FORMER European Darts Open champion Raymond van Barneveld was amongst five Dutchmen to win through the European Qualifier for this year's event in Dusseldorf on Thursday night, as Germany's Michael Rosenauer ensured his return to the big stage.
Premier League Darts champion van Barneveld headed the list of eight players who won through Thursday's European Qualifier, as he defeated fellow Dutchman Joey Ten Berge and Belgian youngster Dimitri Van den Bergh with 6-1 scorelines.
Van Barneveld, who won the 2012 event at the Maritim Hotel, now takes on Martin Schindler in the first round of the European Tour event on Friday afternoon, after the German thrower defeated Jyhan Artut, Michael Reinatz and Rene Eidams to qualify.
Jelle Klaasen matched van Barneveld by dropping only two legs as he qualified with wins over Salmon Renyaan - an Austrian Darts Open qualifier recently - and Anoop Ramdajal, while Christian Kist defeated Pieter Romkes 6-2 and then saw off Michel Boulet 6-1 to qualify.
Youngster Benito van de Pas, who defeated Michael van Gerwen in the Gibraltar Darts Trophy a fortnight ago, knocked out World Cup aces Maik Langendorf and Jarkko Komula as he qualified to set up a tasty first round clash with another European Qualifier, Ronny Huybrechts.
Another emerging Dutchman, Ryan De Vreede, knocked out Austrian Darts Open winner Vincent van der Voort and then defeated Finland's Jani Haavisto in a deciding leg as he qualified for a second successive European Tour event.
Belgian ace Huybrechts overcame Ron Meulenkamp and Zoran Lerchbacher to qualify, while Austrian duo Mensur Suljovic and Rowby-John Rodriguez completed the European Qualifiers.
Rodriguez impressed by losing only four legs in three games as he progresses to face German debutant Arman Ertur in the first round proper, while Suljovic also takes on home opposition in the first round as he meets Rosenauer.
Rosenauer, one of Germany's most experienced players on the PDC circuit, makes his first European Tour appearance for two years after he defeated Mick Hasse, Matheus Ziolkowski and Max Hopp to qualify.
Michael Hurtz followed up his qualification for three European Tour events in 2013 by winning through to take on Lakeside Champion Stephen Bunting in Friday's first round, while Ertur makes his debut after overcoming top German Andree Welge amongst his thre qualifying wins.
European Darts Open
European Qualifier
Preliminary Round
Anoop Ramdajal 6-2 Jordy Terburg
Dirk Schenk 6-3 Robert Wildgrube
Michel Boulet 6-4 Christian Kallinger
Rowby-John Rodriguez 6-1 Stefan Couwenberg
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-3 Jerry Hendriks
Yoann Belchun 6-4 Michael Rasztovits
Rocco Maes 6-1 Eric Tripodi
Maik Langendorf 6-2 Mareno Michels
First Round
Jelle Klaasen 6-1 Salmon Renyaan
Anoop Ramdajal 6-0 Michael Schmacher
Ryan de Vreede 6-3 Vincent van der Voort
Jani Haavisto 6-4 Dirk Schenk
Christian Kist 6-2 Pieter Romkes
Michel Boulet 6-5 Kevin Vennik
Michael Sloeten 6-3 Magnus Caris
Rowby-John Rodriguez 6-0 Thibout Daisy
Mensur Suljovic 6-1 Jeffrey Mevissen
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-2 Gino Vos
Raymond van Barneveld 6-1 Joey ten Berge
Dimitri van den Bergh 6-5 Yoann Belchun
Ronny Huybrechts 6-2 Ron Meulenkamp
Zoran Lerchbacher 6-0 Rocco Maes
Jarkko Komula 6-4 Kevin Voornhout
Benito van de Pas 6-1 Maik Langendorf
Second Round
Jelle Klaasen 6-1 Anoop Ramdajal
Ryan de Vreede 6-5 Jani Haavisto
Christian Kist 6-1 Michel Boulet
Rowby-John Rodriguez 6-3 Michael Sloeten
Mensur Suljovic 6-4 Dirk van Duijvenbode
Raymond van Barneveld 6-1 Dimitri van den Bergh
Ronny Huybrechts 6-3 Zoran Lerchbacher
Benito van de Pas 6-3 Jarkko Komula
Qualifiers
EQ1 Jelle Klaasen
EQ2 Ryan de Vreede
EQ3 Christian Kist
EQ4 Rowby-John Rodriguez
EQ5 Mensur Suljovic
EQ6 Raymond van Barneveld
EQ7 Ronny Huybrechts
EQ8 Benito van de Pas
Host Nation Qualifier
First Round
Fabian Herz 6-3 Stephan Lubbing
Michael Hurtz 6-0 Klaas Lottmann
Jorg Hofmann 6-0 Frank Cremer
Colin Rice 6-1 Christian Pohl
Andree Welge 6-2 Bernd Roith
Arman Ertur 6-3 Thomas Treczka
Christian Soethe 6-2 Holger Hentrup
Thorsten Bruggemeyer 6-5 Alfred Tettampel
Martin Schindler 6-3 Jyhan Artut
Michael Reinatz 6-0 Lucio Rave
Karsten Kornath 6-3 Kevin Knopf
Rene Eidams 6-0 Daniel P Rodriguez
Max Hopp 6-1 Jorg Mitterlehner
Robin Klein 6-4 Olaf Tupuschis
Matheus Ziolkowski 6-3 Tomas Seyler
Michael Rosenauer 6-2 Mick Hasse
Second Round
Michael Hurtz 6-1 Fabian Herz
Jorg Hofmann 6-5 Colin Rice
Arman Ertur 6-3 Andree Welge
Christian Soethe 6-1 Thorsten Bruggemeyer
Martin Schindler 6-2 Michael Reinatz
Rene Eidams 6-0 Karsten Kornath
Max Hopp 6-0 Robin Klein
Michael Rosenauer 6-1 Matheus Ziolkowski
Third Round
Michael Hurtz 6-2 Jorg Hofmann
Arman Ertur 6-5 Christian Soethe
Martin Schindler 6-2 Rene Eidams
Michael Rosenauer 6-4 Max Hopp
Qualifiers
HN1 Michael Hurtz
HN2 Arman Ertur
HN3 Martin Schindler
HN4 Michael Rosenauer