The Entries have been confirmed for Players Championship 24-25 with Luke Littler, Gerwyn Price and Michael van Gerwen set for their ProTour return between August 25-26.
Littler hasn't appeared in the Players Championship series for most of the season having decided to snub certain tournaments in favour of a more balanced schedule amid all of the TV tournaments and also the Premier League. But he makes his return next week both on the ProTour and European Tour.
He will play in the Flanders Darts Trophy next weekend and will also begin his week in ProTour action in Milton Keynes. The two tournaments see a field of 128 players comprised of PDC Tour Card holders and PDPA Associate Members. Play begins at 13:00 BST each day and will be paired with a Qualifier for the World Series of Darts Finals in Amsterdam with six spots available.
That takes place on August 27 on the day after this next week's ProTour. Of those involved also include Nathan Aspinall who has not played the ProTour either for some time, Michael van Gerwen who at the moment will not make it to Minehead for the Players Championship Finals as well as Gerwyn Price who has played most of the events.
He has been one of the only top names to enter most. Van Gerwen has entered a few but has also lost a lot in the opening rounds and on occasion promptly not played in the next event. But given he is earmarked to play in both MK and Antwerp over the next week, it is likely he is employing more of a full schedule now compared to earlier this year after his personal issues.
Only a few Tour Card Holders are not active in MK, most of whom usually aren't anyway or play sporadically. Haupai Puha, Maximillian Czerwinski, Jules van Dongen and Tim Wotlers chief among those while Chris Dobey and Luke Humphries as well as Josh Rock are among those to take the ProTour off. Joined by Nathan Rafferty.
Darius Labanauskas, Stefan Bellmont, Ted Evetts, Jamai van den Herik, Mervyn King, Jack Tweddell, Beau Greaves, Alexander Merkx join the field for the two days as a result. Greaves hasn't been on the ProTour for most of the year despite getting invites but with the Women's Series being in the same venue over the weekend will stay for the double header in Milton Keynes.
So pending any withdrawals late on, it will be a pretty full contingent of ProTour names who will be involved on Monday and Tuesday. After a short break mainly due to the World Series, it is a busy Autumn upon us and it all begins in Milton Keynes and Antwerp next week.
There have been many different winners on this year's ProTour with Gerwyn Price one of the only constants winning three in all. Last double header saw Sebastian Bialecki and Jermaine Wattimena become first time winners. Also previously Bradley Brooks, Damon Heta, James Wade, Stephen Bunting and Chris Dobey won on the previous run in Leicester. Cameron Menzies, Martin Schindler, Josh Rock and Gary Anderson have all also been victorious. This sees Events 24-25 with the remainder taking place over three more blocks in September and October in Hildesheim, Leicester and Wigan before the Players Championship Finals in November.
That sees the top 64 from the ProTour qualify for the season ending tournament which is played out in Butlins, Minehead during the penultimate weekend of November as the last knockings before the World Championship.
Arena MK, Milton Keynes
August 25-26
Players Championship 24 | Players Championship 25 |
---|---|
Nathan Aspinall | Gary Anderson |
Andy Baetens | Nathan Aspinall |
Keane Barry | Andy Baetens |
Owen Bates | Keane Barry |
Stefan Bellmont | Owen Bates |
Darren Beveridge | Stefan Bellmont |
Sebastian Bialecki | Darren Beveridge |
Tom Bissell | Sebastian Bialecki |
William Borland | Tom Bissell |
Andy Boulton | William Borland |
Bradley Brooks | Andy Boulton |
Stephen Bunting | Bradley Brooks |
