NINE-DART RICHARDSON ENJOYS DOUBLE QUALIFYING SUCCESS
JAMES RICHARDSON landed a nine-dart finish as he was one of seven players to win places in the Austrian Darts Open and European Darts Open events this summer at Friday's UK Qualifiers in Coventry.
The 42-year-old from Northamptonshire secured double qualification for the next two PDC European Tour events as he won through the field of PDPA members at the Ricoh Arena.
The highlight of a fine night for Richardson was a nine-dart finish which he landed to seal a victory over Justin Pipe in the European Darts Open UK Qualifier, which he followed with a victory over Arron Monk to secure qualification for the tournament in Dusseldorf from July 29-31.
Richardson had earlier defeated Mickey Mansell, Jay Foreman and Joe Murnan as he won a spot in the Austrian Darts Open in Vienna from June 10-12.
Former European Tour winner Wes Newton also qualified for both tournaments, alongside Australian ace Kyle Anderson, Wales' Jonny Clayton, former Austrian Darts Open finalist Jamie Caven, Mark Frost and Steve West.
Three other former European Tour winners, Justin Pipe, Mervyn King and Steve Beaton also won places in the Austrian Darts Open, while Wayne Jones came through a deciding leg against James Young to earn his spot in Vienna.
Recent Players Championship winner Josh Payne also qualified for the event in Austria, while Northern Ireland's Brendan Dolan, emerging star Chris Dobey, Ross Smith, Nigel Heydon, Darron Brown, James Wilson, Simon Stevenson and Steve McNally also qualified.
Top seed Alan Norris defeated Mark Hylton and Nathan Aspinall as he qualified for the European Darts Open, with February's Dutch Darts Masters finalist Daryl Gurney and former German Darts Masters runner-up John Henderson also won spots in Dusseldorf.
Former World Championship finalist Andy Hamilton overcame Jason Lovett, William O'Connor and Ricky Evans as he sealed his spot in the event, while Wales Gerwyn Price failed to lose a leg in his wins over David Wilson and Stephen Willard.
South Africa's Devon Petersen, youngsters Shaun Griffiths and Harry Ward, former World Championship semi-finalist Andy Jenkins, Ritchie Edhouse, Tony Newell, Robbie Green and Andy Boulton also won spots in Dusseldorf.
The European Qualifier for both the Austrian Darts Open and European Darts Open will be held on Wednesday June 1 ahead of the Betway World Cup of Darts, with eight places in each event on offer.
The Host Nation Qualifier for both tournaments will be held on the night before each main event begins.
The Austrian Darts Open and European Darts Open will both be broadcast through www.LIVEPDC.TV , with further coverage through a range of bookmakers' websites which will be advertised at www.pdc.tv.
Ticket information for PDC European Tour events is available at www.pdc-europe.tv.
Austrian Darts Open
European Tour Event Five
UK Qualifier - Ricoh Arena, Coventry, May 20 2016
Preliminary Round
Andy Jenkins 6-3 William O'Connor
