Jelle Klaasen seals UK Open qualification at Riley's Qualifier

Despite losing a PDC Tour Card, Jelle Klaasen will still participate in the UK Open in March. The Cobra won the Rileys Qualifier in Coventry. In the final he defeated Owen Emmett-Bowden 4-0.

The Rileys Qualifier is open to players without a Tour Card. Sixteen of these are played before the UK Open, so players without a Tour Card also get the chance to play against the big names. In recent years more and more famous players, who have had a Tour Card before, enter the competition, making them (semi) professional players instead of amateur players.

Amongst others James Richardson, Alan Norris, Mark Dudbridge, Chas Barstow and Thibault Tricole competed in the qualification tournament in Coventry.

Since 2007 Klaasen has always been present at the UK Open, which is also known as the FA Cup of Darts. In 2016 he achieved his best result there by reaching the semi-finals. Four years later, Klaasen reached the quarter-finals.