul Harsant
Jeffrey Bekema 5-2 Adam Stang
Danny Pinhorne 5-2 Tony Richardson
Scott MacKenzie 5-2 Mark Jones (Worcs)
Richard Denis 5-2 Steven Mead
Sion Thomas 5-3 Hermie van Orsouw
Paul Redfern 5-3 Darron Brown
Dave Bird 5-2 Paul Lennon
Craig Pope 5-4 Ashley Holgate
John Goldie 5-0 Malcolm Smallshaw
Bernd Roith 5-0 Ben Davies
Jon Jukes 5-0 Michael Wilson
Sandy Stephen 5-0 Steve Randall
Mareno Michels 5-1 Paul Hodkin
Terry Temple 5-4 Jamie Guilfoyle
Richard Ballie 5-2 Simon Cassidy
Zoran Lerchbacher 5-1 Peter Nightingale
Kevin Voornhout 5-2 Eric van Meel
Brian Woods 5-2 Sam Hill
Mark Cox 5-3 Mark Jodrill
Karl Merchant 5-3 Barrie Bates
Daniel Day 5-2 Nathan Aspinall
Joe Lacey 5-3 Shaun Littler
Daniel Astbury 5-4 Curtis Bagley
Lee Rose 5-0 Steve Perkins
Paul Barham 5-2 Trevor Williams
Ian McFarlane 5-3 Tomas Seyler
Ewan Hyslop 5-2 Kevin Lane
Brett Claydon 5-1 Dave Kelly
Gary Stone 5-1 Conan Whitehead
David Dodds 5-2 Eduardo Sales Lopez
Antonio Alcinas 5-1 Matthew Edgar
Rocco Maes 5-0 Michael Stevens
Kevin Bambrick 5-3 Terry Roach
David Copley 5-2 Vincent Tipple
John Burgess 5-1 Geoff Heath
Simon Burt v Peter Gallacher - Both Players Timed Out
Lee Grimshaw 5-3 Ryan Herrington
Matthew Dennant 5-3 Jay Foreman
Second Round (Last 128)
Kurt Parry 5-2 Colin Fowler
Jamie Robinson 5-1 Gaz Cousins
Nigel Birch 5-3 Alan Tabern Jnr
Mark Hylton 5-3 Ross Twell
Pete Dyos 5-2 Bradley Williams
Jake Patchett 5-0 Steven Lippett
Joey ten Berge 5-3 Dick van Dijk
Ron Meulenkamp 5-4 Alan Tabern
Dimitri van den Bergh 5-4 Rowby-John Rodriguez
Mark Pritchard 5-4 Scott Hudson
Benito van de Pas 5-4 William O^Connor
Andy Pearce 5-2 Greg Dickinson
Steve Hine 5-4 Scott Coleman
Dave Ladley 5-0 Kevin McCulley
Mick Todd 5-4 Stephen Hardy
Jason Hogg 5-2 Nick Fullwell
Jamie Bain 5-1 Barry Tyler
Doug Thompson 5-2 Colin Rice
Frank Kirkwood 5-2 Mark Wilson
Ricky Sudale 5-4 Danny De Haas
Andy Parsons 5-2 Ryan Palmer
Jason Lovett 5-3 Andrew Johnson
Michael Burgoine 5-1 James Connor
Paul Carter 5-1 Nick Paenen
Andrew Gilding 5-3 Dylan Duo
Stuart Bousfield 5-3 Jeff Batham
Joe Murnan 5-2 Ben Songhurst
Jim Walker 5-2 Philip Milburn
Glenn Spearing 5-1 Matthew Dicken
Mark Barilli 5-4 Dave Honey
Kevin Thomas 5-4 Joshua Tunnicliffe
Garry Spedding 5-3 Barry Lynn
Nigel Heydon 5-1 Vernon Sheppard
Matt Clark 5-4 Steve Maish
Michael Barnard 5-1 Harry Lane
Christian Kist 5-2 Matt Padgett
Darren Whittingham 5-3 Adrian Gray
Kyle Anderson 5-0 Mick Bushby
Michael Rasztovits 5-2 Gavin Baker
Stuart White 5-3 Mike Nott
Ryan Harrington 5-1 David Murphy
John Newland 5-4 Alex Roy
Keegan Brown 5-2 Adam Thomas
Max Hopp 5-3 Darren Weaver
Ian Moss 5-3 Shaun Narain
Jeffrey Bekema 5-4 Danny Pinhorne
Richard Denis 5-4 Scott MacKenzie
Paul Redfern 5-0 Sion Thomas
Dave Bird 5-2 Craig Pope
