Mervyn King books PDC World Darts Championship return as Sam Spivey ends Challenge Tour season with maiden title
Mervyn King will return to Ally Pally in what is a popular return for the first time in three years. It will be his 28th appearance at a World Championship whether BDO or PDC and 29 if World Seniors is included. He sealed his spot during the final Challenge Tour of the year.
One that will leave Michael Unterbuchner sick to his stomach, King’s win over Lee Cocks saw him jump up to fourth with Bellmont and Evetts already qualified. Labanauskas only takes a Tour Card as he is qualified elsewhere.
Unterbuchner lost dramatically in the Quarter-Finals during the same round as King sealed his spot and that is all he needed as ‘T-Rex’ who won a title yesterday will not be returning to Ally Pally. it is a welcome return for King who lost his Tour Card last year and while his main goal of sealing a Tour Card wasn’t achieved, he will get the next best thing. A spot at the Ally Pally.
Not to take anything away from the victor though of the final event in Sam Spivey who claims a maiden crown denying Alexander Merkx in the final 5-3. He saw off Jurjen van der Velde, CT champion Stefan Bellmont, Andy Hamilton and Ashley Coleman en route. He seals his maiden crown and the season concludes from here.
The PDC Challenge Tour is designed for players who participated in the Q-School, but failed to secure a Tour Card there. This circuit offers them a second chance to put themselves in the spotlight.
The highest ranked players on the Challenge Tour Order of Merit can participate as alternates in Players Championship tournaments during the season when spots become available. At the end of the year, the top two ranked players earn a coveted PDC Tour Card for the next two seasons – as well as a starting ticket to the World Darts Championship in Alexandra Palace.
PDC Challenge Tour 24 Results
Final
Sam Spivey (81.44) 5–3 (84.35) Alexander Merkx
Semi-Finals
Sam Spivey (90.27) 5–3 (89.03) Jurjen van der Velde
Alexander Merkx (92.03) 5–4 (94.65) Mervyn King
Quarter-Finals
Sam Spivey (79.60) 5–2 (81.17) Matt Gallett
Jurjen van der Velde (93.73) 5–4 (93.07) Michael Unterbuchner
Alexander Merkx (90.92) 5–4 (93.51) Daniel Ayres
Mervyn King (82.03) 5–4 (81.27) Lee Cocks
Last 16
Sam Spivey (102.80) 5–1 (100.97) Stefan Bellmont
Matt Gallett (79.65) 5–3 (79.63) Ted Evetts
Michael Unterbuchner (90.19) 5–1 (86.07) Shane McGuirk
Jurjen van der Velde (89.83) 5–4 (84.76) Andrew Cass
Daniel Ayres (89.46) 5–0 (82.08) Scott Campbell
Alexander Merkx (92.83) 5–2 (90.76) James Howard Hughes
Lee Cocks (89.61) 5–4 (91.59) Ryan Branley
Mervyn King (87.35) 5–1 (83.35) Tom Lonsdale
Last 32
Stefan Bellmont (93.74) 5–1 (87.10) Pal Szekely
Sam Spivey (95.13) 5–0 (81.83) Andy Hamilton
Matt Gallett (81.00) 5–1 (77.17) Adam Smith-Neale
Ted Evetts (82.69) 5–4 (78.45) David Sumner
Michael Unterbuchner (93.81) 5–4 (96.46) Lewis Pride
Shane McGuirk (88.38) 5–2 (77.76) Nathan Potter
Andrew Cass (84.80) 5–2 (77.55) Oliver Mitchell
Jurjen van der Velde (96.00) 5–3 (90.86) Paul Rowley
Daniel Ayres (90.05) 5–2 (87.97) Mike Warburton
Scott Campbell (93.18) 5–4 (94.02) Daniel Astbury
James Howard Hughes (81.72) 5–3 (82.33) Reece Colley
Alexander Merkx (85.15) 5–4 (92.17) Graham Hall
Lee Cocks (89.92) 5–2 (83.46) Martin Grearson
Ryan Branley (94.51) 5–2 (84.44) Darius Labanauskas
Tom Lonsdale (84.06) 5–4 (81.59) James Parkin
Mervyn King (100.48) 5–1 (92.86) Scott Taylor
