JOY FOR WINSTANLEY AS HE WINS TOUR CARD ALONGSIDE GRAY, GILDING & SMITH

 

DEAN WINSTANLEY joined Adrian Gray, Andrew Gilding and Canada^s Jeff Smith in winning a PDC Tour Card on Saturday.

The 30-year-old, who reached the 2011 Lakeside Championship and World Masters finals, secured his place on the PDC^s £5 million circuit with a 6-1 win over Matt Clark at the Barnsley Metrodome.

Having missed out in the first two days of Qualifying School, Winstanley made no mistake with five victories on Saturday, defeating Simon Craven, Mareno Michels, Kevin Dowling and Dave Ladley to reach his decider against Clark.

Winstanley - who had played in the William Hill Grand Slam of Darts last November - had come from behind against both Dowling and Ladley before seeing off Clark, and admitted: "I^m over the moon and I feel great.

"Anyone who said it was going to be easy to get a Tour Card can think again because this was very hard! Matt^s a tough opponent so I^m delighted I got through the last game.

"I^ve made a bit of name for myself in the last couple of years but this is a new challenge now and I want to do well in the PDC. I^m not saying I^m going to win majors, but my aim is to get into the top 32 inside a year."

The third day of Qualifying School also saw Adrian Gray preserve his status as a full professional by winning back his Tour Card.

The 30-year-old had dropped out of the world^s top 64 in the past year, but defeated Lancashire^s impressive Joe Murnan 6-5 in their decider - hitting two 180s in the final leg as he secured victory.

Gray dropped only two legs in his first three games on Saturday, in wins over Brian Kirk, Steven Pearson and Andrew Hibbert, before defeating Anthony Littleton and Murnan 6-5.

"I^d played well on Friday and in a way I expected to do well today, so it feels great," said Gray, who famously knocked Phil Taylor out of the 2007 World Grand Prix.

"On the circuit it^s hard when you^re getting beaten every week and you question yourself, so to win through a field like this to get my Tour Card back, you know you^ve earned it.

"Maybe last year I took everything for granted with getting a Tour Card but this is a fresh start for me now."

Gilding overcame the disappoinment of his defeat in Friday^s decisive matches to Kurt Van De Rijck by defeating John Scott 6-3 to win his Tour Card.

The 41-year-old from Bungay in Suffolk picked up 6-2 victories over Joseph Hunt, Tim Hope and Toon Greebe to reached the last 16, where he saw off Australian Geoff Kime 6-4 to set up his clash with Scott.

Gilding had reached the last 32 of the Speedy Hire UK Open last summer as an amateur qualifier and also won through to the last 16 at the World Masters, but will now become a full-time professional.

"It^s absolutely fantastic," he said. "I felt the pressure today after going so close on Friday, but towards the I end I was able to relax.

"I^ve had a good 18 months or so but it^s a big aim for me now to make an impression as a professional."

Canada^s Jeff Smith was the day^s other Tour Card winner, as he joins three-time World Champion John Part in representing his country on the PDC circuit.

The 36-year-old automotive painter defeated Steve Haggerty, Belgium^s Rocco Maes, Keith Stephen, Ireland^s Campbell Jackson and Stephen Hardy to reach the last eight, where he saw off Ross Smith 6-2.

"It^s absolutely unbelievable, I^m close to tears," said Smith. "I^ve been dreaming about this my whole life.

"I^ve played in the PDC^s tournaments in Canada previously to see how good I am, and last August when I went to London, Ontario I knew I had to come here to Qualifying School.

"I intend to come over as much as I can and hopefully I can get the sponsorship to do the full tour. John Part^s been a big inspiration for me in Canada and it will be great to play alongside him in the PDC this year."

The remaining players will return to the Barnsley Metrodome on Sunday where they will compete for the last four automatic Tour Cards, with a further 24 places on offer for the leading players on the Q School Order of Merit based on ranking points picked up across the four days of play.