John Goldie 5-3 Bernd Roith
Jon Jukes 5-0 Sandy Stephen
Terry Temple 5-4 Mareno Michels
Richard Ballie 5-3 Zoran Lerchbacher
Brian Woods 5-1 Kevin Voornhout
Mark Cox 5-3 Karl Merchant
Joe Lacey 5-3 Daniel Day
Danie Astbury 5-1 Lee Rose
Ian McFarlane 5-1 Paul Barham
Brett Claydon 5-4 Ewan Hyslop
David Dodds 5-3 Gary Stone
Antonio Alcinas 5-0 Rocco Maes
Kevin Bambrick 5-3 David Copley
John Burgess Bye *
Matthew Dennant 5-1 Lee Grimshaw
* John Burgess receives Bye as both opponents in previous round were Timed Out
Third Round (Last 64)
Jamie Robinson 5-1 Kurt Parry
Mark Hylton 5-2 Nigel Birch
Jake Patchett 5-3 Pete Dyos
Joey ten Berge 5-3 Ron Meulenkamp
Mark Pritchard 5-1 Dimitri van den Bergh
Benito van de Pas 5-2 Andy Pearce
Steve Hine 5-4 Dave Ladley
Mick Todd 5-4 Jason Hogg
Jamie Bain 5-1 Doug Thompson
Ricky Sudale 5-0 Frank Kirkwood
Jason Lovett 5-3 Andy Parsons
Paul Carter 5-3 Michael Burgoine
Andrew Gilding 5-4 Stuart Bousfield
Jim Walker 5-4 Joe Murnan
Mark Barilli 5-4 Glenn Spearing
Kevin Thomas 5-2 Garry Spedding
Nigel Heydon 5-1 Matt Clark
Christian Kist 5-2 Michael Barnard
Kyle Anderson 5-4 Darren Whittingham
Stuart White 5-4 Michael Rasztovits
John Newland 5-0 Ryan Harrington
Keegan Brown 5-4 Max Hopp
Ian Moss 5-3 Jeffrey Bekema
Richard Denis 5-4 Paul Redfern
Dave Bird 5-3 John Goldie
Terry Temple 5-3 Jon Jukes
Brian Woods 5-3 Richard Ballie
Joe Lacey 5-2 Mark Cox
Ian McFarlane 5-4 Daniel Astbury
David Dodds 5-0 Brett Claydon
Antonio Alcinas 5-0 Kevin Bambrick
Matthew Dennant 5-2 John Burgess
Fourth Round (Last 32)
Mark Hylton 5-1 Jamie Robinson
Joey ten Berge 5-4 Jake Patchett
Benito van de Pas 5-2 Mark Pritchard
Steve Hine 5-0 Mick Todd
Jamie Bain 5-2 Ricky Sudale
Jason Lovett 5-2 Paul Carter
Andrew Gilding 5-2 Jim Walker
Mark Barilli 5-4 Kevin Thomas
Christian Kist 5-4 Nigel Heydon
Kyle Anderson 5-4 Stuart White
Keegan Brown 5-2 John Newland
Ian Moss 5-4 Richard Denis
Terry Temple 5-0 Dave Bird
Brian Woods 5-1 Joe Lacey
David Dodds 5-2 Ian McFarlane
Antonio Alcinas 5-3 Matthew Dennant
Fifth Round (Last 16)
Joey ten Berge 5-4 Mark Hylton
Benito van de Pas 5-4 Steve Hine
Jamie Bain 5-4 Jason Lovett
Andrew Gilding 5-2 Mark Barilli
Kyle Anderson 5-2 Christian Kist
Keegan Brown 5-3 Ian Moss
Brian Woods 5-3 Terry Temple
Antonio Alcinas 5-2 David Dodds
Sixth Round (Last Eight)
Benito van de Pas 5-4 Joey ten Berge
Andrew Gilding 5-0 Jamie Bain
Kyle Anderson 5-3 Keegan Brown
Antonio Alcinas 5-3 Brian Woods
Day One Tour Card Winners
Benito van de Pas
Andrew Gilding
Kyle Anderson
Antonio Alcinas
Q School Order of Merit Ranking Points Allocation
Last 128 Losers - One Point
Last 64 Losers - Two Points
Last 32 Losers - Three Points
Last 16 Losers - Five Points
Last Eight Losers - Nine Points