Analysis | Belgium's PDC Tour Card Holders: Mid-Season Review

Van den Bergh's Troubles Continue

Next in line is Dimitri Van den Bergh, long regarded as Belgium’s leading star. But 2025 has been anything but smooth for 'The DreamMaker'. The year began brightly with a run to the semi-finals at The Masters, where he lost 5-2 to Jonny Clayton, and a last-16 finish at the UK Open.

Since then, however, things have unravelled. In early April, Van den Bergh withdrew last-minute from a Players Championship and then announced a two-month break from the sport, citing mental exhaustion. His return came at the World Cup of Darts alongside De Decker, but the duo failed to escape the group phase.

Van den Bergh has since stated that he will now be more selective with his tournament schedule rather than playing everything on offer. But with his recent dip in form, he is no longer guaranteed spots on the European Tour and must now come through qualifiers. Aside from the World Championship, he currently isn't qualified for any of the upcoming majors.

He sits 22nd in the official rankings and 19th provisionally – meaning his position is relatively secure for now. However, with significant prize money to defend next year, the pressure is mounting. No one doubts Van den Bergh’s talent, but the real question is whether he can mentally rediscover his best form.

Huybrechts Under Pressure

You have to drop all the way to 50th in the rankings to find Belgium’s third-ranked player, Kim Huybrechts. Once the nation's top performer, he has now been overtaken by both Van den Bergh and De Decker.

Last year, Huybrechts made just one Euro Tour appearance – where he impressively reached the Czech Darts Open final as a reserve. This year, he’s played in four, but has only managed one second-round appearance.

The floor events have been even more difficult. Of his 23 Players Championship outings, he has exited in the first round 13 times and only once made it to the fourth round. Unsurprisingly, he failed to qualify for the World Matchplay and, aside from the World Championship, is not currently in line for any other majors this autumn.

While his averages are often respectable, Huybrechts has suffered multiple narrow defeats. Now aged 39, he’s provisionally slipped to 56th in the rankings – and dangerously close to losing his Tour Card. The warning signs are there, and the time to turn things around is now.

Mr Consistency: Vandenbogaerde

Alongside De Decker, Mario Vandenbogaerde has been Belgium’s most consistent performer this season. The 52-year-old from West Flanders regained his Tour Card at the start of last year and is in a strong position to keep it.

‘Super Mario’ isn’t known for spectacular results, but his steady form has seen him qualify for three European Tour events in 2025, twice reaching the second round. After losing his first four Players Championship matches of the year, he has since settled into a rhythm and regularly reaches the last 32 or last 16.

He currently sits 68th in the world rankings and 63rd provisionally. It's going to be tight, but his qualification for both the Players Championship Finals and the World Championship could prove crucial. A strong performance at either would go a long way toward securing his Tour Card.

Baetens Has Work to Do

Andy Baetens is next, ranked 72nd. He arrived in the PDC at the start of 2024 with high expectations after winning the WDF World Championship and then claiming a Tour Card at Q-School. But his debut season has been a struggle.

‘The Beast’ started the year by qualifying for the Winmau World Masters, where he lost in the opening round to Luke Littler. In the Players Championship events, he’s lost in the first round 15 times out of 23 appearances, with a third-round run his best finish.

His European Tour efforts haven’t been much better. He’s only qualified for one event – the Baltic Sea Darts Open – but he did turn heads there with back-to-back wins over Raymond van Barneveld and Rob Cross before falling to Gary Anderson in round three.

That display showed glimpses of his potential, but consistency is now the key. Baetens currently sits 82nd on the provisional rankings and is not yet qualified for any major – not even the World Championship. There’s no doubt about his ability, but if he’s to keep his Tour Card, the results must start coming soon.

Henderyck Facing Uphill Battle

Last but not least is Stefaan Henderyck, who won his Tour Card earlier this year and currently sits 128th in the world. The 52-year-old reached the second round of the UK Open – his only major appearance so far.

He has not qualified for any European Tour events, and his Players Championship results have been limited to a few second-round appearances. Henderyck is not currently qualified for any autumn majors, including the World Championship, and sits 134th on the provisional Order of Merit.

If he is to mount a serious push to retain his Tour Card, he will need a strong end to 2025 and an even better start to 2026.

Conclusion

While Mike De Decker is flourishing and Mario Vandenbogaerde is holding his own, the rest of Belgium’s Tour Card contingent have plenty to think about. For players like Van den Bergh and Huybrechts, experience and past pedigree must quickly translate into results. For Baetens and Henderyck, the learning curve is steep – and survival in the PDC ranks is never guaranteed.