Stephen Burton | Stephen Bunting |
Matt Campbell | Stephen Burton |
Dave Chisnall | Matt Campbell |
Brett Claydon | Dave Chisnall |
Jonny Clayton | Brett Claydon |
Gabriel Clemens | Jonny Clayton |
Cam Crabtree | Gabriel Clemens |
Rob Cross | Cam Crabtree |
Joe Cullen | Rob Cross |
Mike De Decker | Joe Cullen |
Jeffrey de Graaf | Mike De Decker |
Jose de Sousa | Jeffrey de Graaf |
Cor Dekker | Jose de Sousa |
Matthew Dennant | Cor Dekker |
Kevin Doets | Matthew Dennant |
Brendan Dolan | Kevin Doets |
Martijn Dragt | Brendan Dolan |
Tavis Dudeney | Martijn Dragt |
Ritchie Edhouse | Tavis Dudeney |
Ricky Evans | Ritchie Edhouse |
Ted Evetts | Ricky Evans |
Patrick Geeraets | Ted Evetts |
Andrew Gilding | Patrick Geeraets |
Kai Gotthardt | Andrew Gilding |
Beau Greaves | Kai Gotthardt |
Rhys Griffin | Beau Greaves |
Dominik Gruellich | Rhys Griffin |
Robert Grundy | Dominik Gruellich |
Daryl Gurney | Robert Grundy |
Florian Hempel | Daryl Gurney |
Stefaan Henderyck | Florian Hempel |
Damon Heta | Stefaan Henderyck |
Justin Hood | Damon Heta |
Max Hopp | Justin Hood |
Adam Hunt | Max Hopp |
James Hurrell | Adam Hunt |
Kim Huybrechts | James Hurrell |
Ryan Joyce | Kim Huybrechts |
Tytus Kanik | Ryan Joyce |
Nick Kenny | Tytus Kanik |
George Killington | Nick Kenny |
Mervyn King | George Killington |
Christian Kist | Mervyn King |
Jelle Klaasen | Christian Kist |
Maik Kuivenhoven | Jelle Klaasen |
Darius Labanauskas | Maik Kuivenhoven |
Chris Landman | Darius Labanauskas |
Danny Lauby | Chris Landman |
Steve Lennon | Danny Lauby |
Adam Lipscombe | Steve Lennon |
Luke Littler | Adam Lipscombe |
Pero Ljubic | Luke Littler |
Jim Long | Pero Ljubic |
Thomas Lovely | Jim Long |
Oskar Lukasiak | Thomas Lovely |
Martin Lukeman | Oskar Lukasiak |
Mickey Mansell | Martin Lukeman |
Ryan Meikle | Mickey Mansell |
Cameron Menzies | Ryan Meikle |
Alexander Merkx | Cameron Menzies |
Wessel Nijman | Alexander Merkx |
Danny Noppert | Wessel Nijman |
William O'Connor | Danny Noppert |
Dennie Olde Kalter | William O'Connor |
Rob Owen | Dennie Olde Kalter |
Adam Paxton | Rob Owen |
Ricardo Pietreczko | Adam Paxton |
Darryl Pilgrim | Ricardo Pietreczko |
Wesley Plaisier | Darryl Pilgrim |
Gerwyn Price | Wesley Plaisier |
Krzysztof Ratajski | Gerwyn Price |
Madars Razma | Krzysztof Ratajski |
Benjamin Reus | Madars Razma |
Joshua Richardson | Benjamin Reus |
Greg Ritchie | Joshua Richardson |
Rusty-Jake Rodriguez | Greg Ritchie |
Callan Rydz | Rusty-Jake Rodriguez |
Martin Schindler | Callan Rydz |
Connor Scutt | Martin Schindler |
Ryan Searle | Connor Scutt |
Karel Sedlacek | Ryan Searle |
Dylan Slevin | Karel Sedlacek |
Michael Smith | Dylan Slevin |
Ross Smith | Michael Smith |
Alan Soutar | Ross Smith |
Niko Springer | Alan Soutar |
Mensur Suljovic | Niko Springer |
Radek Szaganski | Mensur Suljovic |
Dom Taylor | Radek Szaganski |
Viktor Tingstrom | Dom Taylor |
Thibault Tricole | Viktor Tingstrom |
Michele Turetta | Thibault Tricole |
Jack Tweddell | Michele Turetta |
Raymond van Barneveld | Jack Tweddell |
Dimitri Van den Bergh | Raymond van Barneveld |
Jamai van den Herik | Dimitri Van den Bergh |
Jitse van der Wal | Jamai van den Herik |
Dirk van Duijvenbode | Jitse van der Wal |
Michael van Gerwen | Dirk van Duijvenbode |
Berry van Peer | Michael van Gerwen |
Gian van Veen | Berry van Peer |
Marvin van Velzen | Gian van Veen |
Mario Vandenbogaerde | Marvin van Velzen |
Richard Veenstra | Mario Vandenbogaerde |
James Wade | Richard Veenstra |
Adam Warner | James Wade |
Jermaine Wattimena | Adam Warner |
Leon Weber | Jermaine Wattimena |
Lukas Wenig | Leon Weber |
Ian White | Lukas Wenig |
Jim Williams | Ian White |
Scott Williams | Jim Williams |
Luke Woodhouse | Scott Williams |
Peter Wright | Luke Woodhouse |
Niels Zonneveld | Peter Wright |
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