Raymond van Barneveld announced on Wednesday night that he wants to return to professional darts in 2021. The 5-time world champion retired at the end of 2019 after failing miserably last year, but decided to try again. He misses her so much, he said in his announcement about the comeback. But what is the route to PDC like? Sportnieuws.nl lists them for you.
This is the starting point for all darts players, from amateurs to comeback legend Van Barneveld Q School. In mid-January each year, the PDC hosts a multi-day event where darts players must try to retain their Tour card or try to win it back. A Tour Card is required to participate in, for example, Players Championships (floor tournaments) and qualifying tournaments for major televised events, such as the World Cup.
How to win a Tour card?
After the 2021 World Cup, which starts next December and ends in the final just after New Year’s Eve, it’s clear how many Tour tickets are available to be won. In January 2020, a total of 31 Tour tickets were available: 20 in the UK and 11 across Europe. The Tour Card is valid for 2 years. If you haven’t performed well enough in those 2 years to make the top 64 in the world, you must win back your Tour card in a field where more than 850 darts players are trying to win 1 of the last 31 Tour cards. year.
What is allowed with a Tour card?
If you have obtained the Tour card, you can participate in all tournaments organized by the PDC. That’s where you can earn the most money and if you do well, you’ll be back in the top half of the world. Just look at Dirk van Duijvenbode for example who had to get his Tour card back in January 2020. He did and due to his outstanding performances in the first months of 2020, he has collected £23,000, which gave him a provisional 72nd place on the Order of Merit.
And what if you don’t manage to win a Tour card?
Then you end up in no man’s land. You are then only allowed to participate in the British Open Qualifiers in February/March to try to reach the main draw. You are also a reserve for the Players Championship. 128 darts players are allowed to take part in each event and if anyone drops out they can be filled in.
Challenge Tour
PDC also organizes Challenge Tours. So that’s it for all the school dropouts who failed at Q School. It will host 20 tournaments, each with prize money of 10,000 pounds. The top 2 of the Challenge Tour after 1 year automatically receive a Tour card for 2 years. Then you no longer need to participate in Q School.
Motivation
Therefore, it is important for Van Barneveld to get his hands on a Tour card quickly in January 2021, otherwise he will truly be destined to collect some money in the depths of the PDC. He then has to stay motivated for a full year to participate in the Challenge Tour and ensure that he finishes in the top 2. If not, he would have to try again at Q School a year later and everything could start all over again.
Van Barneveld Status
Van Barneveld benefited from his status. Can you imagine as an amateur you immediately drew against Barney in the first round? It will be a mental game. And Van Barneveld says he’s more motivated than ever, so his opponents can be fired up.
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