"I think it’s harder to qualify for the WDF Worlds than for the PDC Worlds": Lakeside a tougher school says Liam Maendl-Lawrance, ponders Tour Card dream bid

Liam Maendl-Lawrence has been one of the biggest talents in German darts for years. Now 22, he will contest his fourth WDF World Championship this year. But his main target is the PDC: over the next few years, the Munich native wants to go all-in for a Tour Card.

On the podcast “Tops Tops Tops” with Adrian Geiler and Max Maintz, Maendl-Lawrence revealed he intends to focus entirely on that goal. The 22-year-old wants to fulfil his dream of spending at least two years as a pro on the PDC Pro Tour.

The foundation was a successful campaign on the PDC Europe Next Gen. The Munich player finished sixth in the rankings, securing an early return to the PDC Europe Super League 2026.

Maendl-Lawrence also celebrated his first Next Gen title. At Event 12 in Hildesheim, he triumphed in the unusual Double-in/Double-out format.

During the final Next Gen weekend, the confirmed Super League participants were interviewed by Adrian Geiler. The tournament is familiar ground for Maendl-Lawrence. Last year, he reached the semi-finals and narrowly missed out on a World Championship ticket.

Maendl-Lawrence no longer works solely on his game at the board. The 22-year-old has started strength training to improve his physical condition and benefit at the oche.

“I think it will have a positive impact on my throw. I can already feel it’s going pretty well, I have more stability in my back,” said Liam Maendl-Lawrence.

He also feels on the right track competitively. A key factor is consistent practice with Mika Donnevert. The pair work together regularly and have built a solid routine.

Asked where he stands right now and how he assesses his current game, Maendl-Lawrence replied: “It’s actually going really well, the consistent practice with Mika is going very well. It’s also nice to have a daily routine. Overall, I hope the Tour Card comes soon, because I’ve been waiting a few years. Even though I’m still young, you want it fairly quickly. You don’t want to say: Ah, I’ll wait two more years and then it’ll come, but get the Tour Card tomorrow and be playing the day after.”

First up, however, is the PDC Europe Super League. Maendl-Lawrence has qualified for the event for the fourth year in a row. It will be staged in mid-November in Hildesheim.

“I’ll enjoy it again. With the people there it’s just a chilled time, even if it’s during the week. And to chill with the guys, play darts – and even if you’re not friends on the oche during the match, away from it you get on great with everyone.”

Despite his sporting ambitions, the Super League atmosphere also matters to Maendl-Lawrence. At the board it’s about competition; off it he maintains good relations with his German rivals.

Training with Mika Donnevert continues to play a central role in his development. Maendl-Lawrence explained that consistent joint practice has a huge impact on his game.

Around two hours of training per day are a big advantage at tournaments. The routine also helps him mentally. It tells his mind he can produce the required level on demand.

Alongside his PDC ambitions, Maendl-Lawrence has long made a name for himself in the WDF. With his fourth appearance at the WDF World Championship, he becomes Germany’s record participant. That puts him ahead of Michael Unterbuchner in appearances there.

But what if Maendl-Lawrence qualifies for the big PDC World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace? The 22-year-old does not want to consider that decision yet. He would have to choose one World Championship.

“Don’t look too far ahead. Martin Schindler said something good: You always look too far into the future and then go out before that and get more annoyed because you had it in your head three weeks earlier.”

Instead of playing through scenarios, Maendl-Lawrence wants to focus on the tasks directly in front of him. He also sees the WDF World Championship as a safety net if Alexandra Palace qualification does not work out.

Maendl-Lawrence put forward an interesting thesis. In his view, qualifying for the WDF World Championship is even tougher than the route to the PDC World Darts Championship. The ranking system and heavy travel load are decisive factors for him.

“Personally, I think it’s harder to qualify for the WDF Worlds than for the PDC Worlds, simply because in the WDF you have to defend a bunch of points and win a bunch of points, and there’s just a lot of travel. And if you win a match regularly on the Pro Tour, you’re actually relatively safe for the World Championship,” the Munich native concluded.

Exciting months lie ahead for Maendl-Lawrence. The Super League return, his fourth WDF World Championship, and above all the long-term push for a PDC Tour Card give the 22-year-old several chances to take the next step in his career.