During the World Darts Championship, the battle for the world title takes center stage, but in the background, some players are still fighting to keep the PDC Tour Card, while some others are trying to earn one.
The top-64 players in the world rankings after the World Darts Championship are guaranteed a PDC Tour Card for 2023. So are the players who received Tour Cards in early 2022.
For 27 players it is already clear that they will lose their PDC Tour Card after this year. Among them include Scott Mitchell, Glen Durrant, John Henderson, Max Hopp and Steve West who will lose their spots on the Pro Tour. They can try to regain a Tour Card at the Q-School in January 2023.
Keegan Brown, Niels Zonneveld, Geert Nentjes and Danny Baggish have virtually lost their PDC Tour Card, but with a good performance at the World Darts Championship can still get into the top-64 of the PDC Order of Merit. Nentjes is already sure of a new Tour Card because of his high ranking on the Development Tour, the youth circuit of the PDC.
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Good performances by the aforementioned names then come at the expense of players who are currently narrowly in the top-64. Currently, Ron Meulenkamp sits on the edge in 64th. Meulenkamp did not qualify for the tournament at Alexandra Palace.
That does include Lewy Williams (now 60th), Adam Gawlas (now 62nd) and Jeff Smith (now 63rd). Steve Lennon (59th) and Joe Murnan (61st), like Meulenkamp, must wait to see if he keeps his Tour Card.
Players who virtually still have PDC Tour Card, but may lose it after World Darts Championships
Steve Lennon (59th - will not play at World Cup)
Lewy Williams (60th - will play at World Cup)
Joe Murnan (61st - will not play at World Cup)
Adam Gawlas (62nd - will play in WC)
Jeff Smith (63rd - will play in WC)
Ron Meulenkamp (64th - will not play in WC)
Players who have virtually lost PDC Tour Cards, but are in action at World Darts Championships
Keegan Brown (65th)
Niels Zonneveld (67th)
Geert Nentjes (71st - in case of loss of Tour Card, Nentjes gets new Tour Card via Development Tour)
Danny Baggish (89th)
Players who lost their PDC Tour Card anyway
Maik Kuivenhoven
Scott Mitchell
William Borland
Jason Lowe
Adam Hunt
Glen Durrant
Jason Heaver
Andy Boulton
John Henderson
Jeffrey de Zwaan
Gordon Mathers
Boris Koltsov
Max Hopp
Berry van Peer
Peter Hudson
Steve West
Eddie Lovely
Ted Evetts
John Michael
Jon Worsley
Geert de Vos
Brett Claydon
Jack Main
Zoran Lerchbacher
John Brown
Jake Jones
Michael Unterbuchner