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Draft:Professional Darts Corporation secondary tours

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The PDC secondary tours are semi-professional darts tours organised by the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) open to players without a PDC Tour Card. The three secondary tours operated by the PDC are the Challenge Tour, Development Tour and Women's Series. Each tour consists of a year-long series of knockout tournaments which each carry their own prize money. Like the PDC Pro Tour, each of the Secondary Tours maintains its own Order of Merit which ranks players according to their total prize money won in each calendar year.[1] Players at the top of their respective Orders of Merit are able to qualify for some televised PDC majors such as the World Championship.[2][3] In the case of the Challenge and Development Tours, the top two eligible players win PDC Tour Cards for the following season, while players on all three tours can win free entry to the following season's Q-school (the qualifying tournament for a Tour Card) by achieving a high rank.[4][5]

In addition to the three secondary tours, the PDC also sanctions several Affiliate Tours, which are largely operated in regions outside of the British Isles by local organisations. The Affiliate Tours have a similar structure to the secondary tours and some offer qualification to televised tournaments.[1][6] However, these qualification opportunities are fewer than those offered to the secondary tours and none offer Tour Cards.[4][6]

Several PDC major winners have participated in the secondary tours, including World Champions Michael van Gerwen, Rob Cross and Luke Humphries who won secondary tours prior to their World Championship successes.[7][8] Many winners of televised women's darts tournaments have won Women's Series events, including multiple-time BDO Women's World Darts Championship winners Trina Gulliver, Lisa Ashton and Mikuru Suzuki and the reigning and three-time WDF Women's World Darts Champion, Beau Greaves.[9][10] In February 2025, Beau Greaves became the only player to have led all three secondary tours at the same time.[11]

Challenge Tour

[edit]
Prize money for PDC Challenge Tour events
Stage reached Award (£)
Winner 2,500
Runner-up 1,000
Semi-finalist 750
Quarter-finalist 500
Last 16 300
Last 32 200
Last 64 75
Total 15,000

The PDC Challenge Tour, currently known as the PDC Winmau Challenge Tour for sponsorship reasons, is open to all players who attended that season's Q-school but failed to win a Tour Card. The Challenge Tour maintains an Order of Merit which tracks the prize money won across all tournaments in a calendar year, with the Challenge Tour winner being the player that wins the most money.[1] Both the Challenge Tour winner and runner-up receive Tour Cards for the following season, while players ranked 3-16 qualify automatically to the final stage of Q-School and are exempt from paying an entry fee.[4][5]

Four PDC majors offer places to Challenge Tour players. The Challenge Tour winner receives an invitation to the Grand Slam of Darts, while the top three players receive invitations to the World Championship.[6][12] Additionally, the UK Open and the preliminary stage of the World Masters offers places to the top eight players from the previous season's Challenge Tour who do not have a Tour Card by the time the competition is held.[1]

Currently, the tour consists of 24 events, rising from 16 events in 2014, the year the Tour was founded.[13] The first winner of a Challenge Tour tournament was Jamie Robinson, who beat Matthew Edgar 5–4 in the final of the first event.[14] In 2016, Rob Cross became the first future PDC World Champion to win a Challenge Tour event, though former BDO World Champion and PDC World Matchplay runner-up Richie Burnett won an event in 2015.[15][16] Luke Humphries, Nathan Aspinall and Ritchie Edhouse have all won Challenge Tour events before winning PDC titles. Additionally, BDO World Champion Scott Mitchell, PDC World Championship runners-up Kirk Shepherd and Andy Hamilton and PDC World Cup winner John Henderson all won Challenge Tour titles in the later years of their careers while no longer holding PDC Tour Cards.[13] In 2024, Noa-Lynn van Leuven became the first woman to win a Challenge Tour event, while Beau Greaves became the first woman to win multiple Challenge Tour events in 2025.[17][18]

