PDC Development Tour Order of Merit Update: Cameron Crabtree solidifies top spot, Beau Greaves provisionally on a Tour Card

The Development Tour 2025 delivered another spectacle in Wigan this weekend. At the Robin Park Leisure Centre, as many as 290 talented darters from home and abroad battled for the titles in tournaments 18 and 19. Cam Crabtree grabbed his fourth title of the season already, while Tyler Thorpe secured his first ever PDC title.

Saturday began with tournament 18, in which 22-year-old Tyler Thorpe from Norwich emerged as the surprise of the day. Thorpe had not yet achieved results beyond the last 32 on the Development Tour this year, but in Wigan he showed what is inside of him. In the final he took care of Swede Viktor Tingström. With back-to-back 13-darters Thorpe finished the game in style: 5-3.

His route to the title was impressive. In the opening rounds, he successively sent Killian Heffernan, Rohan Brouwers, Harrison Leigh and Sebastian Bialecki home with clear 4-1 figures. Especially against Brouwers and Bialecki, Thorpe recorded strong averages above 100. This was followed by a convincing whitewash (4-0) against Joseph Brady and a hard-fought 5-3 victory over Charlie Manby, the winner of tournament 16.

In the semifinals Thorpe had to go to the limit against James Beeton. Only in the deciding leg did he win the match, securing his place in the final. There he showed nerves of steel by trouncing Tingström. For Thorpe this victory means his very first title under the PDC flag, a step that gives his career an enormous boost.

A special moment in this tournament came in the name of Oliver Pearce-Burgess. The young Englishman threw a perfect leg in his first round match against Ben Townley: a nine-darter. Although Pearce-Burgess lost, his performance was received with loud applause by the audience and fellow players.

After Thorpe's shock, it was once again time for the established players in tournament 19. Cam Crabtree, the 21-year-old Englishman who had already won three titles on the Development Tour in May, proved his class again. In the final he defeated Pole Sebastian Bialecki 5-3 and thus strengthened his leading position in the rankings.

Crabtree's tournament started convincingly. Without much difficulty he reached the last 32, in which he had to surrender only one leg. Yet he experienced a precarious moment in the fourth round. Against Belgian Xanti Van den Bergh he had to pull out all the stops to survive in the deciding leg. Then he completely recovered with convincing wins over Harrison Leigh and Keaton Williams.

In the semifinals, Ryan Branley awaited, but Crabtree also closed that match 5-3. In the final match against Bialecki, he remained cool and professional, taking the top prize of 2,500 pounds.

Bialecki, who took another title on the PDC Pro Tour earlier this year, had a strong tournament himself. He eliminated among others Jamai van den Herik (winner of Event 17) and two-time Women's World Matchplay champion Beau Greaves. Yet in the final he had to acknowledge his superiority to the highly effective Crabtree.

With his victory, Crabtree continues to build his lead. He now leads the Development Tour rankings with 1,650 pounds more prize money than his closest pursuer Beau Greaves. Behind them, Owen Bates, Charlie Manby and Sebastian Bialecki make up the rest of the top five.

The stakes are high. The numbers one and two in the final rankings assure themselves of a coveted PDC Tour Card for the years 2026 and 2027. In addition, the three highest ranked players will receive an invitation to the upcoming World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace. For many young players, this is the stage to showcase themselves at the highest level.

The Development Tour continues Sunday with its 20th tournament, again at the Robin Park Leisure Centre in Wigan. The final weekend of the Tour is also scheduled there next month. With Crabtree as the dominant leader, as well as surprising names like Thorpe reporting to the top, the final tournaments still promise plenty of excitement and spectacle.