Adam Hunt 6-4 Callum Loose
Mick McGowan 6-5 Harry Ward
Chris Dobey 6-2 Brian Woods
Wayne Jones 6-0 Nick Fullwell
Matt Clark 6-5 Darren Webster
Andy Boulton 6-1 Arron Monk
James Richardson 6-1 Mickey Mansell
Jack Todd 6-5 Ronnie Baxter
Darren Johnson 6-1 Ray Campbell
Stuart Kellett 6-3 Jason Marriott
Nathan Derry 6-3 Paul Nicholson
Sam Head 6-3 Robert Owen
Keegan Brown 6-5 Ryan Meikle
Andy Smith 6-2 Jason Wilson
Alan Tabern 6-3 Ricky Williams
Simon Stevenson 6-4 Ritchie Edhouse
Steve Hine 6-3 Rob Modra
Ross Smith 6-5 Jason Lovett
First Round
Stephen Willard 6-5 Daryl Gurney (1)
Steve West 6-4 John Bowles
Mervyn King (2) 6-4 Mick Todd
Luke Woodhouse 6-4 Andy Jenkins
Justin Pipe (3) 6-3 Simon Preston
Steve Brown 6-4 Adam Hunt
Brendan Dolan (4) 6-4 Jonathan Worsley
Mick McGowan 6-2 Dean Winstanley
Jim Walker 6-4 Mark Webster (5)
Chris Dobey 6-4 Kurt Parry
James Young 6-3 Joe Cullen (6)
Wayne Jones 6-4 Paul Milford
Josh Payne (7) 6-2 Shaun Griffiths
Ryan Harrington 6-5 Matt Clark
Steve Beaton (8) 6-1 Tony Newell
Andy Boulton 6-0 Ted Evetts
Joe Murnan (9) 6-2 David Wilson
James Richardson 6-5 Jay Foreman
Jamie Lewis (10) 6-4 Mark Forman
Jonny Clayton 6-2 Jack Todd
Kyle Anderson (11) 6-4 Ryan Palmer
Darren Johnson 6-2 Eddie Dootson
Jamie Caven (12) 6-5 Curtis Hammond
Nathan Aspinall 6-1 Stuart Kellett
Nigel Heydon 6-2 Robbie Green (13)
Nathan Derry 6-4 Ian Moss
Peter Hudson 6-4 Kevin Painter (14)
Steve McNally 6-5 Sam Head
John Henderson (15) 6-3 Jamie Robinson
Darron Brown 6-4 Keegan Brown
Andrew Gidling (16) 6-3 Michael Barnard
Mark Frost 6-5 Andy Smith
Terry Temple 6-3 Ricky Evans (17)
Wes Newton 6-4 Alan Tabern
Devon Petersen (18) 6-5 Billy Holmes
Simon Stevenson 6-4 Mark Barilli
James Wilson (19) 6-3 Matthew Dennant
Steve Hine 6-2 Mark Hylton
Andy Hamilton (20) 6-1 John Part
Ross Smith 6-2 Barrie Bates
Second Round
Steve West 6-1 Stephen Willard
Mervyn King (2) 6-1 Luke Woodhouse
Justin Pipe (3) 6-2 Steve Brown
Brendan Dolan (4) 6-4 Mick McGowan
Chris Dobey 6-4 Jim Walker
Wayne Jones 6-5 James Young
Josh Payne (7) 6-1 Ryan Harrington
Steve Beaton (8) 6-5 Andy Boulton
James Richardson 6-4 Joe Murnan (9)
Jonny Clayton 6-3 Jamie Lewis (10)
Kyle Anderson (11) 6-4 Darren Johnson
Jamie Caven (12) 6-5 Nathan Aspinall
Nigel Heydon 6-2 Nathan Derry
Steve McNally 6-1 Peter Hudson
Darron Brown 6-3 John Henderson (15)
Mark Frost 6-3 Andrew Gidling (16)
Wes Newton 6-3 Terry Temple
Simon Stevenson 6-3 Devon Petersen (18)
James Wilson (19) 6-4 Steve Hine
Ross Smith 6-3 Andy Hamilton (20)
Qualifiers: Steve West, Mervyn King, Justin Pipe, Brendan Dolan, Chris Dobey, Wayne Jones, Josh Payne, Steve Beaton, James Richardson, Jonny Clayton, Kyle Anderson, Jamie Caven, Nigel Heydon, Steve McNally, Darron Brown, Mark Frost, Wes Newton, Simon Stevenson, James Wilson, Ross Smith
European Darts Open
European Tour Event Six
UK Qualifier - Ricoh Arena, Coventry, May 20 2016
Preliminary Round
Nathan Aspinall 6-4 Ross Smith
Stephen Willard 6-5 Barrie Bates
