Final PDC Challenge Tour Order of Merit: Stefan Bellmont wins ranking creates Swiss darts history

Stefan Bellmont has secured overall victory on the PDC Challenge Tour 2025. The Swiss finished the season in style by taking his third title of the year on the final day in Wigan, taking over the lead on the PDC Challenge Tour Order of Merit from Darius Labanauskas.

The decision fell Sunday during the final doubles program at the Robin Park Leisure Centre, where more than 140 darters competed for the final points toward the World Darts Championship and the Grand Slam of Darts. Labanauskas still started the day as the leader, but could not hold his position. Bellmont won the 23rd tournament of the season with an average of almost 99 per leg after a 5-3 victory over Daniel Ayres in the final.

On his way to the title, the Swiss beat Charlie Symons, Carl Wilson, Martin Grearson, Colin Osborne and Adam Smith-Neale, among others. In the semifinals he narrowly held on in a deciding leg against Jurjen van der Velde, the winner of the previous tournament. That win proved decisive. While Labanauskas was eliminated early in the final event, Bellmont secured his third tournament victory of the year to win the Challenge Tour. He automatically qualified for the Grand Slam of Darts and made history as the first Swiss ever to win a Tour Card on the PDC Challenge Tour.

In the 24th and final tournament of the season, however, it was Sam Spivey who stole the show. The 29-year-old Englishman eliminated Bellmont in the eighth finals with an average of over 102 points and then went on to win the title. Spivey left no doubt about his form along the way. He beat former World Championship finalist Andy Hamilton 5-0, dealt with Matt Gallett and Jurjen van der Velde, and eventually won the final 5-3 over Alexander Merkx. With that, Spivey took his first Challenge Tour title and the top prize of 2,500 pounds.

With the end of the Challenge Tour season, the World Championship spots have also been distributed. The top three of the standings assured participation in the 2025/2026 World Darts Championship at the Alexandra Palace. In addition to overall winner Bellmont, Darius Labanauskas and Ted Evetts are also assured of a spot at the World Championship.

Labanauskas, a quarterfinalist at the 2020 World Championship, is also high enough in the ProTour rankings to qualify via that route. As a result, the vacant World Championship spot moves on to the number four on the Challenge Tour: Mervyn King. The veteran is making his return to the World Championship after two editions of absence, at the expense of Michael Unterbuchner, who narrowly missed qualification.

With his final victory on the Challenge Tour, Bellmont is writing a new chapter in Swiss darts history. Never before has a player from Switzerland managed to secure a PDC Tour Card via this circuit. Thanks to his three titles and consistent performances throughout the season, the 36-year-old dart player may join the permanent core of PDC pros next year.

For Labanauskas, his second-place finish means a return to the ProTour for the 2026/2027 seasons, while Evetts may participate in the World Darts Championship for the fifth time in his career.