“I can pick up some titles on the Players Championship circuit or even on the Euro Tour” – Ambitious Jeffrey de Zwaan returns to the Pro Tour

Jeffrey de Zwaan has secured his return to the PDC Pro Tour and looks ahead to the 2026 season with renewed confidence, which gets underway today in Milton Keynes with the qualifiers for the Winmau World Masters.

The Dutchman, a former World Matchplay semi-finalist, reclaimed his PDC Tour Card via European Q-School earlier this January, and did so convincingly too by automatically sealing a card on the final day. After a difficult spell off the tour, ‘The Black Cobra’ is visibly relieved and motivated.

“I’m feeling great, to be honest,” says De Zwaan in conversation with his sponsor, Unicorn. “Getting my tour card back after a year off the tour - it’s an amazing feeling.”

The past few years have been anything but easy for the now 29-year-old. Injuries, particularly to his shoulder, and mental challenges kept him sidelined for a long time. Instead of grinding through matches and practice hours, De Zwaan deliberately chose to take a step back in 2025.

“I think I do feel better than previous years, definitely,” he explains. “To be honest, I didn’t do any practice last year – I was focusing on the recovery of my shoulder, and recovering mentally."

That decision now appears to be paying off. Free from match pressure and with a fresh mindset, De Zwaan entered Q-School and showed his talent and class are still very much there. “That’s what I was doing last year, so I’m now really confident coming into this year,” he continues. “And you’ve seen already what happened – I’ve got my tour card back.”

Regaining that tour card means the Dutchman will again compete in the Players Championships, Euro Tours, and qualifiers for the major events in 2026. He makes no secret of his ambitions. As for almost every professional, one tournament stands out above the rest. “I think, as always, qualifying for the World Championship is the main goal,” says De Zwaan. “That is the main tournament that you want to compete in."

But it doesn’t stop there. With his experience and natural scoring power, he also hopes for success on the floor tournaments and the European circuit. “Maybe I can pick up some titles on the Players Championship circuit or even on the Euro Tour,” he says ambitiously. “I’m really looking forward to the season, and trying to achieve those goals.”

Notably, during his successful Q-School campaign, De Zwaan returned to a trusted setup. He played with his familiar Code darts, a choice that clearly suited him. “The Codes - I’m using the Codes again,” he explains. “There’s some slight grip at the end where it tapers, and that’s really what I like about them.”

De Zwaan is in action today during qualifying for the Winmau World Masters 2026, the first major of the new season. The qualifier offers eight remaining tickets for the main event, which starts on Thursday.