“This is only the start” – Niall Culleton relieved to finally get over the line as he secures PDC Tour Card

The second day of the final phase of UK Q-School produced a surprise new PDC Tour Card holder. Irishman Niall Culleton defeated England’s Danny Goddard 6-5 in his decisive match and can now compete on the Pro Tour for the next two years. Culleton had some luck in his deciding match when his opponent missed several match darts, but he then struck cold-bloodedly himself.

Culleton is a Q-School veteran, and his eighth attempt finally did the trick. “I’ve twice lost my deciding match for a PDC Tour Card here, but now it’s finally happened. I can’t describe how happy I am,” Culleton said immediately afterwards.

“I said to myself,' if you can get through that, you can get through this day.' That’s all I was thinking. He was playing very well, scoring very well, and I just thought: one leg at a time. One after the other. You can do this, you can do this. That’s what I was thinking in the final as well — 'if you can get through that game earlier, you can get through this.'"

The 38-year-old Culleton works full-time as a carpenter in daily life. "It depends on whether I talk to the boss or not. I’m a carpenter back home. I’ve got three kids, a wife and a dog, so there are going to be some conversations," he stated. "The wife has always been behind me with the darts. She says, “Look, I know what you’re at, I know what you’re doing — I’m behind you 100%.” That’s always been a massive help."

“This is only the start,” Culleton continued. "Winning the tour card is just the beginning. It’s not about saying, 'I’ve won the tour card.' It’s about building from here now, pushing on, and seeing what I can actually do and where it goes."

UK Q-School continues this weekend in Milton Keynes with the final two days of the closing phase. On both days, a PDC Tour Card for the next two years awaits the finalists. The top five of the UK Q-School Order of Merit also secures a two-year PDC Tour Card, making a deep run in these events crucial as the points rack up.