The field will include former world number one Peter Manley, former World Matchplay winner Peter Evison, former Lakeside Champion Les Wallace and experienced professionals including Andy Jenkins, Chris Mason and Mick McGowan.

 

Qualifying School - Day Three
First Round
Ian Lever Bye
Mareno Michels Bye
Dean Winstanley Bye
Simon Craven 6-2 Lee Butler
Kevin Dowling 6-3 Richie Walsh
Ryan Herrington 6-4 Paul Marsh
Jamie Atkins 6-3 Gary Eastwood
Jamie Landon 6-2 Wilfried Hoberg
Gary Butcher Bye
Ian Moss Bye
Mark Lawrence Bye
Jerry Hendriks 6-1 Darren Ward
Philip Wathen 6-4 Bernd Roith
Dave Ladley 6-5 Michael Gorst
Daniel Starkey 6-3 Rhys Dudley
Stuart Woodmore 6-5 Ron Atwill
Stephen Clews Bye
Matt Clark Bye
Hans Hagley Bye
Dave Smith 6-4 Aaron Turner
Steve Barrow 6-3 Jimmy O^Regan
Chris Aubrey 6-2 Norman Fletcher
Paddy Meaney 6-5 Keith Rooney
Liam Kelly 6-5 Wayne Pepper
Andy Firth Bye
Stuart White Bye
Andy Hutchings Bye
Mick McGowan 6-3 David Kelly
Shaun Narain 6-4 Alex Clyburn
Richard Slater 6-1 Wayne Morgan
Matthew Tedstone 6-2 Martin Perring
Ken MacNeil 6-2 David Sanders
Adam Hunt Bye
Aden Kirk Bye
Andy Jenkins Bye
John Jenkinson 6-5 Dylan Duo
Daniel Day 6-4 Yoshan Roxy Iyer
Michael Veitch 6-0 Steve McNally
Richard Hosey 6-5 Tony Wood
Andrew Hodges 6-4 Co Stompe Jnr
Adrian Bolitho Bye
Andy Relf Bye
Stephen Jauch Bye
Danny Summers 6-4 Andrew Humphrey
James Guilfoyle 6-2 Lee White
Ross Smith 6-1 Mark Ashby
Martyn Turner 6-5 Terry Rose
Darren Webster 6-0 John Walton
John Trembeth Bye
Steven Degville Bye
Campbell Jackson Bye
Wayne Atwood 6-2 Jack Hill
Rocco Maes 6-5 Matthew Edgar
Jeff Smith 6-3 Steve Haggerty
Keith Stephen 6-3 Matthew Dicken
James Young 6-0 David Nelson
Stefanie Luck Bye
Spencer Murphy Bye
Richard North Bye
Stephen Hardy Bye
Colin Monk 6-5 Jason Simpkins
Peter Manley 6-2 Chris Allen
Mark Stephenson 6-0 Mark Frost
Jamie Lewis 6-2 Martino Tagliapietra
Carlos Rodriguez Bye
Lee Saville Bye
Lewis Venes Bye
Lee Whitworth Bye
Kentaro Suzuki 6-3 John Turnbull
Joe Murnan 6-0 James Stoneley
Peter Hughes 6-5 Daniel Bunker
Jonathan Mulley 6-2 Darren Williams
James Thompson Bye
Shaun Vernall Bye
Andy Turnbull Bye
Danny Dyer Bye
Pat Pace 6-4 Les Wallace
Gareth Pass 6-4 Craig Pope
Gino Vos 6-5 Sean White
Dave Honey 6-4 Thomas Jones
Brandon Walsh Bye
Steven Pearson Bye
Adrian Gray Bye
Brian Kirk Bye
Gary Mawson 6-3 Ricky Williams
Andrew Hibbert 6-1 Matthew Waddoups
John Bowles 6-0 John Millett
Joey Palfreyman 6-3 Martin Whatmough
Nick Fullwell Bye
David Charnock Bye
Ryan Harrington Bye
Liam Curran Bye
Damien Sherwood 6-1 Jim McKevitt
Simon Burt 6-1 Enrico Fraccara
Anthony Littleton 6-4 Michael Peel
Paul Sawyer 6-3 Nathan Richards
Peter Harris Bye
Andrew Johnson Bye
Jim Walker Bye
Neville Roberts Bye
Scott Coleman 6-2 Mark Forman
Paul Davison 6-1 Joe Thompson
Mark Robinson 6-1 Danny Moore
Darren Latham 6-4 Geoff Whitworth
Peter Evison Bye
Chris Mason Bye
Ashley Holgate Bye
John Scott Bye
Andy Pearce 6-3 Nigel Birch
Keegan Brown 6-1 Tony Billett
Chris Dale 6-1 Luke Broadbent
Connie Finnan 6-1 Chris Skeats
Tim Hope Bye
Jon Bott Bye
Andrew Gilding Bye
Joseph Hunt Bye
Toon Greebe 6-0 Tony Tasker
Gareth Cousins 6-0 Rees Hall
Steve Grubb 6-3 Andrew Palmer
Fred Smith 6-0 Paul Schofield
Darrell Claydon Bye
Manuel Croskery Bye
Geoff Kime Bye
Paul Hodkin Bye
Sam Hill 6-4 Karl Forrington
Marko Kantele 6-5 Darren Johnson
Josh Jones 6-0 Richard Plowman
Aodhagan O^Neill 6-0 Chris Clements

