"I’m going to get that card someday" – One of the best players without a Tour Card refuses to give up the dream
PDC
Andreas Harrysson has long been a familiar name for devoted darts followers. The 50-year-old Swede ranks among the strongest players on the Scandinavian circuit and has repeatedly shown he can perform against established PDC pros. Yet one key item still eludes his résumé: a PDC Tour Card.
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In recent years, Harrysson has regularly showcased his quality on the PDC Nordic & Baltic Tour and at international events. When he hits top gear, the Swede can trouble almost any opponent. It makes him one of the standout players who has never secured a permanent spot on the PDC ProTour.
In conversation with Bang On Target, Harrysson spoke at length about life away from darts, the sport’s growth in Scandinavia, and his ambition to finally earn a Tour Card. Despite past disappointments at Q-School, giving up is simply not an option for Harrysson.
Quiet life in Malilla
Harrysson lives in Malilla, a small town in southern Sweden. He lives there with his partner Petra, with whom he has been for over three decades. “I live in Sweden, in a small community called Målilla, which has about 1,500 inhabitants. I live with my partner, Petra. We aren’t married — we’ve only been together for 31 years! We have two sons, Linus, 26, and Albin, 22.”
Away from darts, Harrysson leads a fairly quiet life. “My interests include fishing, watching speedway, and listening to music.”
His love of speedway doesn’t come out of the blue. Malilla has strong motorsport ties and is a well-known town in Sweden’s speedway scene. Even so, darts naturally takes up a large share of Harrysson’s free time.
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He isn’t the type to show up only when a major international event is on the schedule. He tries to play as many matches as possible at home as well. “I try to play as much as I can for my club team, Målilla, in the Swedish Elitserien and the local league, as well as competing in various individual tournaments across Sweden.”
Those many competitive hours have helped keep Harrysson among the leading players in his region for years. He is a regular on the PDC Nordic & Baltic Tour and, beyond that circuit, constantly looks for opportunities to stay sharp in competition.
One of the best players without a Tour Card
Anyone who has watched Harrysson often may wonder why he has never earned a PDC Tour Card. The Swede scores heavily enough and has shown he isn’t easily overawed by big names.
Harrysson is frequently listed among the best players never to have held a permanent place on the PDC ProTour. He mainly sees that as a major compliment.
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“It is a great honour to be considered that way. It’s probably because I’ve shown several times that I can give anyone a real challenge, both on and off the stage.”
That is exactly what Harrysson has done over the years. His results haven’t always been consistent, but on a good day the Swede can reach a level that troubles established Tour Card holders.
It also underlines how difficult it is to earn a Tour Card via Q-School. Over four days, almost everything has to fall into place while hundreds of players chase the same goal. One poor match can force a year-long wait. Few know that grind better than Harrysson. Even so, his ambition has not dimmed.
On his World Darts Championship debut, Harrysson immediately reached the last 16.
New shot at Q-School
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The Swede is clear when asked if he will make another run at a Tour Card. “I will definitely try again. I’m going to get that card someday.”
That line sums up his mindset. Despite previous attempts and setbacks, Harrysson remains convinced of his ability.
If he does succeed, he would spend two seasons testing himself against the best on the ProTour. Given his past results against PDC pros, Harrysson would be far from an unknown quantity there.
At the same time, the question is whether a different route onto the ProTour should emerge for Scandinavian players in future. The PDC Nordic & Baltic Tour has developed strongly in recent years and increasingly produces players who can hold their own internationally.
One possible option would be to award the circuit winner a direct Tour Card. Harrysson is not opposed to that. “That could certainly be a good thing – though Q-School is already tough enough as it is.”
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Level in Scandinavia keeps rising
Darts has clearly gained ground in Scandinavia in recent years. While the absolute elite long came mainly from Great Britain and the Netherlands, the sport’s international character keeps growing.
That trend is also visible on the Nordic & Baltic Tour. According to Harrysson, the standard there increases every year. “You could say that. The standard improves every year.”
As a result, Scandinavian players are finding their way to bigger PDC tournaments more often. Distance, however, remains a key factor. For players from Great Britain or the Netherlands it is relatively simple to play many events, while Scandinavian darters regularly depend on flights and hotel stays.
The financial and practical threshold is therefore much higher. Even so, Harrysson expects more Scandinavian players to appear on the PDC Tour in the future.
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That would be an important step for the sport’s further development in the region. The more players establish themselves at the highest level, the more attractive darts becomes for new generations in Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and the other countries in the region.
Harrysson on nationality in the sport
During the interview, Harrysson was also asked about a topic that has sparked debate in recent years: players who were not born in a certain country but later represent that nation internationally.
Harrysson sees nothing wrong with that in itself, as long as someone has genuinely built a connection with the country in question. “That’s a tough question. My opinion is that if you move to a country, become a citizen and feel like you’re part of it, then representing that country is the natural thing to do."
According to Harrysson, the situation changes when someone switches nationality solely for sporting advantage. “However, if you become a citizen solely to compete in the Olympics, the World Championship or something similar, I think that’s wrong.
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“In those cases, I believe the people who are genuinely playing for their country should get the spot, even if they aren’t quite as skilled.”
For Harrysson, representing a country is therefore not solely about formal nationality. A player, he says, must also have genuinely built a bond with the country they play for.
Tour Card remains the big goal
Over his long darts career, Harrysson has experienced a lot and already performed on major international stages. Playing at Alexandra Palace ranks among the sport’s most special moments for him.
“It would absolutely be the moment you step onto the Ally Pally stage,” Harrysson answers when asked about one of the biggest moments of his career.
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Yet his story is not complete. The Swede remains active on the Scandinavian circuit, plays as many matches at home as possible, and has no intention of giving up his dream of life as a PDC professional.
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.
In his current role, Samuel works closely with editors and writers to ensure content meets clear journalistic standards, with a focus on source verification, editorial consistency, and timely updates when new, confirmed information becomes available.
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