The Erik Clarys effect? Iconic Belgian's influence sees new stars thrive on PDC Development Tour with wins over Greaves and Manby

The opening batches of the PDC Development Tour 2026 are in the books, and for the first time in years the field had a striking black-yellow-red hue. In Leicester no fewer than fifteen Belgian prospects took to the oche on the Development Tour. Thanks to support from the VTM Next Gen Darts Academy, led by former darter Erik Clarys, young Belgians have the chance this season to measure themselves against the international elite of their generation. That immediately produced some highly promising displays.

The PDC Development Tour is for players aged 16 to 24 and has long been the breeding ground for future PDC firepower. Players like Dimitri Van den Bergh and Luke Humphries dominated the Tour in the past, while names such as Luke Littler, Gian van Veen, and Wessel Nijman took their first international steps here. The stakes are high: the top two in the final ranking qualify for the World Darts Championship and also receive a coveted PDC Tour Card.

The fact that Belgian players participated only sporadically in recent years was mainly due to practical reasons. Travel costs to England for a full weekend of play add up quickly, while prize money is relatively limited. Only from the last 64 onward – and thus after three wins – is £100 paid out. For many prospects it was financially more attractive to gain experience at home. With structural support from the VTM Next Gen Darts Academy, that barrier has been partially removed this season.

In Leicester it was Mylo Michiels and Nunjo Dewaele who most prominently caught the eye. Both players collected £950 in prize money, good for 28th and 30th place in the standings respectively.

Michiels twice reached the last 16 and along the way notched an impressive win over Beau Greaves. Regarded as the best female player of the moment and fully competitive among the men, started furiously with a 10-darter and took a 3-2 lead. Michiels kept his cool and edged the match 4-3. It was without doubt one of the Belgian highlights of the weekend.

Yet the 20-year-old was not entirely satisfied. During the fourth tournament he arrived at the board two minutes late and was excluded from participation. “Rightly so, I have to be on time,” he admitted frankly to Het Nieuwsblad. “But when you hear that others get extra time or are even searched for outside the hall, that does sting.” The missed points could still play a role later in the season in the fight for a top finish and qualification for the World Youth Championship.

Nunjo Dewaele produced his best run at one of the tournaments with a quarterfinal. He also reached the last 16 once. Along the way he beat Charlie Manby 4-1, posting an 85.38 average. It shows that Dewaele also has the scoring power to operate consistently within the Tour’s upper mid-pack.

Several more Belgians followed the leading duo with solid results. Matthias Moors collected £800 and currently sits 36th in the ranking. He made the last 16 in the fifth tournament and also reached the last 32 once. “Not always the best game, but results matter,” he noted – a sober yet accurate assessment.

Jenson Remory reached £750. Axel Buyle, Nigel Coudeville, and Seppe Dasseville each took £350. Xanti Van den Bergh collected £250, while Jokke Janssens headed home with £100.

For Janssens the weekend was above all a mental test. On social media he indicated that stress got the better of him. Although he felt good and trusted his game, the tension spiked in every match. It is a familiar process for young players making their first sustained steps on the international stage.

After the first weekend of play, the lead belongs to Jurjen van der Velde, who won two tournaments. Jack Drayton sits second, followed by Sebastian Bialecki, Charlie Manby, and Dylan Slevin. World Championship participants Cam Crabtree, Owen Bates, and Beau Greaves also feature in the top twenty.

The season comprises a total of five weekends in 2026, each with multiple tournaments per weekend. The next event is scheduled from 24/4/2026 to 26/4/2026 in Milton Keynes. For the Belgian talents the message is clear: the first step has been taken, but the road to a top finish – and possibly the World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace – is still long. What the opening weekend already showed is that Belgium once again has a generation unafraid to take on the international youth elite.