2020 PDC UK Q-School Order of Merit winners revealed: Hamilton and Brown set to return to PDC Tour, Ashton makes history
PDC
PDC Q-School is done for another year with UK Q-School in Wigan providing as usual some brilliant stories and a real buzz of darting action from the Robin Park Tennis Centre for four days.
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Stalwarts of the game, switchers from the BDO, youth prospects and county and pub players pay their fee and chance their arm at a shot of a lifetime, a spot on the PDC Tour. As well as the outright winners which are two a day, there are 12 who's performances over the four days lead to them also joining the PDC Tour.
The main player this year that everyone has been talking about in the aftermath has been Lisa Ashton. 'The Lancashire Rose' headed into Q-School having lost out in the final of the 2020 BDO World Championship to Mikuru Suzuki but despite that, she has pedigree in this event going one point away from history last year.
Despite that, many were looking at the exploits of Fallon Sherrock and Mikuru Suzuki after their brilliant performances at the Alexandra Palace but it was the multiple World Champion who proved one of the most consistent despite having a nervous wait again.
She lost early on in Day 4 and with the points totals so tight she had to hope for an outsider to take the honours. Nick Kenny was the player who handed Ashton the opportunity when he ended the hopes of Stephen Burton and he went on to win a Tour Card in his own right from there.
Ashton will now join the PDC Tour for the first time as the first female player to win through Q-School, another History Maker comes to the foray.
There was also those who were returning to the tour and these included the likes of Peter Jacques, Adam Hunt, Alan Tabern and Wayne Jones who made their immediate returns to the Tour and showed exactly what it takes to win a Tour Card.
Hamilton and Brown set for return to PDC action
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It was Andy Hamilton and Steve Brown's returns though which are potentially the most impressive. 'The Hammer', a former World finalist has plied his trade on the BDO Tour as of late after dropping off the PDC with aspirations always to reclaim his Tour Card and he did so producing consistent darts over the four days and he will be a welcome returnee.
As will Brown, also known as 'The Bomber'. A former ranking winner who now has turned his attention to the JDC, a company which has gone from strength to strength ever since the Bristol ace decided to stop playing but due to last minute sponsorship, he decided to give it a go.
He was mainly there to support his son John, even using his darts but he found himself recapturing form of old to reclaim his Tour Card. Despite him being in China for the final day on JDC business, this proved to be the right decision with his 10 points being just enough.
Heta set to bring 'The Heat' to PDC ProTour
Damon Heta is another player who had a lot of pressure on him going into 2020 PDC UK Q-School. A TV title winner in 2019 in the form of the Brisbane Darts Masters, he was almost expected to get through.
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He lived up to this billing though playing well over all four days to book his place on the PDC Tour and vindicate his decision to uproot his life in Australia and move his family over here to pursue his darting dreams.
He will also get to move near close friend Kyle Anderson, which could give 'The Original' the fire back in his darts going into the 2020 season.
Ryan Murray also came through on the Order of Merit finishing top of the pile. Famous for having two nine-darters hit against him by Michael van Gerwen, the Scot will now want to form his own history when he makes the step up to the PDC Tour. One of the most impressive players of the four days.
Finally it's Darren Penhall, a player who has plied his trade on the Challenge Tour. He will now make his step up to the tour after a run to the Last 16 today which saw him lose to Nick Kenny.
https://twitter.com/OfficialPDC/status/1218950080268505088?s=20
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Samuel GillChief Content Officer
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of DartsNews.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy across professional darts coverage. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces, playing a central role in the development and daily operation of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has extensive experience in darts media and has been closely involved in coverage of the professional darts circuit for several years. Within the UK darts community, he is a recognised figure known for his consistent editorial output and ongoing reporting on major tournaments and developments across the PDC calendar.
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- Probably i will receive a lot of backlash and hate for this reaction, but well, so be it. I am more than sick and tired of those lies of you Barry Hearn. How dare you defend yourself over the back of Fallon’s son! He has a disability and not an illness, so let me correct that for you! I know because I have the exact same disability. I have tried to reach out to Fallon in the past, and offered her to help her and her son, because I was struggling with the same problems, and I understood the boy. I wanted him to have finally someone who understood him. However she told me that she did not want my help, and I have respected Fallon’s choice. I have never asked Fallon for money. They don’t need money in that case. I only ever wanted the best for Fallon and Rory, but I have to be honest about the situation. Fallon should tell the true story and not be forced to tell lies. I don’t hate Fallon, and I don’t begrudge or envy a single penny that she gets, but this situation/case is just not fair. I hate the lies and the dishonesty and injustice. I don’t want Fallon to be hated because there is an unfair disadvantage created. Don’t proclaim your false lies over the back of Rory! I only stand for integrity and justice. I am precisely the one who always sticks up for Fallon. And you don't, you don't give a damn about them. You were never there for them, and now you only want to save your own position! You are just trying to talk your way out of your own bad behavior at the expense of someone with a disability. And to Fallon, I don’t know if this may ever reach you, and you read it, but I want you to know I love you and I love your son Rory very much, I am sorry how things developed and went. I hope you and Harriet are still friends. I am sorry if I were too persistent to you, or you experienced it that way, but it was never my intention. Please understand I have autism as well. As Barry Hearn would say, I am only just a human being too, and I also make mistakes and misjudge things sometimes. I promise you I did everything out of the deepest love and care for you and Rory. If I were you, I should just keep all the money, only please never be dishonest or tell lies anymore for Barry Hearn, or anyone else. I hope you have the best life, and I wish nothing more than the best for you. I have always loved the two of you. Farewell.Hiddo05-11-2026
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