PDC Challenge Tour Winners[7]
Year Winner
2014 England Mark Frost
2015 Netherlands Jan Dekker
2016 England Rob Cross
2017 England Wayne Jones
2018 England Michael Barnard
2019 England Callan Rydz
2020 England David Evans
2021 (United Kingdom)[a] Wales Jim Williams
2021 (Europe)[a] Canada Matt Campbell
2022 England Scott Williams
2023 Netherlands Berry van Peer
2024 England Connor Scutt
  1. ^ a b In 2021, COVID-19 restrictions meant the PDC split the Challenge Tour into UK and European tours, each with 12 events rather than the planned 24 for the regular tour.[19]

Development Tour

[edit]
Prize money for PDC Development Tour events
Stage reached Award (£)
Winner 2,500
Runner-up 1,000
Semi-finalist 750
Quarter-finalist 500
Last 16 300
Last 32 200
Last 64 75
Total 15,000

The PDC Development Tour, currently known as the PDC Winmau Development Tour for sponsorship reasons, is open to all players over the age of 16 who were aged under 24 the day after the previous season's World Championship.[1] In contrast to the Challenge Tour, Tour Card holders are eligible to play in Development Tour events if they are ranked outside the top 64 in the PDC Order of Merit. Additionally, there is no requirement for players to have played in the previous season's Q-school.[1]

Like the Challenge Tour, the top two Development Tour players at the end of the season receive Tour Cards for the following season, while players ranked 3-16 receive free entry to the final stage of Q-School.[4][5] The Development Tour offers the same qualification routes to television tournaments as the Challenge Tour, with the top-ranked player qualifying for the Grand Slam, the three best players qualifying for the World Championship and the eight best players that do not gain new Tour Cards over the winter qualifying for the next season's UK Open and the preliminary stage of the World Masters.[1][6][12] Additionally, once invitational and eligible Tour Card holder places have have been filled, the Development Tour Order of Merit is used to fill the remaining spaces at the PDC World Youth Championship.[1]

The tour was founded in 2011 as the PDC Youth Tour and was briefly named the PDC Challenge Tour in the 2013 season, before becoming the Development Tour in 2015.[20] The first winner of a Development (then Youth) Tour event was Adam Hunt, who beat Josh Jones 4–2 in the final of the first event in 2011.[21] Michael van Gerwen won four titles and the Order of Merit in the inaugural season, and later went on to become one of the most successful players of all time.[22][23] In 2012, Michael Smith became the next Youth Tour event winner that would go on to become a World Champion, followed by Luke Humphries in 2017 and Luke Littler in 2023.[24][25][26] Other PDC major winners that won events on the Development Tour before winning senior major titles are Joe Cullen, Dimitri Van den Bergh, Mike De Decker and Josh Rock.[27]

PDC Development Tour Winners[8]
Year Winner
2011 Netherlands Michael van Gerwen
2012 England Arron Monk
2013 England Ross Smith
2014 Belgium Dimitri van den Bergh
2015 England Bradley Kirk
2016 Wales Dean Reynolds
2017 England Luke Humphries
2018 England Luke Humphries
2019 England Ted Evetts
2020 England Ryan Meikle
2021 (United Kingdom)[a] England Bradley Brooks
2021 (Europe)[a] Austria Rusty-Jake Rodriguez
2022 Northern Ireland Nathan Rafferty
2023 Netherlands Gian van Veen
2024 Netherlands Wessel Nijman
  1. ^ a b In 2021, COVID-19 restrictions meant the PDC split the Development Tour into UK and European tours, each with 12 events rather than the planned 24 for the regular tour.