Darron Brown 6-2 Ray Campbell
Shaun Griffiths 6-2 James Young
Mick McGowan 6-5 Jamie Robinson
Wayne Jones 6-5 Peter Hudson
Mark Frost 6-1 Dave Ladley
Curtis Hammond 6-4 Sam Head
Jonny Clayton 6-3 Ken MacNeil
Jim Walker 6-5 Steve Hine
Tony Newell 6-5 James Hubbard
Robert Owen 6-5 Brian Woods
Mark Barilli 6-5 Jonathan Worsley
Ryan Meikle 6-3 Billy Holmes
Ryan Harrington 6-2 Terry Temple
Mark Walsh 6-5 Paul Milford
Callum Loose 6-2 Nick Fullwell
Andy Boulton 6-3 Kurt Parry
James Wilson 6-4 Adam Hunt
Ted Evetts 6-3 Luke Woodhouse
Nigel Heydon 6-3 Mark Forman
Wes Newton 6-4 Eddie Dootson
Andy Hamilton 6-2 Jason Lovett
William O’Connor 6-5 Alan Tabern
Ian Moss 6-5 Jason Marriott
Mickey Mansell 6-1 Ryan Palmer
First Round
Alan Norris (1) 6-0 Mark Hylton
Nathan Aspinall 6-4 Paul Nicholson
Gerwyn Price (2) 6-0 David Wilson
Stephen Willard 6-1 Matthew Dennant
Daryl Gurney (3) 6-1 Dean Winstanley
Keegan Brown 6-2 Darron Brown
Mick Todd 6-5 Mervyn King (4)
Shaun Griffiths 6-3 Nathan Derry
James Richardson 6-3 Justin Pipe (5) - James Richardson hits nine-dart finish
Arron Monk 6-4 Mick McGowan
Andy Jenkins 6-2 Brendan Dolan (6)
Dennis Smith 6-4 Wayne Jones
Mark Webster (7) 6-3 Harry Robinson
Mark Frost 6-0 Michael Barnard
Harry Ward 6-3 Joe Cullen (8)
Curtis Hammond 6-1 Simon Stevenson
Josh Payne (9) 6-1 Jack Todd
Jonny Clayton 6-2 Jay Foreman
Ritchie Edhouse 6-4 Steve Beaton (10)
Ricky Williams 6-3 Jim Walker
Joe Murnan (11) 6-3 Rob Modra
Tony Newell 6-2 Matt Clark
Steve West 6-4 Jamie Lewis (12)
Andy Smith 6-2 Robert Owen
Kyle Anderson (13) 6-1 Steve McNally
Mark Barilli 6-5 Steve Brown
Jamie Caven (14) 6-3 John Part
John Bowles 6-3 Ryan Meikle
Robbie Green (15) 6-0 Ronnie Baxter
Ryan Harrington 6-1 Mark Walsh
Darren Webster 6-5 Kevin Painter (16)
Andy Boulton 6-3 Callum Loose
John Henderson (17) 6-2 Kevin Dowling
James Wilson 6-2 Ted Evetts
Stuart Kellett 6-3 Andrew Gilding (18)
Wes Newton 6-4 Nigel Heydon
Ricky Evans (19) 6-3 Chris Dobey
Andy Hamilton 6-2 William O'Connor
Devon Peterson (20) 6-3 Darren Johnson
Mickey Mansell 6-2 Ian Moss
Second Round
Alan Norris 6-3 Nathan Aspinall
Gerwyn Price 6-0 Stephen Willard
Daryl Gurney 6-5 Keegan Brown
Shaun Griffiths 6-3 Mick Todd
James Richardson 6-2 Arron Monk
Andy Jenkins 6-4 Dennis Smith
Mark Frost 6-4 Mark Webster
Harry Ward 6-4 Curtis Hammond
Jonny Clayton 6-2 Josh Payne
Ritchie Edhouse 6-4 Ricky Williams
Tony Newell 6-5 Joe Murnan
Steve West 6-2 Andy Smith
Kyle Anderson 6-2 Mark Barilli
Jamie Caven 6-1 John Bowles
Robbie Green 6-4 Ryan Harrington
Andy Boulton 6-3 Darren Webster
John Henderson 6-0 James Wilson
Wes Newton 6-3 Stuart Kellett
Andy Hamilton 6-5 Ricky Evans
Devon Peterson 6-4 Mickey Mansell
Qualifiers: Alan Norris, Gerwyn Price, Daryl Gurney, Shaun Griffiths, James Richardson, Andy Jenkins, Mark Frost, Harry Ward, Jonny Clayton, Ritchie Edhouse, Tony Newell, Steve West, Kyle Anderson, Jamie Caven, Robbie Green, Andy Boulton, John Henderson, Wes Newton, Andy Hamilton, Devon Petersen