 

Second Round
Mareno Michels 6-0 Ian Lever
Dean Winstanley 6-1 Simon Craven
Kevin Dowling 6-1 Ryan Herrington
Jamie Atkins 6-3 Jamie Landon
Gary Butcher 6-4 Ian Moss
Mark Lawrence 6-2 Jerry Hendriks
Dave Ladley 6-0 Philip Wathen
Daniel Starkey 6-5 Stuart Woodmore
Matt Clark 6-4 Stephen Clews
Dave Smith 6-0 Hans Hagley
Steve Barrow 6-3 Chris Aubrey
Liam Kelly 6-5 Paddy Meaney
Stuart White 6-1 Andy Firth
Andy Hutchings 6-4 Mick McGowan
Shaun Narain 6-2 Richard Slater
Matthew Tedstone 6-2 Ken MacNeil
Adam Hunt 6-5 Aden Kirk
Andy Jenkins 6-3 John Jenkinson
Michael Veitch 6-5 Daniel Day
Andrew Hodges 6-3 Richard Hosey
Andy Relf 6-2 Adrian Bolitho
Stephen Jauch 6-3 Danny Summers
Ross Smith 6-1 James Guilfoyle
Martyn Turner 6-4 Darren Webster
Steven Degville 6-3 John Trembeth
Campbell Jackson 6-4 Wayne Atwood
Jeff Smith 6-4 Rocco Maes
Keith Stephen 6-2 James Young
Spencer Murphy 6-4 Stefanie Luck
Stephen Hardy 6-3 Richard North
Colin Monk 6-5 Peter Manley
Jamie Lewis 6-4 Mark Stephenson
Carlos Rodriguez 6-2 Lee Saville
Lewis Venes 6-5 Lee Whitworth
Joe Murnan 6-2 Kentari Suzuki
Jonathan Mulley Walkover (Peter Hughes withdrew through illness)
James Thompson 6-2 Shaun Vernall
Danny Dyer 6-2 Andy Turnbull
Gareth Pass 6-2 Patrick Pace
Gino Vos 6-4 Dave Honey
Steven Pearson 6-2 Brandon Walsh
Adrian Gray 6-1 Brian Kirk
Andrew Hibbert 6-1 Gary Mawson
John Bowles 6-3 Joey Palfreyman
Nick Fullwell 6-1 David Charnock
Ryan Harrington 6-0 Liam Curran
Simon Burt 6-5 Damien Sherwood
Anthony Littleton 6-4 Paul Sawyer
Andrew Johnson 6-2 Peter Harris
Jim Walker 6-1 Neville Roberts
Paul Davison 6-2 Scott Coleman
Darren Latham 6-4 Mark Robinson
Peter Evison 6-5 Chris Mason
John Scott 6-2 Ashley Holgate
Keegan Brown 6-5 Andy Pearce
Connie Finnan 6-2 Chris Dale
Tim Hope 6-1 Jon Bott
Andrew Gilding 6-2 Joseph Hunt
Toon Greebe 6-2 Gareth Cousins
Steve Grubb 6-3 Fred Smith
Darrell Claydon 6-1 Manuel Croskery
Geoff Kime 6-0 Paul Hodkin
Sam Hill 6-5 Marko Kantele
Josh Jones 6-0 Aodhagan O^Neill