Women's Series

[edit]
Prize money for PDC Women's Series events
Stage reached Award (£)
Winner 2,000
Runner-up 1,000
Semi-finalist 500
Quarter-finalist 300
Last 16 200
Last 32 100
Last 64[a] 50
Total 10,000

The PDC Women's Series is open to all female players over the age of 16. Like the Development Tour, female Tour Card holders are eligible to play so long as they are outside the top 64 of the PDC Order of Merit. Unlike the Challenge Tour and Development Tour, no Tour Cards are awarded to the best performers of the Women's Series, though the top eight players are invited to the first stage of Q-School and are exempt from the entry fee.[5]

Like the other secondary tours, the winner of the Women's Series qualifies for the Grand Slam of Darts.[12] Eight players qualify for the Women's World Matchplay, the PDC's only all-female televised tournament, through a separate Order of Merit tracking money won on the Women's Series in an approximately 12-month period prior to the event, which traditionally occurs in July.[1] The three players at the top of Women's Series Order of Merit (excluding the Women's World Matchplay Champion) qualify to the World Championship, guaranteeing that at least four places in the tournament are occupied by women.[2] Additionally, the top 8 players without Tour Cards qualify to the preliminary stages of the next season's World Masters.[1]

The Women's Series was founded in 2020 as a mini-tour of four events to determine the two female qualifiers for the World Championship, replacing the previous women's qualifier.[28] This occurred at the same time as the demise of the British Darts Organisation, which previously organised the majority of women's darts events.[29] The Women's Series became a full Tour in 2021, expanding to 12 events in two locations (though three were originally planned).[30] It further expanded to 20 events in 2022 and its current 24 events in 2023.[31][32]

Initially, Lisa Ashton and Fallon Sherrock dominated the Women's Series, winning all but two of the 2020 and 2021 events between them, with Deta Hedman and Mikuru Suzuki winning the other two events.[33][34] However, after starting to participate midway through the 2022 season, Beau Greaves has dominated the Women's Series, winning eight consecutive events in 2022 and half the events in 2023, a feat which she is on track to repeat in 2025.[9][35][36] In 2024, Noa-Lynn van Leuven challenged the Greaves-Ashton-Sherrock triumvirate, becoming the first transgender player to win Women's Series events, collecting four titles and qualifying for the World Championship.[37][38] Other than Greaves, Sherrock, Ashton and van Leuven, Mikuru Suzuki, Gemma Hayter and Robyn Byrne are the only players to win multiple Women's Series titles.[39][40][41]

PDC Women's Series Winners[42]
Year Winner
2020 England Lisa Ashton
2021 England Fallon Sherrock
2022 England Lisa Ashton
2023 England Beau Greaves
2024 England Beau Greaves

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Prize money for reaching the last 64 on the Women's Series is awarded only when there at least 128 participants.

Affiliate Tours

[edit]

The Affiliate Tours are regional tours sanctioned, but not directly run by, the PDC. Most share the format of the secondary tours, where multiple knockout tournaments are held through the year and prize money won contributes to an Order of Merit.[43] The exception is the Next-Gen Europe tour, which provides prize money both for the stage reached in a tournament and performance-based bonus money for high scores, high checkouts and short legs, as well as including format changes such as group stages and master-out play.[44] Alongside their tours, some PDC affiliates also organise standalone affiliate events, which are often televised in their region.

PDC Affiliate Tours
Affiliate Tour Region covered Associated Affiliate Event Qualifiers from Affiliate Tour
World Championship[6] Other tournaments
PDC Asian Tour Asia Asian Championship Top 5 players and Asian Championship finalists Asian Championship winner qualifies for the Grand Slam of Darts.[12]

Top 16 players and highest-ranked players from some nations qualify for the Asian Championship.[45]

PDC Nordic and Baltic The Nordic countries and the Baltic states Nordic and Baltic Championship Top 2 players and Nordic and Baltic Championship winner Top 8 players get free entry to the first stage of Q-School.[5]

Top 24 players qualify for Nordic and Baltic Championship.[46]

