Stuart Kellett and John Bowles are the final qualifiers for the Ladbrokes World Darts Championship after winning through yesterday’s last-chance PDPA Qualifier at the Barnsley Metrodome.
The Cheshire pair will both make their Alexandra Palace debuts next month after battling past 104 other players to complete the field for the £1 million tournament.
Bowles showed some brilliant form throughout the day, defeating Matthew Edgar, Adam Smith-Neale and former World Championship qualifiers Alex Roy, Michael Barnard, Steve Maish and Dennis Smith to win through to Alexandra Palace.
Kellett, meanwhile, overcame Adam Hunt, Ian Moss, Brian Woods, Mark Hylton, Bernd Roith and Terry Temple to secure his place in the World Championship.
Both players came through the PDC’s Qualifying School at the same venue in Barnsley back in January, and it was Kellett who went on to secure first round qualification for the World Championship by winning the final 5-1.
“This has been the main target all year and I can’t wait to get to Alexandra Palace,” said the 31-year-old website designer from Northwich.
“I was quite down after the weekend because I was close to qualifying through the ProTour Order of Merit, so I didn’t sleep very well last night but I’m so happy to win through today.
“When the Grand Slam was on and Sky Sports were playing the adverts with fans singing ‘stand up if you love the darts’, it had the hairs on my arms standing up. Bring it on – I can’t wait!”
Bowles will make his World Championship debut in the preliminary round against Spain’s Carlos Rodriguez next month, and the 45-year-old former rugby league player admitted: “It’s a dream come true.
“When you set out in darts, one of your main goals to play in the World Championship at Alexandra Palace, and to achieve that in my first season a pro player is great.
“I’ve been slowly progressing this year and what I’ve done this year has shown how far I’ve come and I’m really looking forward to the World Championship now.
“I played some quality darts, especially against Dennis Smith in the semi-final. It’s a pity I didn’t follow it through and win the final but Stuart threw well and deserved the win – but just to be in the World Championship is amazing.”
Bowles took out finishes of 118 and 121 in an impressive win over veteran Swindon ace Smith in their semi-final clash, while York’s Terry Temple also missed out in the last four after seeing off former UK Open champion Roland Scholten earlier in the day.
Steve Maish, Mark Lawrence and Germany’s Bernd Roith were other stars to reach the last 16, while Mark Hylton, John Henderson and Nick Fullwell were all denied in Alexandra Palace return with losses in the last 16.
Three-time finalist Peter Manley saw his hopes ended by Welshman Gareth Pass in the first round, while 2005 runner-up Mark Dudbridge lost out to Stephen McNally in round two only a fortnight after undergoing elbow and shoulder surgery.
Steve West, who recently underwent a hip operation, was also unable to overcome his injury to qualify, while his brother Tony was also denied a dream end to their debut year in the PDC with a third round defeat to Jamie Atkins.
Kellett and Bowles complete the 72-player field for the Ladbrokes World Darts Championship, which will be held at London’s Alexandra Palace from December 14-January 1.
The leading 32 players from the PDC Order of Merit qualify by right and are seeded for the first round draw, which will be made on Tuesday December 4 (11.30am) live on Sky Sports News.
They are joined in qualifying by the top 16 qualifiers from the ProTour Order of Merit, the top four qualifiers from the European Order of Merit and a series of International Qualifiers.
Kellett goes straight into the first round draw alongside American number one Darin Young and Australian qualifiers Shane Tichowitsch and Kyle Anderson.
Bowles, meanwhile, completes the field of 16 players in the preliminary round, which features a host of International Qualifiers from around the world.
Bowles has drawn Spain’s Carlos Rodriguez for their Alexandra Palace opener, while veteran star Paul Lim, the World Soft-Tip Champion, meets Malaysia’s Mohd Latif Sapup at Alexandra Palace.
German pair Andree Welge and Max Hopp – the 16-year-old qualifier – will play China’s Leung Chun Nam and South Africa’s Charl Pietersen respectively, while Japan’s Haruki Muramatsu meets New Zealand number one Dave Harrington.
Northern Ireland’s Daryl Gurney, the Tom Kirby Memorial Irish Matchplay champion, plays Croatia’s Robert Marijanovic and the Philippines’ Lourence Ilagan meets Welsh youngster Jamie Lewis, who qualified through the PDC Unicorn Youth Tour Order of Merit, while Scandinavian qualifiers Jarkko Komula and Jani Haavisto meet in an all-Finnish battle.