 

Third Round
Dean Winstanley 6-2 Mareno Michels
Kevin Dowling 6-2 Jamie Atkins
Mark Lawrence 6-5 Gary Butcher
Dave Ladley 6-4 Daniel Starkey
Matt Clark 6-3 Dave Smith
Liam Kelly 6-4 Steve Barrow
Stuart White 6-2 Andy Hutchings
Matthew Tedstone 6-2 Shaun Narain
Adam Hunt 6-4 Andy Jenkins
Michael Veitch 6-1 Andrew Hodges
Andy Relf 6-1 Stephen Jauch
Ross Smith 6-4 Martyn Turner
Campbell Jackson 6-2 Steven Degville
Jeff Smith 6-2 Keith Stephen
Stephen Hardy 6-2 Spencer Murphy
Jamie Lewis 6-0 Colin Monk
Carlos Rodriguez 6-4 Lewis Venes
Joe Murnan 6-0 Jonathan Mulley
James Thompson 6-3 Danny Dyer
Gareth Pass 6-5 Gino Vos
Adrian Gray 6-0 Steven Pearson
Andrew Hibbert 6-5 John Bowles
Nick Fullwell 6-1 Ryan Harrington
Anthony Littleton 6-2 Simon Burt
Andrew Johnson 6-4 Jim Walker
Darren Latham 6-3 Paul Davison
John Scott 6-5 Peter Evison
Connie Finnan 6-3 Keegan Brown
Andrew Gilding 6-2 Tim Hope
Toon Greebe 6-3 Steve Grubb
Geoff Kime 6-3 Darrell Claydon
Sam Hill 6-4 Josh Jones
Losers - 2 Ranking Points

 

Fourth Round
Dean Winstanley 6-3 Kevin Dowling
Dave Ladley 6-5 Mark Lawrence
Matt Clark 6-5 Liam Kelly
Matthew Tedstone 6-4 Stuart White
Michael Veitch 6-1 Adam Hunt
Ross Smith 6-1 Andy Relf
Jeff Smith 6-4 Campbell Jackson
Stephen Hardy 6-2 Jamie Lewis
Joe Murnan 6-1 Carlos Rodriguez
Gareth Pass 6-4 James Thompson
Adrian Gray 6-1 Andrew Hibbert
Anthony Littleton 6-4 Nick Fullwell
Darren Latham 6-4 Andrew Johnson
John Scott 6-2 Connie Finnan
Andrew Gilding 6-2 Toon Greebe
Geoff Kime 6-5 Sam Hill
Losers - 3 Ranking Points

 

Fifth Round
Dean Winstanley 6-4 Dave Ladley
Matt Clark 6-5 Matthew Tedstone
Ross Smith 6-2 Michael Veitch
Jeff Smith 6-3 Stephen Hardy
Joe Murnan 6-2 Gareth Pass
Adrian Gray 6-5 Anthony Littleton
John Scott 6-1 Darren Latham
Andrew Gilding 6-4 Geoff Kime
Losers - 5 Ranking Points

 

Sixth Round
Dean Winstanley 6-1 Matt Clark
Jeff Smith 6-2 Ross Smith
Adrian Gray 6-5 Joe Murnan
Andrew Gilding 6-3 John Scott

Winners get PDC Tour Card
Losers - 9 Ranking Points

 

 

 

 

Photo Courtesy of Lawrence Lustig/PDC