PDC Europe Next-Gen Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Liechtenstein[44] PDC Europe Super League PDC Europe Super League Winner Top 20 players and top 4 youth players qualify for the PDC Europe Super League.[44]
Dartplayers Australia Australia ANZ Premier League Top player and ANZ Premier League winner Top 3 players qualify for ANZ Premier League.[47]
Australian Darts Association Oceania ANZ Premier League Top player and ANZ Premier League winner Top 2 players qualify for ANZ Premier League[47]
Dartplayers New Zealand New Zealand ANZ Premier League Top player and ANZ Premier League winner Top player and 1 other top-16 player to ANZ Premier League[47]
Championship Darts Corporation Canada and the United States North American Championship, Continental Cup and Cross-Border Challenge Major winners and top-ranked American and Canadian North American Championship winner qualifies for Grand Slam of Darts.[12]

Qualification for majors based on CDC Order of Merit and nationality.

PDC China China China Premier League and China Championship China Championship winner Top 8 players qualify for the China Championship. Top 6 players qualify for the China Premier League.
Championship Darts Latin and Caribbean America The Americas, excluding the United States and Canada — Qualifying tournament winner —
African Continental Tour Africa — Qualifying tournament winner —
Junior Darts Corporation Global, but based in the United Kingdom Many competitions, including a World Championship.[48] — Four players selected for the World Masters.[1]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "PDC Order of Merit Rules | PDC". Professional Darts Corporation. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  2. ^ a b "World Darts Championship: Minimum of four women to play in expanded 2025-26 tournament". BBC Sport. 17 June 2025. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  3. ^ Wood, Kieran (18 June 2025). "OFFICIAL: PDC confirms qualification path for largest World Darts Championship in history". Darts News. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  4. ^ a b c d "PDC Tour Card Holders | PDC". Professional Darts Corporation. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  5. ^ a b c d e "QS Info & Induction - PDPA". Professional Darts Players Association. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  6. ^ a b c d e "Qualifying structure confirmed for Paddy Power World Darts Championship". PDC. 17 June 2025. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  7. ^ a b "PDC Challenge Tour Ranking Champion". Mastercaller. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
  8. ^ a b "PDC Youth/Development Tour Ranking Champion". Mastercaller. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
  9. ^ a b Aldred, Tanya (13 December 2022). "Beau Greaves: 'Darts has taught me everything I've needed to know'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
  10. ^ "PDC Women's Series". Mastercaller. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
  11. ^ "Greaves & Bates triumph on Winmau Development Tour, as Manby makes history". PDC. 22 February 2025. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  12. ^ a b c d e Gill, Samuel (29 April 2025). "Qualification Criteria confirmed for 2025 Grand Slam of Darts as Luke Littler, Michael van Gerwen and Luke Humphries headline current field". Darts News. Retrieved 3 July 2025.
  13. ^ a b "PDC Challenge Tour". Mastercaller. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  14. ^ "PDC Challenge Tour 1 02/03/2014". Darts Database. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  15. ^ "PDC Unicorn Challenge Tour 13-14". PDC. 31 October 2016.
  16. ^ "Challenge Tour Wins For Burnett & Hart". PDC. 31 October 2016. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
  17. ^ "Noa-Lynn van Leuven becomes first woman to win darts Challenger Tour event on sensational debut". Sky Sports. 15 March 2024.
  18. ^ "Beau Greaves adds second Challenge Tour title after whitewashing John Henderson 5-0". Sky Sports. 18 January 2025.
  19. ^ "2021 PDC Unicorn Challenge Tour Order of Merit | PDC". Professional Darts Corporation. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
  20. ^ "PDC Youth/Development Tour". Mastercaller. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  21. ^ "Hunt Wins Maiden Youth Title". PDC. 19 February 2011.
  22. ^ Fourth Youth Win For Van Gerwen Archived 18 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine PDC.tv
  23. ^ "Barham's Youth Tour Treble Delight". PDC. 22 October 2011.
  24. ^ "Youth Glory For Monk & Smith". PDC. 21 April 2012. Archived from the original on 23 April 2012. Retrieved 21 April 2012.
  25. ^ "Development Tour 1-2 Round-Up". PDC. 17 February 2017.
  26. ^ "PDC Development Tour 03". DartConnect TV. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  27. ^ "PDC Youth/Development Tour". Mastercaller. Retrieved 5 July 2025.
  28. ^ Gorton, Josh (16 October 2020). "PDC Women's Series: The sport's leading lights get their opportunity to shine". Sky Sports. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
  29. ^ Bloom, Ben (14 December 2020). "Women's darts faces uncertain future as Deta Hedman and Lisa Ashton prepare for PDC World Championships". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 14 December 2020. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
  30. ^ "Women's Series weekend in Germany cancelled, events added to UK dates". PDC. 19 August 2021. Retrieved 5 July 2025.
  31. ^ "PDC Women's Series 2021: 12-event series set to take place, building on success of 2020". Sky Sports. 28 July 2021.
  32. ^ Davis, Leon; Phipps, Catherine; Pope, Stacey (2023). "The impact of Fallon Sherrock and the increasing prominence of women within professional darts events: a call for future research". Managing Sport and Leisure. 0: 1–16. doi:10.1080/23750472.2023.2229328. ISSN 2375-0472.
  33. ^ "Sherrock, Ashton & Suzuki claim final PDC Women's Series wins". PDC. 2021-10-24. Retrieved 2025-07-05.
  34. ^ "PDC Women's Series: Fallon Sherrock misses out as Lisa Ashton and Deta Hedman top Order of Merit". Sky Sports. 21 October 2020.
  35. ^ Wood, Kieran (2023-12-12). "Statistics show Beau Greaves' incredible winning percentage in 2023". Dartsnews.com. Retrieved 2025-07-02.
  36. ^ Gill, Samuel (2025-06-10). "Beau Greaves is dominating this year, but Fallon Sherrock leads overall in this PDC Women's Series statistic". Dartsnews.com. Retrieved 2025-07-02.
  37. ^ Wilson, Jeremy (2024-03-24). "Transgender Noa-Lynn van Leuven wins darts titles against women and men in same week". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2025-07-05.
  38. ^ "Five more International Qualifiers confirmed for World Darts Championship". PDC. 2024-10-21. Retrieved 2025-07-05.
  39. ^ Gill, Samuel (2023-05-14). "Superb Suzuki wins second title of 2023 with PDC Women's Series Event Eight win over maiden finalist Van Leuven". Dartsnews.com. Retrieved 2025-07-05.
  40. ^ Gill, Samuel (2024-09-08). "Gemma Hayter adds second PDC Women's Series title of 2024, defeats Mikuru Suzuki in Event 19 final". Dartsnews.com. Retrieved 2025-07-05.
  41. ^ "Robyn Byrne defeats Fallon Sherrock on way to second PDC title". RTÉ. 9 September 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2025.
  42. ^ "PDC Women's Series Ranking Champion - Mastercaller". mastercaller.com. Retrieved 2025-07-02.
  43. ^ "Global Affiliate Tours". PDC. Retrieved 5 July 2025.
  44. ^ a b c "Dart Turniere - PDC Europe Next Gen 2025". Dartn.de (in German). Retrieved 5 July 2025.
  45. ^ "2024 PDC Asian Championship dates confirmed". PDC. 7 August 2025. Retrieved 5 July 2025.
  46. ^ Wood, Kieran (17 June 2025). "New Nordic & Baltic Championship to debut in 2025 with PDC World Darts Championship spot on the line". Darts News. Retrieved 5 July 2025.
  47. ^ a b c admin. "PDC ANZ PREMIER LEAGUE MEDIA RELEASE – Dartplayers Australia". Retrieved 5 July 2025.
  48. ^ "JDC TOURNAMENTS | Junior Darts Corporation". www.juniordarts.com. Retrieved 5 July 2025.
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